Live Drawing: 10–13 May 2022
Vernissage on Saturday, 14 May, from 8 to 10 p.m., Atrium
In 2020, the National Gallery launched a programme titled ‘The Wall’. In the atrium of Kvadrat 500, among the sculptural artworks of the National Gallery’s permanent exhibition, a monumentally scaled decorative panel measuring 2.4m x 26m was erected. Invited by a curatorial team, contemporary artists focused on graffiti and mural art created their projects on it. Nikolay Petrov – GLOW was the first to be offered the opportunity to paint his bright geometric shapes with his ‘Garden of Colours’. A year later, ‘Eggcident’ appeared there, in the highly recognisable and definitively ‘urban’ style of Aleksi Ivanov.
With the support of the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, a complete renovation of the facility was carried out in April 2022, to ensure the high-quality technical parameters and characteristics of the panel. The successful cooperation between the two organisations resulted in the possibility for the first foreign artist to receive an invitation to perform on ‘The Wall’.
From 10 to 13 May, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Greek-born Vasileios Manthopoulos, known as BILOS, will paint his work, ‘PLETHOS / MULTITUDE’ in front of Kvadrat 500 visitors.
On 14 May, between 8 and 10 p.m., as part of the National Gallery’s programme for the Sofia 2022 European Night of Museums, BILOS will add the finishing touches and final elements to his work.
BILOS (b. 1988) is a Greek illustrator and mural artist currently based in Sofia, Bulgaria. With a long-standing background in the art of graffiti, he explores the boundaries of illustration, ceramics, and abstraction. The primary focus of his oeuvre is the creation of imaginary forms, objects, still lifes and compositions. His work, although often abstract, always bears a figurative narrative that remains open to interpretation. Bilos has exhibited internationally—in France, Great Britain, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Greece, and Bulgaria.
Selected projects include the Onassis Cultural Centre (GR), Neo Preemo (AUS), Citywise Foundation (BG), Boerhinger Ingelheim (AT), Tony Delfino (MEX), Art Walk Patras (GR), Vangart (FR), L’Artichaut Galerie (FR), and Les éditions comète (FR).
