Exhibition on Display: March 15th, 2022 – April 23th, 2022
Virtual Opening Reception: March 24th, 2022
VIP –In-Person Reception: March 19th, 2022
On Tuesday, March 15th, the walls of Alfa Art gallery will be gracefully displaying Vesselin Kourtev’s solo exhibition “Phantasia: Expressions of Love.”
The themes of fantasy and allure are staples in the artwork of Bulgarian-born artist Vesselin Kourtev. In the selection of artworks on view in his upcoming solo exhibition, Kourtev draws from both the realm of reality (from his own personal and emotional experiences) and the realm of fantasy.
Experimenting with otherworldly colors, abstract symbols, and dream-like imagery, Kourtev’s art allows viewers to enter into his imagination and to access realms of their own fantastical imaginings. Throughout his artwork, Kourtev utilizes a vibrant palette of pastel colors that work to transport viewers into technicolor worlds of their imagination. In each of his individual canvases, Kourtev overlays meticulously-drawn abstract human figures over lighter pastels and darker colors. The hints of darker colors and shadows in his work recall the darker emotions of turmoil and sadness, while the brilliant rainbow of pastels recall the joys and pleasures of human connection.
In these selected artworks, Kourtev manipulates oil paint to make it look transparent and to develop his own one-of-a-kind style that is a blend of different painterly techniques. Unlike the usage of collage as seen in Kourtev’s previous exhibitions, “Phantasia: Expressions of Love“ focuses on the artist’s mastery of the technique of embedding figures into color schemes formed by dark and pastel shades, as well as focuses on showcasing his skill in rendering emotion through capturing human facial expressions that prompt us to guess at the unknown stories of the abstract characters illustrated. This exhibition also features a collection of Kourtev’s smaller brightly colored canvases entitled “Noise in the Ear”, which are further explorations in abstraction and surrealist colorism. Kourtev’s artworks are intended to be open-ended, and are subject to much interpretation: Ultimately, Kourtev wants the viewer to determine their own interpretation of his art and take what meaning resonates with them. Kourtev has an immense amount of experience as a professional fine arts artist, and has participated in countless one-man shows and exhibitions. His travels throughout both America and Europe and his cross-cultural identity have influenced both the way he views the world as well as how he perceives his artistic practice. We invite you to walk through Vesselin Kourtev’s collection, and to take a voyage into the whimsical world of his artworks that blur the lines between reality and fantasy.
About the “New Brunswick Art Salon” Exhibitions:
Alfa Art Gallery utilizes New Brunswick Art Salons (NBAS) to unify the local art community and beyond. Since starting the program in 2010 Alfa Gallery has made a point to include a salon dedicated to singularly to photography. Over the years, the NBAS has not only exhibited works from both established and emerging artists but has also made fruitful connections locally and internationally through its successful programs. Within this non-profit organization, Alfa Art Gallery maintains its mission to uplift artists by providing an open and innovative environment. These exhibitions are free and open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm.
Gallery Opening Reception:
Considering our new norms as a country, the in-person opening reception is a VIP and invitation-only event which efficiently limits the capacity for the gallery. However, Alfa Art Gallery will be holding a virtual opening reception that is an open event. The links to this opening can be found on Alfa Art Gallery’s Website and all social media closer to exhibition opening.
Alfa’s staff and interns are working to keep all visitors safe and healthy and have implemented safety measures along with the CDC guidelines. These include wearing face masks indoors, maintaining limited capacity, and providing a clean and safe environment.
NBAS’2021 is sponsored by:
With the assistance of grants from organizations such as Amboy Bank, Magyar Bank, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick City Center, Middlesex County Cultural, and Heritage Commission, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Pfizer Inc. Alfa Art is confident that all who come to the 2020 Oil Painting New Brunswick Art Salon will leave with a greater appreciation of the arts and the gallery’s showcasing of a variety of artists.
