VLADIMIR SHOUNEV

made his debut in the artistic world at the end of the 1980`s. His creative insights are based on two aspects characteristic of the Bulgarian tradition of painting during the twentieth century. On the one hand, he is a painter with an affinity towards synthetic modern formalism (in its later Bulgarian variation) - something which can be seen in his still-lives and landscapes. On the other hand, Shounev is a representative of the national neo-traditional school of painting which has provided us with a number of remarkable generations of painters during the twentieth century,the basic direction of which is the identity of Bulgarian art.

A fortunate circumstance which has accompanied his rise as an artist is the fact that he works in Kjustendil - a town with a renowned tradition of painting.
Vladimir Shounev has built up his non-traditional style of painterliness to which he owes his fame on the atavistic and mythological layers of national culture. More especially, he has interpreted the drawings / wall-art dating from the pre-Christian, ante-literate period of the Bulgarian people (pre-864 AD) which are mainly found in the first two Bulgarian capitals - Pliska and Preslav. The artist also freely interprets motifs from traditional folk art in his works: textile ornaments, designs drawn onEaster Eggs, etc., which also have very ancient, usually pre-Christian origins.
The interest shown towards these and other similar motifs connected with history is a major factor which builds up the national consciousness in Bulgarian painting during the twentieth century. Dozens of painters have attained the achievements of modern art exactly through just such a national prism. Vladimir Shounev belongs to this tradition of art and his success is to be found in the fact that his works are individualistic to such an extent that they cannot be confused with those of any other artist. He has made quite personal discoveries and achievements , not only in the iconographic repertoire but also in his methods: drawings on a wax paper base, for instance. In his compositions produced from old wall-drawings, the artist seems to help us enter the universe of the mythological thought of an ancient culture which could probably be represented much better through the medium of graphic art rather than through rational explanations.

Sofia, 1999 Rouen Rouenov
Art Critic

Address: Vasil Levsky Str. No.1, apt.14
Kyustendil 2500, Bulgaria
Tel.: 00359 78 28935
Studio: Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd. Bl.37, Apt. 31
Tel.: 00359 78 43642

Vladimir Shounev was born in 1961.
He has graduated the University of Mining and Geology,
Sofia in 1987. Free artist from 1990. He is a member of
the Union Bulgarian Artists and is a winner of the prize
for art Struma-95 .
One - man shows:
1986 - Sofia, Central Student`s House of Culture
1990 - Kyustendil, The Art Gallery of Kyustendil
1990 - Sozopol, Exhibition of Academy Apolonia
1991 - Sofia, Hemus Gallery
1992 - Sofia, Art - 36 Gallery
1993 - Munich, BBHB & Art - 36 Gallery
1993 - Sofia, Ata-Ray Gallery & Sheraton, Sofia
1994 - Plovdiv, Starinna Gallery
1994 - Sofia, Vitosha Gallery
1994 - Kyustendil, The Art Gallery of Kyustendil
1995 - Sofia, Art - 36 Gallery
1996 - Sofia, Ata-Ray Gallery & Sheraton, Sofia
1997 - Sofia, Vitosha Gallery
1998 - Sofia, Art - 36 Gallery
1999 - Sofia, Art forum Gallery,
2000 Beirouth - Lebanon,
2000 Gallery Vitosha Sofia
Vladimir Shounev`s works are in possession of the Sofia
City Atr Gallery, the Kyustendil Art Gallery, the Hemus
collection, the Apolonia collection, private collections
in Bulgaria, Australia,Greece, Yugoslavia, Macedonia, France, Spain,
Algeria, Venezuella, Panama, USA, Japan, Germany,
Austria,
Korea, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium.
Vladimir Shounev lives and works in Kyustendil.
Address: Vasil Levsky Str. No.1, apt.14
Kyustendil 2500, Bulgaria
Tel.: 00359 78 28935
Studio: Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd. Bl.37, Apt. 31
Tel.: 00359 78 43642