Somehow imperceptibly, in the conditions of total crisis - not only economic but spiritual, the latest Bulgarian art of painting gave birth to its Gustav Klimt. It`s not the case with the " counterpart", trying to paint " a la Klimt ", it`s the case of a specific stylistic analogue, carring out not only his personal uniqueness as a creator, but simultaneously developing tendencies and trends in the bulgarian art of painting, directly corresponding to some of the most current traits of West-European postmodernism, thus to the longings of a public satiated with radical experiments, being persuaded that the conceptual art could replace any other source of pure aesthetical delight.

In this way the contemporary situation, surprisingly for most of us in Bulgaria, held out an extremely successful perspective for the artist Peter Mitchev, exceeding the bounderies of his motherland. The European connoisseurs of art who do not accept the figurative painting as a sign of aesthetic backwardness are apt to evaluate his works as an original spiritual encyclopaedia, containing universal signs and symbols whose deciphering is only possible if their universal meanings are perceived.

We should not be mislead by the thematic commitments of some titles of his compositions with folklore or religious local habits / " Easter eggs", " Prayer", " Easter tale" /. They are appreciated by so many admirers and experts from France, Belgium and Spain not just for their orthodox exotic character with traces of Byzantine traits but for the universality of their spiritual messages. The costume, his characters are dressed in, is not only authentically national but it is not confined to particular historical period either.This makes them look fabulous as if coming out from the fairy tale usually beginning:" Once upon a time there was a kingdom...". The helmets and armor of men, the gorgeous hair-styles of ladies, the fanciful sharply pointed hats of young musicians playing the exquisite zithers, the spellbinding of the hands so often carring out the main linear- decorative rhythm of the composition, are incorporated in somewhat eerie magic ritual. The completely conventional or natural background whose elements freely merge into one another, the clear silhouette orientation of people and birds, included in the compositions, often situated in a profile according to the laws of a decorative-monumental frieze composition, create a magic, fairy world in the painting that has nothing to do with our modern civilization.

At first sight this world, born by the artistic vision of the author looks static through its rhythmical tranquility.But just for this reason the association with it brings a great relief for the nowadays spectator, submited to excessive hysterical pressure. This breathless, staccato-like rhythm coming from the visual advertising and media messages, seeks through the sedative art of Mitchev its adequate counterpart. Not only the modern man finds it in the paintings of the bulgarian artist, but he wants to be identified in certain moments with its enchanting atmosphere due to another good reason- his paintings inspire a metaphysical reality and history, expressed in a highly succinct and concise way, collectively uniting in its parameters many and various epochs. Their ambivalent existence in the depictive world of the picture makes the modern spectator to see and perceive himself as a resultant of this historical movement and simultaneously to evaluate himself as a contemporary of all passed epochs...

The figurative world of Peter Mitchev is charged with strong sensitive feel but contrary to his great forerunner Gustav Klimt it is more virtuous. In a time as ours when all taboos are discarded, this so pure author`s modesty brings to the spectator so much comfort as a flawless therapeutic medicine.

Thus presented, the artistic phenomenon of Peter Mitchev may be will become clearer and closer for his admirers abroad who, I`m convinced, will accept him soon as an artist of their own. This is due to the fact that his marvelous ability to be a contemporary of all epochs makes his art up-to-date for all of us.

Maximilian Kirov
Proffesor in History of Contemporary Art