Critique by Elena Foschi
2018
10th Anniversary Retrospective
Critiques published by academically-recognized critics or art historians
Alexander Kaprichev’s Wondrous Artistry: 10th Anniversary Retrospective
The exhibition Contemplation, Alexander Kaprichev (1945–2008) celebrates the prolific painterly investigation of an artist who developed a unique style within the European contemporary art scene. Working between Bulgaria and Great Britain, Alexander Kaprichev created an eclectic and multiform pictorial corpus, spanning from fiercely eloquent oils and acrylics to sophisticated watercolours and drawings. An exhaustive anthology of Kaprichev’s abstract compositions, depicted at the height of his English period, is now presented at the Finesse Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria, where the artworks created in Leicester and Birmingham have never been admired before.
Inaugurated on September 19th by Professor Chavdar Popov—one of the leading experts in Kaprichev’s art and author of his complete monograph—this retrospective commemorates the technical mastery of the late Bulgarian master, but more importantly, his unwavering creative enthusiasm. Kaprichev left a deep mark on the conceptual structure underlying artistic movements such as abstract expressionism and lyrical abstraction. His creative process challenged and expanded the norms of contemporary artistic practice through a journey of boundless self-discovery and research.
From contemplative tonal experimentations to cascades of forceful contrasts, Kaprichev’s profoundly explorative artworks are essential in their spontaneity and overwhelming in their mysterious iconographies. Balanced juxtapositions of tones harmoniously vibrate and reverberate, radiating an interior light that conveys the artist’s innermost spiritual concerns.
Finesse Gallery cleverly emphasises Kaprichev’s ability to shape sublime mises en scène: his remote horizons and veiled motifs resemble the awe-inspiring constellations of Wassily Kandinsky’s concertos on canvas. With a particular focus on chromatic correspondences, each exhibition room displays only a fraction of Kaprichev’s accomplished expertise in a wide variety of media, channelled through an intellect unceasingly willing to experiment and go beyond his own limits.
Livid blues, buttery yellows, and vivid corals virtuously enhance the layered textures in his poetic and avant-garde compositions. Whilst the agglomeration of layers may appear instinctive and spontaneous, Kaprichev’s compositions are the result of meticulous artistic composure, urging the spectator to admire the intriguing nature of their brilliant aesthetic impact and visual quality.
Most astonishing, for me, is the fiercely beautiful oil on canvas The Ladder (2002–03). Here, explicit geometric rigour is interrupted by dynamic textures and pulsating forces that reveal the emotional introspections of his passionate spirit. This polarity reflects Kaprichev’s constantly evolving creative inspiration, culminating in a vigorous pictorial expressionism.
Similarly, the watercolours carry a vast culture in their floating shapes that powerfully emerge from delicate torrents of soft-hued nuances. Their elegance is characterised by a meditative aura imbued with deep emotions, reminiscent of Helen Frankenthaler’s fluid structures and lyrical gestures. While staring at the aquarelles, the visitor relives evocative surroundings that recall Marc-Antoine Goulard and Philip Guston’s warm shades and shimmering mirages.
In the last room, Untitled (2004–05) achieves a perfect balance between mathematical structure and the erratic beauty of unexpected results. The unpredictable swirls of opalescent greens, ceruleans, and peaches transform calibrated geometrical structures into pure visual poetry. Taking us into a parallel dimension composed of contrasting emotions, Kaprichev’s rhythmic brushstrokes merge rational thought and irrational emotion, evoking a mystical meeting of conflicting “souls.” The Bulgarian artist plays upon the romantic tendency of the mind’s eye to imagine the beautiful impossibility of the unity of opposites.
Whether perceivable silhouettes, geometric researches, or completely abstract forms, and whatever means he chooses to express his creativity, Kaprichev’s compositions remain symbolic projections—yearnings for an unworldly dimension of freedom and elevation of the spirit.
This retrospective exhibition offers a brilliant analysis of Alexander Kaprichev’s artistic production and complements his British gems with prints and graphics created in the 1990s, displayed in the corridor connecting the main rooms. It is an insightful selection of paintings that reveals a creative career devoted to passion and surprise. Once again, Alexander Kaprichev’s art offers a unique experience and the spectacle of a revolutionary genius.
Contemplation, Alexander Kaprichev (1945–2008) was on view at the Finesse Gallery, Sofia, from 19 September until 26 September 2018.
Elena Foschi
Art Critic
Tuesday, 24 September 2018