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cover: Deux arbres dans la brume 36” x 25½” | opposite: Sur la Sioule 31½” x 39” | above: Au bord de la vallée 15¾” x 15¾”

472 W. Broadway, New York, NY 212.226.2262 axelle.com

A L B E RT H A D J I G A N E V

2 | Les Mouretons 28¾” x 23½” Après midi brumeux 38” x 57½” | 3

4 | Eclaircie 31¾” x 39½” Eté orageux 78¾” x 78¾” | 5

6 | Arbre courbé 15¾” x 15¾” Chemin mouillé 51” x 76¾” | 7

8 | Chemin forestier 78¾” x 63” A la croisée des chemins 38” x 51” | 9

10 | Marine 23½” x 47” | 11

Born in 1954 in Bulgaria to a family of artists, Hadjiganev fantasized of an artistic

Parisian existence throughout childhood. He studied photography in Sofia and was

influenced by the work of his painter father and sculptor brother. However, he

never forgot his ultimate goal: to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. There-

fore, at the age of 28, he left his native land and walked across the border. After

numerous hardships, he finally reached Paris, where he eked out a hungry existence

as a starving young artist. By 1987, however, his struggle paid off, he graduated from

the prestigious Ecole, and his dream was fulfilled.

His artistic peers in Paris quickly recognized Hadjiganev’s distinctive talent. In 1989,

he became the recipient of the coveted Grand Prix de Peinture from the Academie

des Beaux-Arts. Chosen from among one thousand artists, his paintings were shown

all over France and Europe. In 1990, he received the Prix du Gouvernement Princier

at the Salon International d’Art Contemporain in Monaco. The critical acclaim he

has received has had little effect on the personality of this unassuming painter.

When he starts a painting, “I do not know what is to come,” he said. “It is the canvas

that decides—I am merely a tool. I become very small.”

But Hadjiganev’s talent is anything but small. The sparkling vistas of his landscapes

spark feelings of longing and peace in the viewer. His photographic training is

also evident in the composition of his interior work. He leads viewers into his

paintings, often through a geometric shape. A window, a door, a table or the frame of a

picture are all openings that capture a still moment within a limited visual frame

while opening up a new perspective to the viewer. In addition, his elegant nudes

exude a shy, intimate feeling of poetry and light. “I do not paint to make something

pretty. I paint to put my heart in my paintings,” he explains.

As a minimalist, Hadjiganev captures the simple moments of daily life with only a

few elements. With perfect technique and deep sensitivity, he freely transfigures

reality to create a mysterious environment filled with grace. With harmony, loneli-

ness of the soul and a peaceful nostalgia, Hadjiganev invites the viewer to meditate

and dream.

The quiet strength and mastery of his craft are indeed reflected in his unforgettable

work. His simple philosophy on life is the core of his work: “One does not need to

say too much to say it all,” he explains.

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12 | Auvergnate 15¾” x 15¾” Après la pluie (étude) 19½” x 19½” | 13

14 | Arbre à l ’aube 21½” x 18” Derniers rayons 38” x 57½” | 15

16 | Pluie aux Mouretons 28¾” x 39” L’été dehors 39” x 39” | 17

18 | Fenêtre sur jardin 45½” x 31¾” 27 Rue de Seine 59” x 59” | 19

20 | Les beaux jours 76¾” x 51” Pêcheur en �eurs 76¾” x 51” | 21

22 | Sur la route de Saint-Omer 28¾” x 39” Eté pluvieux 28¾” x 31¾” | 23

24 | Brouillard rose 31½” x 23½” Matin brumeux 39” x 39” | 25

26 | Trois arbres au crépuscule 19½” x 19½” Soir aux Mouretons II 39” x 28¾” | 27

28 | Soir aux Mouretons I 28¾” x 39” above: Roses de novembre 44¾” x 57½” | back cover: Plage normande 38” x 57½”

© 2015 A

LBERT HA

DJIG

AN

EV