After the military coup of May 19, 1934, when censorship stopped the left-wing newspapers from publishing their ruthless political cartoons, Iliya Beshkov (1901–1958) was seized by a creative frenzy to draw everything he was sure people were doing, imagining that they could not be discovered. He peered into domestic and public baths, brothels, nightclubs, cabarets and bedrooms. This is a journey of the artist who had seen the essence of the tsar and the political clique to the blessed environment that gave birth to them – the existence of the city man, felt through his passions and vices, which turned him into a loyal subject, forgiving the vices of those who ruled him. Such artistic behavior, which exposes overexcited men, voluptuous widows, husbands rushing to bed, seducing each other, copulating, has no analogue in the known circle of works between the two world wars, neither in Bulgaria nor outside it. It is understandable that only the most innocent layer of these works will be shown in the only exhibition that Beshkov held during his lifetime (1937) and in the albums and monographs that followed. For many decades, his passionate drawings awaited publicity, which was realized this year thanks to Savka Cholakova, Krasimir Iliev and the publishing house "Iztok-Zapad".
For the exhibition "ILIA BESHKOV - SAINTS AND PASSIONS" over 180 paintings have been collected, owned by the Art Gallery "Ilia Beshkov" - Pleven, National Gallery, Sofia City Art Gallery, Art Gallery "Hristo Tsokev" - Gabrovo, City Gallery - Smolyan, Art Gallery "Nikola Marinov" - Targovishte. Of particular interest are the works from private collections, which the audience will be able to see for the first time.
This exhibition presents Iliya Beshkov both as an unsurpassed painter and as a tireless seeker of the truth about man. The lust, ugliness, and beauty (sometimes) of his characters is deadly truthful, because they are all his offspring, whom he loves and ridicules without hating. That is why they captivate with their truthfulness. The least that can be said about them is that they are experienced. They are bathed in his love. They carry his passions, his infirmities and his sorrow for their existence. This makes them immortal.
Curator: Krasimir Iliev
Opening: September 19, 2017, 6:00 PM
Place: Sofia City Art Gallery
Closing: October 22, 2017
Source and photos: Sofia City Art Gallery
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