We were admiring his works at Satyrykon for several years. They were repeatedly nominated for awards – to mention Dwarfs’ parade presented at Satyrykon 2005 – and they planted themselves deep in our memories similarly to the ones which were actually awarded. In our post-competition exhibitions we were able to present the drawings which are well known nowadays, appearing in many Internet based artist’s works presentations. Some of these works lived their parallel to universal version lives as the specific theatre posters (the one with woman’s body silhouette of Satyrykon 2009). Since 2003 we could observe following steps revealing well recognised Despodov’s character – the bald, and thus somehow bare “human as such” – a kind of a philosophical treatise in paintings. It seems not lacking pathos but also containing some specific humour story of a deeply thinking and suffering man, of which Bulgarians say it‘s very Bulgarian. Though it’s unusually universal as well.
Stefan Despodov (born in 1950), one of the most outstanding Bulgarian artists died of leukaemia on 6th January 2015. He dealt with caricature, drawing, poster (theatrical among others), as well as animation. “The artists are dog-like creatures – they understand everything but can’t express it in words”, he remarked with humour in a film which happened to be one of the last chances to meet him.
http://bnt.bg/predavanyia/umno-selo/umno-selo-despo-hudozhnika-t-stefan-despotov-23-noemvri-2014
The artist was a long time co-operator of Polish Institute in Sophia, his theatrical posters exhibition can be viewed in Moscow (he didn’t live to see it), some other works can be seen at Bulgarian caricature exhibition in Museum of Caricature in Warsaw.
http://www.cartoongallery.eu/englishversion/archive/exhibitions/31/