The Universe Within
Veselin Simeonov (b. 1990), known artistically as BECKO, is a contemporary visual artist driven by a relentless pursuit of creative exploration. While mostly situated in the disciplines of drawing and painting, BECKO transcends their traditional boundaries, venturing into uncharted territories of visual expression. His work is a continuous journey through the expanding landscapes of the BECKOverse!
BECKO thrives on pushing the boundaries of visual expression.
Within the BECKOverse, he constantly experiments with imagery, expressive techniques, and the very essence of his artworks. This relentless exploration extends to his materials, where a deliberately diverse palette and the integration of cutting-edge technologies and techniques converge. This fusion of traditional artistry with avant-garde innovation forms the core of his creative journey.
BECKO's artistic practice involves a dynamic interplay of graphic signs and symbols.
He relentlessly sculpts the pictorial surface, adding, subtracting, and transforming traces and images. Driven by a deep commitment to pure drawing, he maintains a continuous creative flow. This manifests as a systematic 'unloading' and metamorphosis of imagery, where forms fluidly transition into new iterations.
BECKO actively synthesizes a diverse range of artistic influences within his everyday life existence. His current works are a testament to this, where cave drawings, illustrations, art brut, graffiti and the uninhibited expression of children's art are unified into a sophisticated, personal aesthetic. The deliberative blending of styles reflects his ongoing artistic investigation. This idiosyncratic fusion of influences is a hallmark of his vision, where diverse artistic threads are woven into a cohesive and compelling narrative.
Aspirations
BECKO's creative process is a dynamic dialogue between everyday life, art history and contemporary vision. He draws inspiration from both avant-garde pioneers like P. Picasso, H. Miro, A. Tapies, Christo and Jeanne-Claude and J.M. Basquiat, and contemporary figures such as R. Serra, D. Hockney, D. Hirst, F. Stella, Ai Weiwei, A. Kapoor, A. Kiefer, etc. This vast array of influences fuels his pursuit of always adapting and reinterpreting the contemporary visual language. Through the dynamic expressiveness of his paintings and drawings, he forges an authentic and complex visual narrative that blends modernist expression with the aesthetics of contemporary culture, all within the unique framework of his artistic universe.
In the pursuit of developing his unique visual language, BECKO also explores the underlying philosophical and societal questions that inspire his artistic endeavours. He delves into the theoretical frameworks that have shaped art history and also closely observes the shifting cultural landscapes that define contemporary aesthetics. His studio becomes a laboratory for artistic experimentation, where he mixes traditional techniques with cutting-edge technologies. This constant exploration of both the past and present allows him to create works that are not only visually compelling but also intellectually stimulating. BECKO's artistic practice is not only about creating beautiful objects, but also about engaging in a critical dialogue with the world around him. He uses his art to question, to challenge, and to provoke thought. He believes that art has the power to transform not only the individual, but also society as a whole. His artistic journey is one of continuous learning and growth, where he is constantly pushing the boundaries of his own creativity and seeking new ways to express his unique vision of the BECKOverse.
Education
Veselin Simeonov possesses a robust academic background in formal art education. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Painting (2009-2013) and a specialized Master's degree in Drawing, specifically in Unconventional Forms of Drawing (2013-2014), culminating in his PhD doctorate in Art History and Fine Arts (2019) from VTU St. St. "Cyril and Methodius", Faculty of Fine Arts, Bulgaria.
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions:
2023 “Personages”, Narrativa Gallery, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2021 “Plus Minus - The Returning”, Maria Luiza Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2014 “More Psycho or More Logic”, “Orlovska 10” Gallery, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
2014 “Plus Minus”, Exhibition of Veselin Simeonov and Hristo Bozukov, International Fair, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Awards:
2024 Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA) Award for Young Artist, National Exhibition “Friends of the Sea”, Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery, Burgas, Bulgaria
2024 Finalist in the 7th edition of the MOST Contemporary Art Competition, VIVACOM Art Hall Oborishte 5 Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
2023 Young Artist Award, Autumn Art Salon, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2021 Painting Award, Autumn Art Salon, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2020 10th Anniversary Edition of the National Exhibition “ArtRosaliada – A Pictorial Feast of Wine”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2016 Sponsor’s Award, Balkan Quadrennial of Painting “My People’s Myths and Legends”, Art Gallery – Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2014 Veliko Tarnovo Municipality Award, “ArtRosaliada”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2014 Drawing Award, Annual Student Exhibition, Faculty of Fine Arts, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2012 Second Prize, Festival of Arts, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2012 Award for High Achievements in the Field of Paper, “Art of Paper”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
201 1 First Prize from Mr. Ichko Lozev, Faculty of Fine Arts, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
Group Exhibitions:
2024 Artists Help Artists, Charity event, Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA), Shipka 6 Str, Sofia, Bulgaria
2024 RESTART Tomorrow starts today, Painting and sculpture exhibition, Largo Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria.
