Ivan Gazdov is one of the most prominent Bulgarian graphic design artist in the world.

EDUCATION:

• 1954 - 1958 Studied drawing in the course of Stephan Bachvarov in the town of Yambol
• 1964 - Finished The High School of Fine Arts, Sofia in the class of Dimitar Arnaudov
• 1970 - Graduated from The National Academy of Art, Sofia as student of Prof. Alexander Poplilov, specialty "Poster".

SPECIALIZATIONS:

• 1964 - Sent on practicum by the High School of Fine Arts to Bucharest, Romania
• 1967 - Sent on practicum by the Academy of Fine Art to Prague, Czechoslovakia
• 1968 - Visited the Academies of Fine Art in Warsaw and Krakow, Poland, sent on a business trip by the Ministry of Culture
• 1978 - Specialized in the course of Prof. Metz at Gerrit- Rietwelt Akademie in Amsterdam, Holland.
• 1996 - Creative sojourn at Cité des Arts, Paris (as a result of a national competition)

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• From 1970 till 1976 he worked in the Graphic arts department of the Industrial Aesthetics Center, where he worked out dozens of trade marks and fonts.
• During the period 1973 - 75 he worked as part-time assistant at the National Academy of Art, in the department of "Poster"
• 1976 - Assistant , at the National Academy of Art, in the department of "Poster"
• 1986 - Associate Professor, National Academy of Art
• 1994 - Professor, National Academy of Art
• Since 1995 - Head of Department "Poster and Visual Communication", National Academy of Art
• 1999 - 2003 - Rector of the National Academy of Art, Sofia

PUBLIC ACTIVITIES

• Since 1997 member of the Specialized Scientific Council of Art Criticism and Fine Arts with the Supreme Testimonial Committee
• 1998 - 2000 - member of the Commission of Philological Sciences and Arts with the Supreme Testimonial Committee
• 1994-1997 member of the Specialized Council of Postage Stamp Publishing with the Committee of Posts and Communications
• 1995- 1996 member of the Board of Managers of the Design and Advertisement Association
• 1992 - Founder of "Visual Imagination" Club at the National Academy of Art

MEMBERSHIP

• since 1978 - Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, Section "Graphic Art, Graphic Design and Caricature" 
• 1995 - 1997 - Member of the Design and Advertisement Association
• 2008 Member of the Bulgarian "Art Directors Club", Sofia
• 2010 Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts (BASA) 

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

• Graphics (cycle "Grotesques" - etchings; cycle "The Line Greets the Spot" - dry-point and linocut)
• Posters (cycles "Play of Silhouettes", "Anti AIDS", "Social Posters" - author's posters)
• Caricatures (more than 200 caricatures in the periodical),
• Book cover and book illustration (more than 100 books, some of which are with illustrations),
• Advertising and applied graphic art,
• Drawings in ink, water colours, drawing charcoal, pastel,
• Plaster and bronze plastic,
• Postage stamps etc.
• He is an author of 3 monographs, 8 albums, and more than 30 articles, published in the specialized issues on art, as well as of many other in the periodical press.
• Author of a personal graphic design GRAPHICATURE ®, (artistic trademark for Europe).
• From 1987 till 2005 - about 200 graphicatures. Cycles: "Something Useless, Something's Not Enough" and "Black Touches"- serigraphy - about 3000 copies; "Coloured Version"- acryl on canvas.
• Originator of the AUTHORSHIP POSTER in Bulgaria. 

PARTICIPATIONS IN COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS:

• Participations in international contests and biennials of poster and caricature in Turkey, France, Finland, West Berlin, Japan, Italy, Spain, Germany, the USSR, Belgium, Canada, the USA, Hungary, Romania.
• Participations in General art exhibitions of illustration, graphics and caricature, the biennial of stage posters, applied graphics, etc. in Bulgaria.

MORE IMPORTANT EXHIBITIONS:

• Since 1987 (every two years) he has been participating regularly in the "International Invitation Poster Exhibition" in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
• Since 1992 (every two years) he has been participating regularly in the International Invitation Poster Exhibitions in Pecs
• 1987 - Participation in the Exhibition of the Invited Laureates of "Hidezo Kondo"award from the Caricature Competition of "Yomiuri Shimbun" newspaper, Koshuko Association, Japan
• 1996 - Participation in the First Salon of Poster in Grand Palais, Paris
• 1996 - Participation in "Exhibition of 150 Selected Posters for Exposure on the Five Continents under the Aegis of the United Nations"
• 2001 - Exhibition of Graphicatures - "Menace" gallery, Mexico city
• 2002 - Exhibition- donation on the Occasion of the 10th anniversary of "Arh & Art Borsa" newspaper
• 2002 - Exhibition "Graphic Art 2002" in the Gallery of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, 6, Shipka St, Sofia
• 2003 - Charity Exhibition of Sofia Art Gallery on the occasion of the Day of Sofia
• 2003 - International Triennial of Poster - Toyama, Japan
• 2003 - Exhibition of Posters on the Occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the United Nations Commissariat on Human Rights, Geneva, Pallais Wilson ( December 2003)
• 2004 - Exhibition of Posters on the Occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the United Nations Commissariat on Human Rights, Sofia Art Gallery (May 2004)
• 2006 - Exhibition "Professor`s Art in the NAA", Sozopol, "Apolonia", Bulgaria
• 2006 - Exhibition on the Occasion of the 110-th Anniversary of the NAA, Sofia Art Gallery
• 2007 - 15-th International Triennial of the Theater Poster, Sofia
• 2010 - International Biennial of the Poster, Warsawa, Poland
• 2010 - 16-th International Triennial of the Theater Poster, Sofia
• 2010 - International Biennial of the Political Poster, Mons, Belgium 
• 2011 - Collective Exhibition in the gallery "Impressia", Sofia
• 2012 - Poster Exhibition "Law and Justice", Potsdam, Germany
• 2012 - Poster Exhibition "Law and Justice", gallery "The Mission", Sofia
• 2012 - Exhibition-Auction in the Hotel "Crystal Palace", Sofia
• 2013 - Collective Exhibition, Gallery VOX, Burgas, Bulgaria
• 2013 - International Exhibition of Posters in the Digital World , Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, USA 

