Ognian Zekoff

Ognian Zekoff focuses his practice on photorealistic representations of the female body by creating oversized oil paintings. His artistic production is engraved in the solid heritage of the European school of painting. He employs a subtle mastery of the techniques of charcoal drawing and of the use of oil on canvas: classical and noble techniques that are used in conjunction with the contemporary exploratory movements of the new media. The artist finds inspiration in the people around him, sometimes creating soft sketches of female nudes, or painting the hands of a dear friend. With his art, Ognian Zekoff exacerbates our sensibilities.

Capturing the complexity of the human form, Ognian Zekoff sees hands as the most emotional part of the human body. By representing them in a variety of positions and tones, he offers a range of different emotional states, from anxiety to love, to passion and anger. Ognian Zekoff illustrates how emotion and passion can come out of the canvas by using a monochromatic colour palette. He explores the shift of significance that occurs as he changes the colours of his subjects. His hyperrealistic paintings instantly capture the viewer's attention and provoke an important visual and emotional impact. Zekoff not only possesses exceptional talent and mastery to reproduce the human figure in ways that make it incredibly lively, but he is also a master of chiaroscuro technique, using this effect by accentuating contrasts to create a dramatic but soothing atmosphere. A purity, a simplicity, and a serenity whose nobility and transcendence emanate from his works, combining modernity and tradition to create a timeless and spiritual beauty.

Born in Pleven, Bulgaria, in 1964, Ognian Zekoff graduated from the National College of Fine Arts Ilya Petrovand from the prestigious National Academy of Fine Arts, both in Sofia. His work can be found in renowned private and public collections around the world, including the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Sofia, the National Museum of China in Beijing and also the Cité des Arts Foundation in Paris, to name only those. Over the years, his work has gained international recognition and has been featured in more than 20 solo exhibitions throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. He also participated in numerous international art fairs, including Toronto (2007, 2008, 2010, 2014), Moscow and Dubai. Immigrated to Canada in 2007, Ognian Zekoff now divides his time between Montreal, Paris, and Sofia.