Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Exhibition showcases sculptor Nikolai Schmirgela's personal art collection

Photo: FB/Sofia Art Galleries

The exhibition "Possible Connections: Images from the Studio of Nikolai Schmirgela" opens today at the Sofia City Art Gallery. The exhibition is his personal collection of artworks that testify to Schmirgela's tastes, sympathies, inspirations and friendships.

In 2023 the Sofia City Art Gallery received a large donation from Julia Bankova, the sculptor's granddaughter, and his other heirs. It contains works by Bulgarian and foreign artists, some of whom were Schmirgela's friends  - Alexander Zhendov, Stoyan Venev, Georgi Popov - John, Alexandar Stamenov, Svetlin Rusev and others. There are also works by the Cuban artist Carmelo Gonzalez, who visited Shmirgela's studio. In the case of other artists, it is difficult to guess whether they knew Schmirgela, such as George Grosz, André Masson, Eva Schulze-Knabe and others. The exhibition runs until 6 April.

Svetlin Rusev, Landscape with Laundry, 1961л
Nikolai Vladov-Shmirgela (1911 - 1999) was a Bulgarian sculptor, painter, illustrator and critic. He was one of the most active artists of the 1930s in all fields of art.  He was the director of the National Art Gallery, the creator of the permanent exhibition of icons in the crypt of St. Alexander Nevsky.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Community center in Antonovo

European Days of Artistic Crafts in Antonovo

European Days of Artistic Crafts are starting today in Bulgaria's Antonovo . The motto of this year's edition is "The Golden Thread", which is why it will begin with workshops on  wool felting. Every day until the end of the week, residents and..

published on 3/31/25 6:35 AM
 Kalin Terziyski

Literature, Cinema and Spirituality - interesting events at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Berlin in April

Writer Kalin Terziyski will present his collection of short stories "Is Anyone There to Love You?" at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Berlin on April 1.  The book, translated into German by Elvira Bormann, tells of life in a city full of mystery,..

published on 3/30/25 8:45 AM

Yavor Milushev with award for outstanding contribution to Bulgarian theatre

On Theater Day - March 27, the Union of Artists in Bulgaria traditionally presented the National Awards for Performing Arts IKAR. The award for outstanding contribution to Bulgarian theatre went to actor Yavor Milushev and was..

published on 3/28/25 2:55 PM