2024 National Exhibition “Friends of the Sea”, Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery, Burgas, Bulgaria
2024 Exhibition of finalists in the 7th edition of the MOST Contemporary Art Competition, VIVACOM Art Hall Oborishte 5 Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
2024 Faculty of Fine Arts at VTU at 50. In the new time with a new face, Representative exhibition of the Faculty of Fine Arts at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, “Kapana” Gallery at Plovdiv City Art Gallery, 29 Rayko Daskalov Str., Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2024 “Parallel Worlds”, Exhibition of the Painting Section 2024, UBA, Shipka 6, Sofia, Bulgaria
2024 “The Nature of Connections”, Narrativa Gallery at BUNA VARNA, “Second BUNA” Festival, Varna, Bulgaria
2024 “Painting-it 2024”, Nedyalko Karaneshev Art Gallery, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bulgaria
2024 “Comfortable Confrontation”, Joint project by Veselin Simeonov, Gergana Tabakova, Stoyan Ilev and Kaliya Kalacheva, Art Center Bankya, Bankya, Bulgaria
2024 “Comfortable Confrontation”, Joint project by Veselin Simeonov, Gergana Tabakova, Stoyan Ilev and Kaliya Kalacheva, Asen and Iliya Peykovi City Art Gallery, Sevlievo, Bulgaria
2024 “Fairy Tales with a Memory”, Curatorial project by Hristo Buzukov, Belle Ville Hotel, Old Town, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2023 “Under the Same Sky”, Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
2023 Autumn Art Salon, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2023 National Exhibition of Fine Arts – Sliven 2023, Dimitar Dobrovich Art Gallery, Sliven, Bulgaria
2023 “Faculty of Fine Arts at 60”, Representative exhibition of the lecturers from the Faculty of Fine Arts at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, UBA – Rayko Aleksiev Hall, Sofia
2022 National Exhibition – Young Artists Competition “The Next 25”, Vidima Gallery, Sevlievo, Bulgaria
2022 21st Annual Painting Exhibition FORMAT 30/30, Astri Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
2022 “Myths and Legends” - 50 selected works from the five editions of the Balkan Quadrennial of Painting “My People’s Myths and Legends” /2004-2020/, Stara Zagora, Boris Denev Art Gallery, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2022 Representative exhibition of the lecturers from the Faculty of Fine Arts at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Resonance Gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2021 Autumn Art Salon, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2020 Virtual exhibition “The Tree of Life Today and Tomorrow”, presented on the website of the “Art Initiatives 2020” project: www.artinitiativesproject.com
2019 Exhibition of lecturers, doctoral students and students from the Faculty of Fine Arts at VTU, National Exhibition of Artistic Crafts and Arts, Oreshak, Bulgaria
2019 Autumn Salon of Artists, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2019 “10000+ Exhibition of lecturers from the Faculty of Fine Arts at VTU”, George Papazov Art Gallery, Yambol, Bulgaria
2017 IX National Exhibition “Art Collage” 2017, Society of Plovdiv Artists, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2017 Exhibition of the awarded participants in the Balkan Quadrennial of Painting “My People’s Myths and Legends”, Art Gallery, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2016 Balkan Quadrennial of Painting “My People’s Myths and Legends”, Art Gallery – Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2016 15th Annual Painting Exhibition “FORMAT 30/30”, Astri Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
2015 “Transformations” Project, Center for Visual and Multisensory Art “East 48”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2014 “ArtRosaliada”, Iliya Petrov Art Gallery, Razgrad, Bulgaria
2014 “ArtRosaliada”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2012 National Exhibition “Spring Salon”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2013 “ArtRosaliada”, International Fair, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2013 “ArtRosaliada”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2011 Festival of Arts, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
2012 “Art of Paper”, Rafael Mihailov Exhibition Halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria;
2012 “Traditions of the Peoples”, Art Gallery – Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2012 “ArtRosaliada”, International Fair, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2011 “Wind in the Fog”, Constanta, Romania;