NEDKO SOLAKOV

Nedko Solakov is one of the most important protagonists of contemporary European art. An alert observer of contemporary life, Solakov’s drawings, paintings, and installations call not only the art system into question, but also collective “truths” and the contradictions of human existence.
Drawing and Thinking (often in form of narration or storytelling) are the two essential, inseperable poles of Solakov’s art. Of course, Solakov is very skilled not only in drawing but also in other techniques, such as painting, video, installation, and performance. Yet it seems that his drawing abilities form a base for his work in all other media. Solakov is primarily a storyteller. His works are not so much arranged to classical compositional rules but rather according to story lines. These stories are not linear; they are often dispersed, multi-directional, or interwoven in networks. As they unfold, they form a territory that is both visual and discursive, both physical and fictional. His drawings are always part of his narratives. Very often they are combined with textual explanations and commentaries. The boundary between drawing and writing is blurred, and written texts become drawings themselves.