Velizar Dimchev, a Plovdivian artist honors his grandfather, Petar Tolev.
He was one of the last skilled craftsmen specialised in copper work and made with his bare hands (no lathe involved) modernist copper work.
Velizar, started with his parents Cu29. It’s based in his grandfather’s place and Cu29 is the periodic table number of Copper. It’s a coffee shop. Underground is the true means of this venture. His own art gallery. He is an artist and understand the need for a space.
He sees it as an art platform in service of artists. It’s a compact space ( I guess 22sqm) but is does what it has to do: it offers a platform and exposure to the artists here. He curates it himself. Sometimes the show is created by curators.
It is in Kapana, a borough in the city center and old town. This part of Kapana was supported by the city to create galleries. Running a gallery isn’t a ‘money maker’ as people tend to think. So the most of his colleagues converted to other traits. Clothing, jewelry, pure crafts, coffee shops, restaurants,…
Velizar loves opera, especially Verdi. In his artworks, he combines the love of the dramatic art with the beauty of technological industry. I saw beautiful parts of engine blocks combined with graphics of the opera. His own work is one of contrasts.
