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About

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Svilen Petrov

A creative Master Sculptor, with an inherent talent for design, fabrication and craftsmanship with a deep-rooted passion for art.
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Able to tutor individuals or larger groups in Fine Arts with particular emphasis on three-dimensional art forms using a variety of materials.

An ability and keen interest to educate and inspire young minds by developing a creative and positive learning atmosphere.
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I am willing to join a creative team that contributes to my personal growth as a creative sculptor, an effective communicator, teacher, and I am aspiring to continue to grow as a purposeful artist.
Areas Of  Expertise
  • Three-dimensional design rendering
  • Three-dimensional art creation using other materials and methods
  • Bronze sculpture design & creation
  • Wood carving
  • Clay work and fire
  • Creating artistic images on canvas or other materials
  • Encouraging and inspiring fresh artistic minds
  • Stone art design & creation
  • Develop learning Atmosphere for Students
  • Ability to create art from a wide variety of materials
  • Cross-cultural communications skills
  • Art photography
Professional Experience
Master Sculptor 1995, September – To December 2017
Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
 
• The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage grew out of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation 
in late 2005 to promote cultural and historical aspects of Abu Dhabi. ADACH is a well known Abu Dhabi historical building.  In fact, the old Cultural Foundation was located on the site of the old Sh. Zaiyed’s palace.

• I have been working as a Master Sculptor with Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, UAE. Responsible for the creation of artworks in two and three dimensions, running of the Sculpture Studio at the workshop, together with the preparation of coursework for sculpture students, to educate and inspire young minds by developing a positive learning atmosphere.

• I have been involved with personal and group tutoring in fine Arts for many years, with particular emphasis on three-dimensional art forms, utilizing any combination of mediums, methods, and techniques: carves objects from stone, plaster, wood, metal or other materials, using abrasives, chisels, gouges, mallets and other hand tools.  I model plastic substances, such as clay or wax,
using fingers and small hand tools to form objects which may subsequently be cast in bronze or concrete, or fired to harden objects.

• Design, implementation, and supervision of sculptural projects such as facades, fountains, relief, mosaics and memorials.

• Design and implementation of unique gifts for VIP guests and awards for festivals and exhibitions organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.  Reading lectures to VIP guests describing the process of creating a piece of art.

• Developed and taught specialized programs for sculpture, painting and ceramics to the level of fine arts.

• Organized a permanent exhibition in the workshop including the artwork of the students.
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• Identified young talent from UAE and supported them by giving advice and direction for developing their talent and organizing exhibitions on their behalf.
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• Former independent artist and sculptor in Bulgaria, responsible for many works of art now in public and private collections.
Qualifications and Other Skills

June - 1988 Master's Degree Sculpture, National Academy Of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria.
May- 1978    Diploma, High School Of Ceramics And Glass, Sofia, Bulgaria.
 

Membership

1989 Member, Union Of Bulgarian Artist, Sofia, Bulgaria
1989 International Association of Art with UNESCO
1996 Member, Emirates Fine Arts Society, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
2011 Abu Dhabi Art Squad
2018 Nova Scotia Potters' Guild
2018 Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design
2019 Art Zone Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

Acknowledgements

2007 Certificate of Appreciation, Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi UAE
2002 Certificate of Participation Emirates Fine Arts Society, The 21st Annual Fine Art Exhibition, Abu Dhabi UAE
2001 Achieved Second Place, “The 20th Annual Fine Art Exhibition”, Emirates Fine Art Society, Abu Dhabi, UAE Lists

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Artworks and Exhibitions

1988 Monumental relief for the Hospital of City of Lovech, Bulgaria
1989 Monumental sculpture for a printing house, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1989 Monumental sculpture and logo for the City of Madgarovo, Bulgaria
1990 Solo exhibition in the Business Club of Bulgarholding, Sofia, Bulgaria
1995 Participation in International Art Biennale in Sharjah, UAE
1998 Participation in ENGULFEP exhibition in the Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi, UAE
1998 Participation in Exhibition - Portrait with Fine Art Society, Sharjah, UAE
1998 Participation in the General Exhibition of the Emirates Fine Art Society, Sharjah, UAE
2000 Participation in Exhibition - Portrait with Fine Art Society, Sharjah, UAE
2001 Participation in "Convergence" - multimedia exhibition in the Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2001 Participation in 20th Annual Fine Art Exhibition of the Fine Art Society, Sharjah, UAE
2002 Participation in 21st Annual Fine Art Exhibition of the Fine Art Society, Sharjah, UAE
2003 Participation in 22nd Annual Fine Art Exhibition of the Fine art Society, Sharjah, UAE
2004 Monumental sculpture for the Women's University in Al Ain, UAE
2004 Monumental portrait - relief of HH Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2004 Design of award for the Emirates Film Competition in Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2006 Design of award for the Emirates Photography Competition in Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage, and participation in Emirates Photography Competition, Abu Dhabi .
Jan 2011 Participation in the Photography Workshop organized by British Consul, Abu Dhabi, UAE Participation in exhibition sponsored by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), Abu Dhabi, UAE
2011 Created sculpture "Heritage" for Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai.
2014 Solo Exhibition in National Theatre, Abu Dhabi.
2017 Participation in Etihat Art Exhibition, Abu Dhabi.
2019 Participation in Art Zone Exhibition, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Articles Published

Jun 6, 1996 "The history of one nation is built on the fundamentals of its cultural life", Al Bayan, UAE
Jul 17, 1998 "How an Arabic touch affects Academic Education", Al Bayan, UAE
Jul 11, 1996 "Creative atmosphere in the workshops in the Cultural Foundation”, El Etihat, UAE
Jun 06, 1997 "Sculptor creates in different mould", Emirates News, UAE
May 31, 1998 "Unique sculpture show at Cultural Foundation", Emirates News, UAE
Jun 12, 2001 "Art for art's sake", Gulf News, UAE
Sep 21, 2005 "The art of making designs", The Emirates Evening Post, UAE

Criticical Acclaim

Svilen Petrov, though he left Bulgaria a long time ago, is well-know to art connoisseurs as one of the sculptors consistently working in classic materials and genres. His works are traditionally associated with a virtuosity of performance and high professional erudition in the process of form construction. His compositions, figures and heads carry a special metaphorical expression (achieved by complex treatment of surfaces be these metal or stone), seemingly deliberately opposed to the traditional “roughness” of sculpting material. Such feeling is not incidental and comes from the way the material is treated, and, in this territory, Svilen Petrov’s creative thinking can be defined as pronouncedly elegant.  This is hardly fortuitous, considering his sculpture education at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia in the 1980s. And his high professional skills are obviously well-appreciated in Abu Dhabi, where he chose to live many years ago. 

Svilen Petrov works mainly with stone and bronze, and his creations seem connected with the classic forms and the early decades of European sculpture modernism, rather than with fashionable trends. This is an intentional choice, as opposed to modern sculpture, which seems to be falling apart and losing its integrity.  Such a decision deserves respect because there is no “right” or “wrong” in modern art.  Upholding of certain plastic means of expression represents a cultural choice associated with the self-assertion of each artist in their specific context, and Svilen Petrov’s traditionalism is of the type evoking pure joy – and making the world a good place to live.   
 
Prof. Svilen Stefanov  
Art Critic & Deputy Rector of National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria
 
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