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Miroslav Yotov

Surreal figures in inventive scenes, color used as expression

Miroslav Yotov was born on July 26, 1977, in Isperih, a small town in northeastern Bulgaria. He completed intermediate training in graphic design in Razgrad, then graduated in “Pedagogy of Fine Arts” from Shumen University in 2000. His academic background gave him a strong foundation in both technique and art education.

After university, he spent four years experimenting with different styles and approaches. He started exhibiting student works and gradually found his own voice. In 2005, he began painting seriously and won first place in an art exhibition in Shumen. That same year, he also won a sculpture prize at a plein air event in the same city.

  • Oil painting of a bare-chested figure lying over a carved wooden chest and log, colored spheres floating nearby, a white cat on its back on the floor
    Miroslav Yotov paints a figure resting on a chest above a cat and floating spheres.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a bare-chested figure lying over a carved wooden chest, one arm across a log. Purple, blue and green spheres float in the dim room, a hand reaches from a keyhole in the chest, and a white cat lies on its back on the floor.
  • Oil painting of a woman with a black wing and a gold armillary sphere above her head, a small blue bird perched on it, seated on a wooden bench against red
    Miroslav Yotov paints a winged woman crowned with a golden armillary sphere.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman in a cream satin dress with a large black wing, looking upward. A gold armillary sphere hovers above her head with a small blue bird on top, and she sits on a wooden bench against a glowing red-orange background.
  • Oil painting of three figures on a rocky shore holding ropes and billowing orange and purple cloth, a teal panel and gray sea behind them
    Miroslav Yotov paints three figures on a rocky shore with billowing orange cloth.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of three figures on a rocky shore. One sits on a rock in a red wrap and green cloth, holding a rope, while two stand behind, pulling a long orange fabric that breaks into flying fragments, with a teal panel and a sea behind.
  • Oil painting of a woman seen from behind with a topknot, holding a long pole, before a bronze statue of a rider on a rearing horse in a red and blue sky
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman with a pole before a bronze rider on a rearing horse.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman seen from behind, her dark hair in a topknot and a white cloth at her waist, holding a long pole. A bronze statue of a rider on a rearing horse stands beyond her, with a blue cloth, a green ribbon and a gold sphere in a red and blue sky.
  • Oil painting of a woman reclining with her back to the viewer on a cushion-like log, a crumpled gold skirt, an egg and a handwritten letter below
    Miroslav Yotov paints a reclining woman on a log beside an egg and a letter.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman reclining with her back to the viewer on a cushion-shaped log, her hair in a bun and her eyes closed. A crumpled gold skirt covers her legs, an egg rests on the log, and a handwritten letter hangs from the ledge below.
  • Oil painting of a woman seen from behind with her arms resting on a round stone window frame, a pink cloth around her hips, blue sky beyond
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman seen from behind before a round stone window.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman seen from behind, her hair in a bun, her arms resting along a round stone window frame. A pink cloth sweeps around her hips, with a blue sky through the window and warm brown clouds around it.
  • Oil painting of a seated figure with a white cloth over the head, one arm raised, beside a lemon on pale blue fabric, in front of a red and blue sky
    Miroslav Yotov paints a draped seated figure beside a lemon on blue cloth.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a seated figure with a white cloth over the head and one arm raised. A single lemon rests on pale blue fabric at the foot, with red shapes behind and a sky of blue, gold and gray.
  • Oil painting of two figures seated with their arms around their knees, white veils over their heads, before weathered walls with wooden shuttered windows
    Miroslav Yotov paints two seated figures under white veils before old walls.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of two figures seated with their arms around their knees and their heads bowed. White veils fall over them, and weathered yellow walls with shuttered windows stand behind, with green grass and blue and red cloth at the edges.
  • Framed oil painting of a woman wrapped in a pink striped towel standing beside a wicker laundry basket against a colorful background
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman in a pink towel beside a wicker basket.
    A framed oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman wrapped in a pink striped towel, her head outside the frame. A wicker basket stands at the left, and warm yellow, teal and orange tones fill the background.
  • Oil painting of a seated figure with long dark hair bowed over their knees, a brass oil lamp with a wisp of smoke beside the foot, a red cloth flying above
    Miroslav Yotov paints a bowed figure beside a brass lamp and a flying red cloth.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a seated figure with long dark hair bowed over their knees, one hand at the foot. A brass oil lamp with a thin wisp of smoke sits beside it, with a red cloth and a white drape above and a landscape of blue, green and yellow behind.
  • Oil painting of a woman in a white wrap leaning back against a standing man whose outstretched arms form a cross, before a golden disk and a teal landscape
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman leaning against a man with outstretched arms.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a man standing with his arms stretched wide and a woman in a white wrap leaning back against him, her long dark hair hanging. A golden disk with vertical lines rises behind them over a teal landscape and an orange sky.
  • Oil painting of a woman in a white wrap holding a bunch of grapes and looking upward, a dove flying at an easel-like window and a green vase with a brush
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman with grapes looking up at a dove in a studio.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman with long fair hair in a white wrap, holding a bunch of grapes and looking upward. A white dove flies in an easel-like window, and a green vase with a paintbrush and a lemon stand on a table at the right.
  • Oil painting of a figure with long dark hair curled on a gray rock, a red cloth beneath, a large hand and arm reaching down from above, dark wings behind
    Miroslav Yotov paints a figure curled on a rock as a hand reaches from above.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a figure with long dark hair curled on a gray rock, one arm across the face and a red cloth beneath. A large hand and arm reach down from the top of the canvas, with dark wing-like forms behind against an orange and blue sky.
  • Oil painting of a short-haired woman sitting with her knees drawn up on a floating rock, a cracked sphere, a green cloth and a red stool in a blue sky
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman seated on a floating rock beside a cracked sphere.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman with short red-brown hair in a white top, seated with her knees drawn up on a floating rock. A cracked sphere and a draped green cloth hover beside her, with a red stool at the right and a pale city in the blue sky.
  • Oil painting of a sleeping woman in a red cloth resting her head on a rock on a beach, a grandfather clock standing in the surf behind her, a shell beside her
    Miroslav Yotov paints a sleeping woman on a beach beside a standing clock.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman sleeping with her head on a rock, a red cloth around her. A grandfather clock stands behind her at the edge of heavy green and white waves, and a spiral shell lies on the sand to the right.
  • Oil painting of a woman with a basket and green headscarf watching two white horses pull a cart past a tall orange bell tower under a red ribbon and a moon
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman watching two white horses pull a bell tower.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman in a green headscarf and skirt with a wicker basket on her back, raising a hand to her head. Two white horses pull a cart carrying a tall orange bell tower, with a red ribbon in the sky and a cratered moon above.
  • Oil painting of a woman with a green striped shawl over her dark hair looking down at a yellow flower on a long stem, a cut nautilus shell below
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman with a yellow flower and a nautilus shell.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman with a green striped shawl drawn over her dark hair, her eyes lowered as she touches the stem of a yellow flower. A cut nautilus shell sits at the lower center, and small red spheres float against orange and blue panels.
  • Oil painting of a stair street among yellow buildings with shutters and fragmented stone arches floating above, a man in red raising an arm and a woman sweeping
    Miroslav Yotov paints a stair street where fragments of arches float above.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a stair street between yellow buildings with green shutters. Broken stone arches float above the houses, a man in red trousers and a bowler hat raises an arm, a woman sweeps a stair and an elderly figure in red walks at the left.
  • Oil painting of a woman in white standing on the roof of a rusted car, holding red cloths at both sides, an owl on the door, a globe in the sand
    Miroslav Yotov paints a woman atop a rusted car with an owl and a globe.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a woman in white standing on the roof of a rusted old car, holding red cloths that stream outward. An owl perches on an open door, a globe rests in the foreground, and a tall blue opening shows the sky behind her.
  • Oil painting of a ballerina balancing on a gilded red carriage holding a string tied to a blue balloon, a man in a cap with a walking staff watching
    Miroslav Yotov paints a ballerina on a gilded carriage with a blue balloon.
    An oil painting by Miroslav Yotov of a ballerina in a white tutu balancing on a red and gold carriage, holding the string of a blue balloon. Green smoke rises from her raised hand, a man in a cap and vest with a staff watches, and a blue ball rests on a checkered floor.