PRIZES:

SELECTED NATIONAL PRIZES:

• 1977 Prize from the competition of the Union of Bulgarian Artists "100 Years since
• the Liberation of Bulgaria"
• 1978 Two prizes from the competition for signs for the Institute of Monuments of Culture, Sofia
• 1985 Prize for Poster for blood donation, organizer the Bulgarian Red Cross, Sofia
• 1987 "Gold Coat of Arm of the Town of Yambol "for contribution to fine arts, awarded by the Town Council of Yambol
• 1989 "Alexander Zhendov" prize of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, Sofia for poster and applied graphics
• 1998"Gold Nib" for contribution to the Bulgarian culture , awarded by Radio "FM+" and Makta Gallery, Sofia
• 2003 Prize from a poster competition on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Olympic movement in Bulgaria, organized by the Bulgarian Olympic Committee.
• 2011 Honorary Diploma for Entirely Art, Invited Member, 2-nd Biennial of Design, Sofia 

INTERNATIONAL PRIZES

• 1975 Prize from the International Salon of Caricature, Montreal, Canada
• 1979 Special prize for caricature from the International Exhibition of Caricature, Ankara, Turkey
• 1979 Special prize from the International Biennial "Car and Environment", Sofia, Bulgaria
• 1983 Prize from the International Poster Competition on the occasion of the "30th Anniversary of the Assault on the Barracks of Monkada", Havana, Cuba
• 1984 Prize from the International poster competition on the occasion of the "40th Anniversary of the Victory over Fascism", Moscow, USSR
• 1985 Prize for poster on "Ethics in traffic", from the International Biennial " Car and Environment"
• 1986 Special prize for caricature "Hidezo Kondo" from the International Competition of "Yomiuri Shimbun" newspaper, Tokyo, Japan
• 1987 Invited artist for the competition of "Yomiuri Shimbun" newspaper, Tokyo, Japan
• 1988 Prize for poster from the Second International Exhibition of Art Directors' Club, New York, USA
• 1990 Merit award for caricature from the International Competition of "Yomiuri Shimbun" newspaper, Tokyo, Japan
• 1992 "Certificat de Finalist" from the International Poster Competition "Protection of Nature", Chaumon, France
• 1994 "Winner's Award" from the 4th Competition for Postage Stamp "45th Anniversary of the Declaration of Man's Rights"
• 1996 "Encouragement Award" from the First International Graphic Design Competition on Internet, Tokyo, Japan
• 1999 Bronze prize from the 2nd International Graphic Design Competition on Internet, Tokyo, Japan

 ONE-MAN SHOWS:

