ARTICLE

“The water colors of Svetlin Sofroniev are deeply personal works – drawn in one inspired go, like a confession to a close friend. They are full of emotion and fragility, reflecting the painter’s impressions gathered from different parts of the world.
The ease with which they are drawn, the magic of the beauty, seen as if “through the eyes of a child”, but captured with the esthetic moderation and skill of an established artist, make the water colors particularly vibrant and attractive.”

 Dr. Zariana Nikolova, Private Collector, in regard to the exhibition “Water Colors” , 2008

A particular feature of the Art, about which we almost never think as we are so used to it, is that Art is there to transform the reality; to add or take away a detail of the known; to create unsuspected experiences. All of the above is in the hands of the painter, from whose sensitivity and talent it depends if the borderline between the reality and his interpretation would be visible, or in contrast – difficult to percept, unusually transforming one into the other.
Svetlin Sofroniev is an artist, who posses such sensitivity and talent. His current exhibition is the proof. He exhibits Water colors, painted last year – landscapes from Venice, Barcelona, several “sketches on the road” from variety of European cities. Boats, canals, ports, lonely houses frozen in time, winding narrow streets, bridges, dynamic spaces, clouds, misty river banks. Some works are concrete; other - represent a poetic view, where the material is there rather as a state of mind. In both types of Water colors, there are often complex, sometimes unexpected special solutions, a search for perspective depths. Adding the magic of the transformations and reflections, the impact of the dense local spots, superimposed over the drawing and over the power of bright color, turning itself ever so often into an accept.
The Water colors of  Svetlin Sofroniev are born from travel and emotion, from his artistic talent. That‘s why they are so artistic and overwhelming.

Rumjana Konstantinova, art critic
(With reference to the exhibition at “Agora” Gallery, 2008

The works of Svetlin Sofroniev naturally comprise and further categorically outline his artistic development. All the doubts, the quests, the search, and together with them the firm conviction of his personal choice transform Svetlin from a hard working painter into a dedicated artist.
At first sight, the main theme of his works is Nature. The nature as a purpose, as an emotion; the nature as a means of escape from the established academic rules, from  the “unbroken” laws of the material world, or from the visual clichés imposed by the postmodern situation. His artistic world is sincere and deeply personal, moreover it is the painter’s confession.
Formally looking, in the paintings of Svetlin there are no human beings. The human beings are rather indirectly present, accompanying and further forming the images. At first sight, the inconspicuous composition of his works is preventing the viewer of creating complex special messages, but is prompting to intimately share a highly personal world. In this personal world, where the colors of the doors, are not only technical means, but a way of reaching the soul of the painter, where the traditional tourists’ notes are making past and future emotions palpable, a world where under the photographical precision of the portraits, the strength and sensitivity of a tensioned preference is visible…..
The ascetics of the ink drawings, the superficial chattiness of the oil works, the technical ease of the water colors, the texture of the abstract works – all that create the amalgam of esthetic moderation and emotional dynamism of Svetlin Sofroniev.
Such presentation, restricted to a certain period of his artistic development, can never be complete. Such presentation, however, could demonstrate that the combination of the various artistic positions of the painter reveal that the real is not always invisible for the eye; it could show fragility and severity, beauty and shyness, dramatic tenderness…it simply presents a Painter.

„ ... the Art of Svetlin Sofroniev is not aggressive, it does not turn on you and does not press with complex conceptions. It does not make you forget who you are in order to understand it. On the contrary, in a special way, his art is delicate and even at times distanced. This is why in this art there is a space for the viewer. The unostentatiousness (which does not mean non-attractiveness) of this art, which reminds of the author himself, I admit impressed me deeply…
... I find that his artistic sense to some extend determines the choice of theme. Even it is difficult to say what is first - if the architectural form presumes the plastic language or the other - the initial creative cast of mind makes the eyes see the artistic and its nuances. Certainly the final consequence is art, full of vitality and plasticity, art that brings the sense of very material and tangible form of plasticity …
... It is interesting that against the background of the young generation graduating the art academies during the last years and dashing after the non-conventional hyper-spaces Svetlin Sofroniev keeps to the classical, two-dimensional way of thinking. I think this choice is more challenging, because it requires a higher degree of self-confidence and complete dedication to art, to search for new areas in the traditional technique of oil painting.
His artistic choice deserves respect and holds promises for further artistic experiments…”

Anelia Nikolaeva, art critic at the National Art Gallery

The art of Svetlin Sofroniev provokes, at least formally, reminiscence of already known concepts. The small format, the theme, even the form of the technique, are sending the viewer centuries back in time. And further North. This, however is the perfunctory vision to the doors, windows and interiors created by the young author.  
“Youth is a whole of opportunities” and this sentence of Camus entirely suits the present venture of Svetlin Sofroniev. This approach of presenting “the small things of life” is one of the author’s main themes. The presented cycle of doors, windows, small interiors is created by the author with fresh artistic sense and “special” attitude to the material world. At first sight everything is simple and ferial. Town-house doors. Windows  – only spared by time. Facades and again doors…
These doors have a special meaning to Svetlin Sofroniev and to some extend determine the type of his contemporary-metaphoric painting.   These doors are the mediator between the artist and the viewer, they harbor the author’s message. Doors as an impediment, as confines, as a borderline between two worlds - the Spiritual and the Material ones. Doors as beginning of the Road, doors - as self-fastening and isolating…
Broken windows, open and closed windows - the eyes of the house, the soul of the Home or simply the Soul…  
Svetlin Sofroniev is challenging the viewer. Through the small format he compels him to come closer to the work, to experience together, to join and share. Something very personal …
To my regret I cannot say how one follows a Road. I only know that The Door has to be opened… and one should go.
And if Svetlin Sofroniev takes his way with the insisting youth willingness to overcome the drab of everyday, I from the bottom of my heart, wish him to walk it to the end. Whatever it takes!
It is worth walking!

B. V.