My name is Ivan Stoyanov and I am a Bulgarian artist, a Master of Sculpture from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. My work encompasses sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics and collage. The different materials and means of expression that I use allow my ideas to move from one visual and spiritual space to another, becoming a bridge between the material and the metaphysical. Many of my monumental stone sculptures began their life with a conceptual sketch or drawing, and often the drawing is an integral part of the process of integrating objects in space. Also, for many of my drawings or large-format paintings, I use the character of the volumes, shapes and language of my sculpture, which transfer the hardness and suggestion of the stone to the plane of paper or canvas.
I turned to monumental sculpture because it is an art of open space and has the power to open doors to new forms of communication between man and nature, through the language of art. For me, this language has always contained something sublime and inexplicable. Something that has attracted and touched people for thousands of years. Perhaps because it carries the energy and information of humanity through time. My work is a visual expression of gratitude and I believe that art has the remarkable ability to draw us to something greater, inviting us to go beyond our ordinary existence. It allows us to expand our horizons, challenge our preconceptions and experience the world in a way that is both transcendent and enlightening. My works often express themes such as unity with nature, spirituality and peace. The Peace Prayer Monument, created in Japan for the Osaka World Expo in 2025, is a symbol of hope for world peace. For me, the creative process of working in stone is a unique and mysterious experience. A process of refinement in which the stone sculpts and enriches the subtle matter within me.
Everything I create bears the imprint of my quest to understand and reveal the spiritual world of things.
