Bistra Bakalova

1967           
Born in Jambol / Bulgaria

1986           
Graduated from the School of Art Sliven / Bulgaria

1986-1988    
Studied art at the University of Veliko Tarnovo / Bulgaria

1988-1992    
Studied art at the Art Academy in Kiev / Ukraine, with graduation

Bistra Bakalovas paintings take us to the enigmatic sensual world of a woman-artist, where spontaneity and irrationality coexist with systematic thought and sound reasoning. Her works cannot be perceived by mere sense perception; patience and sensitivity are the keys to accessing her images which contain themes as if taken from the subconsciousness of the viewer.

What is always inherent in the works of Bistra Bakalova is the "female principle" - without being feministic, her art is unmistakably female. Each painting of the artist is a striving for the capturing of this principle, to bring it back to life by refraction through the prism of a modern artistic vision in colors and lines.

Many of Bistra´s paintings can be found in numerous private collections in Germany, Austria, France, U.S.A, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Australia, Brazil and Japan.

"Painting became part of my being, the form of my expression, conversation and the way to escape from everyday life. My dreams, childhood memories and experiences fade into my pictures. They are my statement, my alter ego. I want to reach out to people who feel my art and perceive it by their sensibility and not by their rationality. I consider myself as introvert and hence the way to gain public notice by painting pictures became matter of fact." (Bistra Bakalova)

Exhibitions (Selection):

1992  
Obecny dum (Representation house), Prague, CZ
Gallery Slovart, Frankfurt, D

1993  
Gallery Rapid, Prague, CZ

1994  
Karolinum, Prague, CZ
Gallery K&B, Prague, CZ

1995  
Gallery Celetna, Prague, CZ
Alte Brennerei, Ennigerloh, D
Gallery Guttmann, Bad Pyrmont, D

1998  
TVM, Munich, D

1999  
Gallery LeonArt, Basel, CH

2003  
European Artist Meeting, Wimereux, F

2004  
Gallery Danse & Art, Geneva, CH

2006  
Salon d´Automne, Paris, F

2009  
World Wide New Year Show, Gallery Western, Los Angeles, USA
InterArt, Greifswald, D
The Loft at Liz´s, Los Angeles, USA
Art Gallery Alphonse D´Heye, Knokke, B

2012  
Zeitgeist Gallery, Nuremberg, D