The National Gallery announces the opening of an exhibition on the Bulgarian sculptor Georgi Chapkanov, dedicated to his 80th birthday. More than 70 works are included – owned by the artist; the inventory of the National Gallery; the Museum of Humour and Satire in Gabrovo; the Sofia City Art Gallery; the art galleries in Burgas, Dobrich, Ruse, Silistra, Stara Zagora, Veliko Tarnovo, and Yambol; and privation collectors.
Through the medium of virtual reality, the artist’s most iconic project is presented in one of the halls – the monument dedicated to the city of Sofia. Situated on a 16-meter high column, the statue’s details and history are little known. The process of its creation, which continued for more than nine months in 2000, is presented with excerpts from the film by director Todor Chapkanov, shown here for the first time.
The exhibition, retrospective in character, places Chapkanov’s at first glance earthly works within the context of an unearthly, metaphysical world, one in which the celestial has its own clearly demarcated structure. This is the path that every human soul is destined to take – from limbo/purgatory to hell and heaven. This Cosmos, a spiritual world of transformation and becoming, is held by an all-powerful deity endowed with a feminine essence and form – the “heavenly wisdom” Sophia.
The project has been made possible through the financial support of the Events Program of the Sofia Municipality and with the kind cooperation of UniCredit Bulbank. Curators of the exhibition are Ivo Milev and Milko Dobrev.

Multimedia exposition dedicated to 150 years since the death of the Apostle of Freedom, Vasil Levski.
Using holographic technology on a large-scale video wall, a re-enactment of the trial of the Apostle of Freedom is displayed, and significant moments of his life are brought back to life. Veselin Plachkov portrays Vasil Levski. Actors Ivan Trenev, Lyubov Pavlova, Rumen Ivanov, Alexander Georgiev, Biser Marinov and Nikola Dodov are also participants. Nelly Dimitrova is the screenwriter; Dimitar Gochev, the director; Simeon Parashkevov and Dimitar Gochev, cinematographers; Atanas Gendov, composer; Pirina Veselinova, Evgeni Gospodinov and the Svetoglas Quartet, musical performers; sensor studio, animation and mapping; Hristo Karagyozov, audio mixing and post-production; Ivo Milev, creative producer; and Tsvetoslav Borisov, executive producer.
The National Gallery and the Vasil Levski All-Bulgarian Committee created the exposition, with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and donations by the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, Kaufland Bulgaria EOOD, Aurubis Bulgaria JSC, Vazovski Machinery Works JSC – Sopot, and patriotic Bulgarians.
Kvadrat 500, entrance at 95, Vasil Levski Blvd., Sofia
Opening hours:
Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.– 6 p.m.
The screenings are 30 minutes away, starting at 10 am
Bookings for groups of up to 20 people: +359 879 834 025
FREE ADMISSION