Biography
Slav Nedev was born in Sofia in 1967. He lives and works in Sofia and since 1989 is a freelance artist. Slav Nedev is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists. 2012 together with a group of adherents he founded the Biotope Association that was aimed mostly at the realization of the homonymous project for a large installation in public space.
He was awarded numerous awards more important of which are: First Prize. Competition for a Work in Public Space for Rosarium Park Kazanlak, Bulgaria (2017); Grant (as a curator) for Organizing a Group Exhibition Gaudenz B. Ruf Award for New Bulgarian Art (2016); Certificate of Honor Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) Kathmandu, Nepal (2012); Residency at Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus Schwandorf Bavaria, Germany (2011); Residency at Cité Internationale des Arts Paris, France (2009).
2016 Slav Nedev has curated the group show τόπος - topographies - ...topias opened in Rayko Alexiev Gallery Sofia, Bulgaria.
2018 he has realized his sculpture Rose Flower in Rosarium Park, Kazanlak, Bulgaria.
Slav Nedev has realized a multitude of solo exhibitions, more important among which are: Slav Nedev. Paintings, Zehentstadel Art Space, Beratzhausen, Germany (2017); Prints, Artur Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2016); Biotope, Sofia Press Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2010); Images from Nowhere, Agrion Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2008); Remains, Credo Bonum Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2006); Elements, Rakursi Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2005); Between Two Dreams, Triadiss Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2003); Selected Works, Vitosha Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (1995).
He has taken part in numerous group shows, more important of which are: 7th Beijing International Art Biennale "The Silk Road and World Civilizations", Beijing, China (2017); τόπος - topographies - ...topias, Rayko Alexiev Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2016); Map of the New Art, Fondazione Cini, Venice, Italy (2015); Snap to Grid, LACDA, Los Angeles, USA (2014); To Be Continued… (Gaudenz B. Ruf Collection), Sofia City Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria (2014); Open Monument, Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Berlin, Germany (2013); Earth | Body | Mind, KIAF 2012, Metropark, Kathmandu, Nepal (2012); Chances, Choices, Changes, National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria (2012); Environmental Justice, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark (2009); Bulgarian Painting after 1989, National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria (2002); New Names 2, Shipka 6 Gallery of UBA, Sofia, Bulgaria (1993).
Works of the artist are property of many collections, among which: City Museum of Vukovar, Vukovar, Croatia; Contemporary Bulgarian Art, New Bulgarian University Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria; Department of State, Washington D.C., USA; Gaudenz B. Ruf, Zürich, Switzerland; Imago Mundi, Fondazione Benetton, Treviso, Italy; Kuratorium Europäische Kulturarbeit, Beratzhausen, Germany; Siddhartha Arts Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal; Sofia City Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria.
About
Slav Nedev is a versatile artist from the generation that emerged in the years following the political changes in Eastern Europe of 1989. His approaches often stretch the boundaries of art while under the profound influence of visions and dreams. Slav’s creative process requires his complete emotional and mental immersion in a theme or media, which often lasts for several years.
At age 22 after having declared himself “a free artist” Slav devoted his time to meticulous studies of ancient Eastern Orthodox icons. While perfecting his technical skills he drew further inspiration from his interests in Philosophy (Kant Heidegger) Mythology Art History and Psychology (Jung). Music literature and nature provided further channels of influence in addition to his natural affinity for exploring social philosophical or psychological problems through the means of art.
Slav Nedev works with various styles and media ranging from painting and digital art to objects and installations and most recently even sculpture. During his artistic way he has explored different subjects that usually take the form of accomplished series of works. The style varies with the subject matter. His earlier works are very expressive and psychologically loaded paintings. Later he has created some series of surrealistic watercolors and pastels then reached a kind of New Objectivity in the series Remains (1995-6) and more later – the large size canvases from the Post-urban Visions series (2007-11) that could be regarded as surrealistic.
Usually his interest is concerned with subjects of the urban environment the relationship between man and nature as well as more general subjects from the field of philosophy psychology the human mind and.
