In his latest exhibition, Nikolay Buzov follows the principles of calligraphic art, offering a polyphony of abstract symbols and signs. His canvases emanate the sense of ease and freedom with which he creates his geometric structures.

“The title Calligraphic is more a playful tease at the kind of mastery and interpretation of the abstract shape like calligraphy, though using the techniques and media of painting,” says Nikolay Buzov about his works now on display at the Sofia Press gallery and bookstore. With this latest exhibition, the artist encourages visitors to find their own perception as they travel inside these imaginary spaces and come out with a special kind of feeling – “neither good, nor anything else”. Because as he puts it – seeing what’s right in front of you is the most difficult thing.

“There are two kinds of artists – the first we can call “masters” but I believe I myself am an “inventor” because experiments are a form of invention,” Nikolay Buzov says further. “With Calligraphic I try to throw a bridge towards the things that may seem trite, things that we encounter every day without asking ourselves what they actually are. So that, with the help of the exhibition, I would like viewers too to see and discover them in a very different way. And to not forget that calligraphy is to a great extent “handmade”, crafted with mastery. Every letter is invented, and in this sense – to encourage people to come to the realization that practically everything around us is the result of the invention of something visual, as well as how much visual things mean to us, humans.”

On his way to abstract art Nikolay Buzov has worked with classical form, with portraits still playing an important role in his work. At the beginning of the democratic changes in the country he created his series Nameless heads, followed decades later by Maskless faces. And as the only way to face the challenges of the times is the truth, has the time come to show our real faces?

“The masks must be shed,” the artist answers. “On the other hand masks are an important cultural phenomenon for the human race. Halloween was a few days ago, and it triggered such explosive polarization, but what we have here is a carnival tradition in which transformation – pretending to be bad, to be evil – is the exact opposite of what is happening to people. We are social animals and we wear masks from time to time – sometimes they are ugly, scary or mawkish, and at the same time really beautiful or really stupid (pardon the expression). Of course, what matters most are the real faces because hypocrisy is starting to turn into a cynical way of living with masks that are not all that good.”

Though surrounded by wars, insecurity, compromising politicians, fake news, reality could still push us to self-expression though art, says Nikolay Buzov. But then adds: “I don’t know whether the exact word with regard to the dramas and the anxiety in this world of ours is inspiration but it is definitely reaction.”

“The big war raging between Russia and Ukraine, the things that are happening in the Middle East and the human dramas have affected me deeply,” the artist says further. “To my mind what is happening is an enormous calamity – though not natural but human. It was a real shock to me when, in 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine – I just couldn’t imagine anyone doing that in Europe. These global events took down many masks and people became radicalized in their thinking, and that affects human relationships.”

As any man of art, Nikolay Buzov would like to leave signs as he makes his way in art.

“A footprint of some kind – not exactly carbon, a more artistic footprint,” the artist says with a smile. “It is another matter when and how it will be seen in the world. Time will show what signs an artist has left behind – whether important or not so much. Time will put us in our rightful place one day.”

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photos: Diana Tsankova