Vesselin Kourtev – Gallery Director (http://www.kourtev.com)
Vesselin Kourtev has over 20 years of experience as a professional fine art artist. He graduated from Faculty of Fine Art at the University of Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. From 1989 until 2002 he worked in Art School of Scenography, Plovdiv and took part in the artistic life of Bulgaria and Europe. Participated in numerous one-man shows and international exhibitions. In 2002 he moved to live in New Jersey and in 2007 he founded the Alfa Art Gallery. He chose to open his gallery here because of its excellent location amidst academic, theatrical, business and social settings, similar to locations in his native Bulgaria.
To be able to fully comprehend and appreciate Vesselin’s paintings we need to know a bit about his past, where he comes from and what traditions and values govern his life. He was born in Bulgaria, an ancient country with a very rich historical and cultural heritage – from the fascinating gold work of the Thracians through the unique Roman architecture to the Byzantine mosaics and paintings.
His early education was in classical art and over the years his work has evolved. Today his art is that of a mature artist with his own individuality. The subjects that intrigue him most are human relationships and the interaction in their personal and global dimensions. The events he depicts take place in an abstract, almost fictional environment and the message conveyed by the state of the figures and their faces, reinforced with subtle gestures and movements is that of connectedness and balance. Vesselin’s strength as an artist is a result of his sensitivity and imagination as well as his strong sense of composition and wonderful use of color and texture. In most cases the people seem familiar, the poses are subtle, and everything is woven together with lyrical power.
Vesselin has been described as a “unique neo-symbolist in abstract disguise, a romantic in the tradition of artists like Arnold Bocklin…and Walter Crane.” The big difference between Vesselin’s work and these earlier artists is that his message is more imaginative and seamlessly integrated with a unified and more balanced aesthetic vision.
EDUCATION
MFA – Faculty of Fine Art at the University of Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2007 – Present: Founder, Director and Resident Artist of the Alfa Art Gallery.
1989 – 2002: Art School of Scenography, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024/04 “Resonance” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2023/03 “Chasing Memories” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2022/06 Solo Exhibition — Red Pony Art Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2022/03 “Phantasia: Expressions of Love” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2021/06 “The Whirlwind of Life” (Solo Exhibition) — Gallery Vazradang, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2020/10 “Lifted: Vesselin Kourtev & John Hawaka” (Two-Man Show) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2019/06 “Painting and Drawing” (Solo Exhibition) — Stara Zagora’s Art Gallery, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2019/10 “A Serrated Disposition” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2018/09 “Enrapture the Soul” (Soul Exhibition)– Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2017/10 “The Matter of the Spirit” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2016/08 “Waves of Illumination” (Solo Exhibition) — Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2015/03 “Footprints in Space” (Solo Exhibition)– Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2012 – “αrchive IV” – Small Format / Affordable Art Group Exhibition Opening Reception
2012 – “Temples” – Solo Exhibition, First Gallery, Heldrich, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2012 – “Temples” – Solo Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2012 – “Moments in Matter” – Solo Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2012 – “Jivko and Vesselin” – A Two Man Show Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2011 – “αrchive III” – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2011 – “The Message” – Solo Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2011 – “Abstract Reality” – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2010 – “αrchive II” – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2010 – Solo Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2009 – “Transfigured” – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2009 – “αrchive I” – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2009 – “Zoom”- Solo Exhibition, 5th “Art to Green” Exhibition at Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2009 – 3th “Art to Green” Exhibition at Alfa Art Gallery, Group Exhibition, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2008 – Solo Exhibition, City Art Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2008 – Solo Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2008 – 1st “Art to Green” Exhibition at Alfa Art Gallery, Group Exhibition, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2007 – Group Exhibition, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
2006 – Group Exhibition, Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City, NY, USA
2005 – Group Exhibition, Agora Gallery, New York City, NY, USA
2005 – Group Exhibition, Wilson Gallery, Mountain Lakes, NJ, USA
2005 – Group Exhibition, Millburn-Short Hills Art Center Exhibition, Summit, NJ, USA
2005 – Group Exhibition, Bergen Museum, Paramus, NJ, USA
2005 – Group Exhibition, Bernardsville Public Library Exhibition, “Let’s Read: Artists Inspiration from Literature”, Bernardsville, NJ, USA
2004 – Group Exhibition, Bergen Museum Art Festival, Paramus, NJ, USA
2004 – Group Exhibition, Gourkovo, Bulgaria
2003 – Group Exhibition, Art Alliance of Monmouth County, Red Bank, NJ, USA
2002 – Solo Exhibition, Luniol Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2002 – Solo Exhibition, Galerie de Langenhof, Zwolle, Nederland
2002 – Group Exhibition, Convent Ter Apel Gallery, Nederland
2001 – Solo Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria
2001 – Solo Exhibition, Gerry Gallery, Kampen, Nederland
2000 – Solo Exhibition, Gallery 1C, Den Haag, Nederland
2000 – Solo Exhibition, Art Gallery, Kasteel de Essenburg, Hierden, NL – The exhibition was open by Bulgarian cultural attaché in Nederland
2000 – Solo Exhibition, Union Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2000 – Group Exhibition, Estland Gallery, Gendt, Nederland
2000 – Group Exhibition, Stadhuis Gallery, Culemborg, Nederland
2000 – Group Exhibition, Hedendaag, Nederland
1999 – Solo Exhibition, Gallery Kendros, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1999 – Group Exhibition, Jacob Jordaеns Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
1998 – Solo Exhibition, the Town Gallery, Kozloduy, Bulgaria
1997 – Solo Exhibition, Bulgarian Art Centre Gallery, Prague, Chez Republic
1997 – Solo Exhibition, the Town Gallery, Gianitsa, Greece
1997 – Solo Exhibition, Vuzrajdane Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1996 – Solo Exhibition, Vuzrajdane Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1996 – Solo Exhibition, Balaban House Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1995 – Solo Exhibition, Art Centre Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1995 – Solo Exhibition, The Old Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1994 – Solo Exhibition, Art Gallery, Berlin, Germany
1994 – Solo Exhibition, Spectrum Gallery, Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria
1993 – Solo Exhibition, Europ’Art 1993 International Fair, Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland, represented by Gallery’100 – Malta
1993 – Solo Exhibition, Gallery Voice, Sofia, Bulgaria
1992 – Solo Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1991 – Solo Exhibition, Center for Contemporary Art, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1990 – Solo Exhibition, the Old Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1989 – Solo Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
1988 – Solo Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
1987 – Solo Exhibition, Art Center Gallery, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
His works are owned by many galleries and private collectors worldwide including Bulgaria, Germany, France, USA, Malta, Greece, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.