That was how our great artist Dimitar Kazakov (1933-1992) called himself; probably because he fought for more humanity in the world.

His nickname - Neron, was given by his friend from university Todor Baltev, with whom he lived in the attic of the Academy of Arts. While studying, Kazakov was also a stoker. Once, while throwing coal into the furnace, Baltev told him that he had bangs like Neron. So everyone started calling him like that until today, years after his death – Dimitar Kazakov - Neron.

On the 7^th of July, an exhibition of 55 paintings by the artist, opened at the National Gallery; an exhibition that can be seen there until the 18^th of September. The works were selected from state collections: the National Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery, Art Gallery Donation "Collection Svetlin Rusev" - Pleven, galleries in Pazardjik, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Varna, Dobrich, Shumen, Targovishte, Pleven and Lovech, the Specialized Museum for Wood Carving and Icon Painting - Tryavna. Most of the paintings are from a very strong period of the artist - from 1978 to 1980; and they reveal a rich, exciting and magical world in which the birthplace and the traditional culture are intertwined in an incredible way with elements of abstract-figurative paintings. According to the curator of the exhibition Susanna Karanfilova, in Neron’s work "Every centimetre of the canvas is populated with characters and symbols - apples, maidens, birds, snakes, fountains in an unusual approach, viewed from an unusual angle located in the "inverted area" according to the author."And all that is immersed in earth colours - golden ochre, brick red and warm brown.

Photos courtesy of the National Gallery.

Above: On the Fountain, 1976, National Gallery

Down:
1. Anthem, 1979, SAG
2. Composition, Art Gallery Donation Svetlin Rusev Collection
3. Threat to the sun, 1979, Art Gallery - Lovech
4. Seated on the Ground,1982, Art Gallery - Dobrich