His first solo exhibition was held on March 16, 2006, in Shumen. More exhibitions followed in Isperih, Divdiadovo, and other parts of Bulgaria. His paintings quickly gained attention from collectors and critics alike. He became known for his ambitious, large-scale works in both residential and commercial spaces.

His style is a blend of figurative and surrealist elements. He sets realistic human figures in imaginative, constructed scenarios. His compositions are spatially experimental but still follow naturalistic textures. Colour is used in an emotional, expressive way rather than purely descriptively. Towards the edges of his canvases, the paint often becomes cloud-like or flattens out.

“His style is unique because of its Bulgarian accent and emotion; the brush strokes are well articulated and on occasions lustful, as if he is trying to seduce the viewer.”

His still life paintings are often described as enigmatic. They juxtapose tranquil subjects against vivid, energising backdrops. There is a distinctly Balkan quality to his work, reminiscent of sleepy Bulgarian villages and traditional landscapes. Yet he uses tradition as a launch pad for modern, liberal contributions to art.

In 2020, he won first place in the annual “Historical Painting” competition. His winning entry was “The Audience before Tsar Simeon the Great”, a detailed work depicting the era of the Bulgarian ruler. The painting earned him a prize of 10,000 levas. His works have been shown in major exhibitions across Bulgaria.

He is known to his friends as “Cirk” or “Miro”. His art is collected by discerning connoisseurs, young professionals, and entrepreneurs who appreciate vibrant colours and a unique Balkan perspective. He has won admiration from peers, critics, and art lovers alike. His work continues to evolve while staying rooted in his Bulgarian heritage.

Q: What is Miroslav Yotov’s artistic style?
A: He is a figurative and surrealist painter who blends realistic human figures with imaginative, constructed scenarios. His style is described as having a distinct “Bulgarian accent” and emotion.

Q: Where can I see Miroslav Yotov’s work?
A: He has exhibited in Shumen, Isperih, Divdiadovo, and other Bulgarian cities. His website is yotov.net, and his work can also be found on WooArts and LondonArt.

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