Exhibition “Musical Contemplations” – Through the Eyes of a Musician
The exhibition Musical Contemplations (05.11–02.12.2025) once again highlights the inseparable bond between the arts — how they enrich and inspire one another, ultimately sharing the same mission: to awaken us and express the divine creative spirit within.
For Alexander Kaprichev, the connection between music and painting is not occasional but a long-standing artistic line. Many of his works bear musical titles and are inspired by specific compositions. Spanning almost all major musical epochs, these paintings reveal his deep musical culture, artistic rigor, and imaginative reach. Kaprichev’s approach is refined, intellectual, and virtuoso — freely blending techniques and reinterpreting the philosophical essence of music through color and form.
Contemplation, like listening to music, is an intimate act — a path toward self-knowledge. Music, the most abstract of the arts, offers boundless freedom, yet remains gentle and humane. Kaprichev manages to encode moments of “musical contemplation” in his paintings, inviting viewers into a meditative, suggestive, almost sacred experience.
The exhibition at the Boris Georgiev City Art Gallery – Varna includes over forty-eight works with musical titles. Their diversity of ideas, colors, and harmonies is vast; the titles serve merely as starting points to the artist’s rich creative world.
Baroque: Vivaldi, Bach, Handel
Inspired by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Kaprichev painted only “Summer” and “Winter,” emphasizing the idea that nature has two true poles — the solstices — with all else being transition. The related painting “Kaleidoscope” reinforces this natural cycle, all three works sharing soft, luminous color harmony.
The painting “Fugue,” after Bach, radiates seriousness and architectural clarity. Its geometric structure and dark hues evoke the rigor of polyphony, while luminous elements hint at spiritual ascent — a fitting tribute to Bach’s deeply religious worldview.
In contrast, the Handel-inspired “Chorale” shines with airiness and pastel brilliance, mirroring the festive spirit of Messiah and its message of divine glory.
Classicism: Beethoven
The painting “Sonata,” after Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor, reflects the cyclicity and contrasts of the classical sonata form. Three color ranges unify the composition, while dynamic diagonals, hidden forms, and interplay of light and shadow capture Beethoven’s boldness, energy, and structural mastery.
Romanticism: Chopin, Berlioz, Sibelius, Dvořák, Brahms
Kaprichev’s Romantic-era paintings reveal remarkable sensitivity. “Nocturne” evokes the vitality of night and the expressive intimacy of Chopin, with motion embedded in dark tones and layered forms. “Requiem,” based on Berlioz, expresses serenity and philosophical reflection on life and death through warm dark hues illuminated by inner light — conveying the eternal duality of darkness and radiance.
Works inspired by Sibelius, Dvořák, and Brahms capture each composer’s national spirit and emotional breadth, again showing how art gives birth to art.
Modernism: Gershwin, Stravinsky, Penderecki
The painting “Rhapsody in Blue” reflects Gershwin’s fusion of classical structure with jazz spontaneity: dynamic, contrasting blues convey the pulse of modern urban life.
“The Rite,” after Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, explodes with primal energy, angular forms, and fierce color contrasts, echoing the ballet’s revolutionary rhythms.
Penderecki’s “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima” inspires a stark, meditative composition in black, white, and metallic tones — a visual expression of grief, empathy, and moral depth.
Conclusion
Kaprichev’s paintings are not illustrations but independent artistic interpretations, revealing the shared foundations of music and visual art — rhythm, harmony, contrast, movement, and emotion. His works embody the principles of “seeing sound” and “hearing color,” uniting rigorous structure with expressive freedom.
Ultimately, his art affirms that music and painting inhabit the same spiritual realm: both seek to express the inexpressible and reach toward the eternal. Kaprichev’s paintings are music — transformed into color, form, and light.
