Georgi Chapkanov – Chapa
In November of this year, the Jubilee exhibition „Sculpture and Graphics“ by the prominent artist and sculptor Georgi Chapkanov – Chapa was opened at the Anel Museum-Gallery. Having long received national and international recognition, Georgi Chapkanov is one of the classics of Bulgarian sculpture. It is difficult to determine where his contribution is greater – whether in public art with his numerous works in urban environments in Bulgaria and abroad, or in equestrian sculpture, a genre in which he began working in the 70s. Prof. Georgi Chapkanov – Chapa was born in Vŭlchi Dol on 24.01.1943 and is an honorary citizen of the town. The creator comes from an artistic family – his mother was an actress, and his father was a self-taught artist and iconographer. He graduated in „Sculpture“ from the National Academy of Arts „Nikolay Pavlovich“ in Sofia. Later, he specialized in Paris. His works are exhibited in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the building of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, the National Art Gallery, and private collections. He has been awarded numerous national and international prizes and honored with the Order of Sts. Cyril and Methodius for merits in the field of culture and art. Chapa is one of the co-authors of the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria, approved by the National Assembly in 1997. Some of the author’s most famous works have long become part of the urban environment in many Bulgarian cities: The statue of St. Sophia is a 24-meter monument located opposite the triangle of power. The plastic sun is located in the central foyer of the National Palace of Culture. The sculptural compositions of Petko and Pencho Slaveikov, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Radoy Ralin, the brothers Georgi and Bogdan Proshek are situated in squares in Sofia, Georgi Kaloyanchev – Kala in Burgas, in Ruse, there is the monument to the Nobel laureate Elias Canetti, who was born and lived in the city, the monument to the donors in Svishtov, and many others. Georgi Chapkanov’s sculptures are often met with strong love or hatred but never with indifference. Two of them have fallen victim to vandals – „The Abducted Europe,“ a work based on an ancient Greek myth in which Zeus kidnaps Europe, bringing the author a gold medal at an international exhibition at the Louvre, was indeed abducted and lost for 15 years. „The Gymnast,“ located in the fountain in front of the National Theater, a favorite of all photographers, was literally shattered by a midnight selfie enthusiast. The jubilee exhibition includes 40 sculptures and 40 graphics and drawings. The selection includes the author’s earliest works from the 70s, executed in chamotte, and literally his latest works in bronze. A series of original lithographs have been created specifically for the exhibition, including original sketches and drawings for his sculptural works. Photo: Yassen Tzonev
