Ivan Djidjev

In my works I try to mix some of the most ancient and the most modern forms of art .I try to touch the illusion of eternity, and combine the many influences I am surrounded by when creating my contemporary works. Mosaic art resembles very much planting a tree, because the mosaic is just like a millennium tree, it is something that lasts forever. Each artwork is not just a piece of my own, on my creative journey, it is a window into the spiritual world.

2010 - Commission for creating a gold leaf icon of St. Benedict, which was gifted to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI during His Holiness’ State Visit to Great Britain. This was in gratitude and respect for the recognition afforded by the Holy See to Ivan’s grandfather’s cousin, Fr. Pavel Djidjov, who was beatified and proclaimed a Martyr for the Faith by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on the occasion of His Holiness’ visit to Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 2002. This artwork is now in the Vatican Collection in Rome. 04-13 May 2011-The spiritual and visual treasures of Byzantine and Renaissance icons by Ivan Djidjev - St Mary - le - Bow, Cheapside, London, EC2V 6AU, UK http://www.stmarylebow.co.uk, http://ivandjidjev.com/st-mary-le-bow/#more-216 14. May 2011– Exhibition of icons at Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula HM TOWER OF LONDON and at All Hallows by the Tower CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF SAINT NICHOLAS OF BARI www.stnicholassociety.com www.sintnicolas.weebly.com http://ivandjidjev.com/chapel-of-st-peter-ad-vincula-hm-tower-of-london/#more-515 27. September – 02 October 2011 – Exhibition of icons, mosaics and drawings at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria 186 - 188 Queen’s gate SW7 5HL Private View hosted by The Ambassador H.E. Mr Lyubomir Kyuchukov and with the Minister of Culture of Bulgaria H.E Mr Vezhdi Rashidov www.bulgarianembassy-london.org http://ivandjidjev.com/the-embassy-of-the-republic-of-bulgaria/#more-228 31. October– 04 November 2011 – Exhibition of icons and mosaics Orthodox Church in America 16th All American Council of the OCA in Seattle USA Exhibition of icon and mosaic works http://oca.org http://orthodoxnorthwest.wordpress.com http://ivandjidjev.com/orthodox-church-in-america/#more-276 03. December 2011 – Presentation of the icon of St Nicholas at Canterbury Cathedral St Nicholas Community Parade & Service An annual fundraising event that started with a parade through the Canterbury city culminating in the arrival of St Nicholas at the Cathedral. The Parade was followed by a short informal service. http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org http://ivandjidjev.com/canterbury-cathedral/#more-299 08. April 2012 – ‘Golden Egg of Life’- 2ft 6in (74cm) fiberglass egg One of the 200 large Easter eggs for the charity Faberge Big Egg Hunt. The Big Egg Hunt http://www.thebigegghunt.co.uk http://ivandjidjev.com/faberge-big-egg-hunt/ 27. February – 10 March 2013 – Exhibition Byzantine and Renaissance icons by Ivan Djidjev at St George’s Church Hanover Square, The Vestry, 2a Mill Street, London W1S 1FX www.stgeorgeshanoversquare.org 04. April 2016 – Unveiling and blessing of the Annunciation and Transfiguration icons commission for the alter of Charterhouse chapel by the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dr Richard Chartres – Bishop of London. The Charterhouse is a Carthusian priory founded in 1371.It is one of the best preserved yet least known historic sites in London; an architectural gem incorporating fabric from the mid-fourteenth century to the turn of the twenty-first century. It is part of the English Heritage. 30. September - 14.October 2016 –Exhibition of Icons and Contemporary Mosaic St Andrew Holborn Crypt, London EC4A 3AF http://standrewholborn.org.uk/event/icons-and-contemporary-mosaics-exhibition/?instance_id=1944 04.11 - 06.11.2016 Icons and Contemporary Mosaics Exhibition in Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Oxford 13.01 – 27.01.2017 Icons and Contemporary Mosaics Exhibition at The Parish and Ward Church of St Botolph – without – Bishopsgate, London 23.09.2017 – 01.10.2017 Exhibition of BAMM Members work at Patriot hall Gallery, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 5AY 02.02.2018 – 26.02.2018 MUSIWA 18 Galleria “Carrozze”, Palazzo Medici Ricardi, Via Cavour 5 50129, Florence, Italy 02.03.2018 – 04.03.2018 Art rooms Roma – Exhibition Church Palace Hotel, Rome, IT 01.09.2018 – 23.09.2018 Mosaic Festival Oss, Netherlands 21.09.2018 – 19.10.2018 Exhibition of BAMM Members 2018 at London School of Mosaic, Ludham Basement, Mansfield Road, NW5 4SF, London 15.10.2018 – 19.10.2018 AIMC – The International Association of Contemporary Mosaicists AIMC Members International Exhibition, XVI - Congress France AIMC 2018 “The Evolution of Contemporary Mosaic” Paray – le – Monial, Tour Saint-Nicolas, France

I am born in Sliven, Bulgaria and as far as I can remember, I always wanted to be an artist. I graduated in 1994 the National Art College of Sliven -“Dimitar Dobrovich”.Then I spent two years as an apprentice in the studio of sculptor Vejdi Rashidov- Cultural minister of Bulgaria (2009-2013). In 1996 I went to Vienna, Austria where I studied in the National Academy of Fine art Vienna, at the heading of professor Мichelangelo Pistoletto.