• He has 40 one-man shows, actions and happenings.
• 1970 - Drawings. Club of the Academy of Art (as a student).The exhibition was closed by the management of the National Academy of Art before its opening.
• 1978 - Caricatures and illustrations, town of Yambol
• 1980 - Graphics, satirical posters and drawings, in the gallery at 108, Rakovski Blvd., Sofia
• 1982 - Illustrations to the book "Laugh, Hangman " (world satirical poetry, translated by Radoy Ralin), House of Humour, Gabrovo
• 1982 - Illustrations to the book "Laugh, Hangman" (world satirical poetry, translated by Radoy Ralin), The Cinema House, Sofia
• 1982- Satirical posters, Youth Centre, town of Yambol
• 1987 - Graphicatures and posters, "George Papazov" gallery, town of Yambol
• 1987 - Drawings, People's library club "Saglasie", town of Yambol
• 1988 - Graphicatures, posters and drawings, in the gallery at 125 Rakovski blvd., Sofia
• 1990 - Graphicatures, Central Club of Architects, Sofia
• 1992 - "Graphicature - Coloured Version", "Vitosha" gallery, Sofia
• 1993- "The World of Graphicature in Denmark", "69" Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1993 - Graphicatures. Art Gallery, town of Rousse, Rousse Days of Music Festival
• 1994- "The World of Graphicature" , "Marushka" Gallery, Lion, France
• 1994 - Standing exhibition of a collection of 50 works of art in "Slaveykovotot Shkolo", town of Tryavna (donation to 13 Centuries Bulgaria Nation Donation Fund - Cycle "Something Useless, Something's not Enough" - graphicatures, serigraphies and the cycle "Grotesques" - etchings)
• 1994 - Graphicatures - origami, Apoloniya Festival, Sozopol
• 1995 - "A Booby Centaurus ", an esoteric drawing, happening, town of Yambol
• 1995 - Graphicatures , Vantotrade Office, Sofia
• 1995 - Graphicatures, "George Papazov" gallery, town of Yambol, Collection "Dounai"
• 1995 - Graphicatures, House of Humour, town of Gabrovo ( one-man show on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the artist)
• 1995 - Graphicatures - origami, "Art 36" gallery, Sofia (on the occasion of the artist's 50th anniversary.
• 1996 - Graphicatures, Cité des Arts, Paris
• 1996 - "The Lost Dog" action - Paris
• 1996 - "Planting out of Graphicatures", action in St-Germain-des-Prés blvd., Paris
• 1996 - "Planting out of Graphicatures" action in the Champs Elysées blvd, Paris
• 1996 - "Esoteric Drawing" , action, Prévost Street, Paris
• 1997 - "10 Years Graphicature", "Makta" gallery, Sofia
• 1998 -"Coloured Version", "Matti" Hall, National Palace of Culture
• 1998 - "GRAPHICONTOURS" Exhibition, "Finnes" gallery, Sofia (together with Emil Popov, sculptor)
• 1998 - "Anti-auction of graphicatures" , Yambol
• 1999 - "Erotic Graphicatures", exhibition, "Vedart" gallery, Sofia
• 1999 - "Erotic Graphicatures" exhibition, "Vazrazhdane" gallery, Plovdiv
• 2000 - "With Reverence to Ivailo Petrov", portraits (together with Iv.Petrov), "Vedart" gallery, Sofia
• 2000 - Exhibition - Donation to the National Art Gallery (50 drawings before the graphicature}, National Art Gallery (15.05.2000)
• 2000 - Exhibition "Mistaken Drawings" Vedart gallery, Sofia
• 2001 - Exhibition "Illustrations to 'Zhenata Dnes' Magazine" (together with V. Kitanov), "Tsar Osvoboditel 6" gallery,Sofia
• 2002 - Presentation of the album "50 Drawings before the Graphicature - donation to the National Art Gallery" and exhibition in the halls of the National Art Gallery, (14.03.2002)
• 2002 - Exhibition "Erotically" in"Galeros" gallery, at 12, Parensov St, Sofia
• 2002 - Exhibition "Illustrations and Graphicatures", "George Papazov" gallery, town of Yambol (on the occasion of the Days of Culture Festival in Yambol), (24.05.2002)
• 2002 - Exhibition "Graphicatures - Coloured Version 2","Vedart" gallery (17.02.2002)
• 2003 - Exhibition "Graphicatures in Colour", "Vazrazhdane" gallery, Plovdiv, (22.04.2003)
• 2004 - Exhibition - action "Japanese engraving - Graphicature: In Spring - The Sunrise", Sibank gallery, Sofia
• 2004 - "Erotic Art", auction in hotel Sheraton, Sofia
• 2004 - Auction of graphicatures on the Day of the town of Yambol, organized by the Town Council of Yambol (31.05.2004)
• 2005 - "Cover Classic Graphicature", Sofia City Art Gallery 
• 2005 - "Cover Classic Graphicature", Gallery "George Papazov", Jambol, Bulgaria.
• 2005 - "Cover Classic Graphicature", Kulturinstitut Witgenstein, Wiena, Austria
• 2005 - Exhibition-jubilee "In the boat/puddle of the graphic arts (50 Visual Fantasies), SiBanc Gallery, Sofia 
• 2006 - "Cover Classic Graphicature", Bulgarian Institut of Culture, Budapest, Hungary
• 2007 - "The Heaven`s Gates" (20 Years GRAPHICATURE), SiBanc Gallery, Sofia
• 2008 - "Portaits", SiBanc Gallery, Sofia
• 2008 - "Graphicature and Portraits", Gallery "George Papazov", Jambol, Bulgaria.
• 2008 - "All of the Graphicature", Gallery "Impressia", Sofia
• 2010 - Permanent exhibition-donation in the Art Gallery "Jorge Papazov", Yambol, Bulgaria
• 2011 - "Graphicature", Gallery VIK, Stara Zagora.
• 2011 - "Graphicatures", Bulgarian Institut of Cultere, Praga, RChech.
• 2011 - "The World of the Graphicature in Burgas", Gallery VOX, Burgas, Bulgaria.
• 2011 - Jubilee Exhibition, Gallery "Academy", Sofia 
• 2012 - "Magical Mystery Graphicatour", Alma Mater Gallery, Sofia
• 2012 - Exposition of the illustrations to the Shishkov`s book "Obstinate spots", Jambol, Bulgaria