In the recent years, the artist focuses more on art in public space and he workes on the project Biotope - a project for a large art installation as well as on a sculpture that was realized in Rosarium Park Kazanluk. While working on these projects Slav started to use extensively digital technologies which eventually led to new series of digital prints grouped in the series Biotope (2008-17) and Yogurt Culture (2016).
Currently Slav Nedev is focused on the Liber Mundi project - an art installation in public space.
Gallery
Slav Nedev
Post-urban Vision No. 2, 2008.
Painting
Details
- Material: oil, canvas
- Width: 120.00 cm Height: 150.00 cm Depth: 3.00 cm
- Property of: Sofia City Art Gallery
- Description: A work from the Post-urban Visions series - a series that transcends the existence of today's highly urbanized industrial society and envisages a future (post-urban) state when the humans (for some reason) are extinct and only remains of their activity (primarily architecture) and shadow-like silhouettes remind of the busy city life.
However in this desolate landscape, the nature slowly regains space (Post-urban Vision No. 1) and the life (contrasted to concrete and glass) begins anew. - Copyright: Slav Nedev
Slav Nedev
Post-urban Vision No. 5, 2009.
Painting
Details
- Material: oil on canvas
- Width: 120.00 mm Height: 150.00 mm Depth: mm
- Property of: artist
- Copyright: Slav Nedev
Slav Nedev
Biotope IX, 2008.
Painting
Details
- Material: inkjet print on paper
- Sizes: variable dimensions
- Description: Biotope (from Ancient Greek βίος (bios) 'life' + τόπος (topos) 'place') is an area providing a living place for a specific biological community.
The Biotope series was made as a visualization of a large installation representing a “city” built of trash containers. The project deals with one of the serious problems of today world – the problem with the waste that has already not only pragmatic but cultural and social dimensions as well. The increasing consumption leads to increased pollution. The consumer society has turned into a waste society. The message is quite clear: we produce so much waste that the place we live in, our biotope, turns gradually into a dumping ground where our outlook and movements get more and more limited. - Copyright: Slav Nedev
- References: http://www.biotope.bg/en
http://www.imagomundiart.com/artworks/slav-nedev-biotope-ix
https://slavnedev.weebly.com/biotope-2007---ongoing1.html
https://slavnedev.weebly.com/biotope-2007---ongoing.html
Slav Nedev
Biotope 18.1, 2016.
Painting
Details
- Material: inkjet print on paper mounted on Dibond
- Width: 100.00 cm Height: 178.00 cm Depth: 3.00 cm
- Sizes: variable dimensions
- Description: Biotope 18.1 is part of the Biotope series but it was made specially for the group exhibition "τόπος - topographies - ...topias"
Biotope (from Ancient Greek βίος (bios) 'life' + τόπος (topos) 'place') is an area providing a living place for a specific biological community.
The Biotope series was made as a visualization of a large installation representing a “city” built of trash containers. The project deals with one of the serious problems of today world – the problem with the waste that has already not only pragmatic but cultural and social dimensions as well. The increasing consumption leads to increased pollution. The consumer society has turned into a waste society. The message is quite clear: we produce so much waste that the place we live in, our biotope, turns gradually into a dumping ground where our outlook and movements get more and more limited. - Copyright: Slav Nedev
- References: http://www.biotope.bg/en
http://www.imagomundiart.com/artworks/slav-nedev-biotope-ix
https://slavnedev.weebly.com/biotope-2007---ongoing1.html
https://slavnedev.weebly.com/biotope-2007---ongoing.html
Slav Nedev
Rose Flower, 2018.
Sculpture
Details
- Photographer: Slav Nedev
- Material: aluminium, stainless steel
- Width: 190.00 cm Height: 198.00 cm Depth: 198.00 cm
- Sizes: The overall height with the fundament is 253 cm.
- Property of: Kazanlak Municipality
- References: https://slavnedev.weebly.com/rose-flower-2018.html