Alexander Telalim

Alexander Telalim (born 1966) is a Ukrainian and Bulgarian visual artist. He graduated from the Grekov Odesa Art School in Odesa, Ukraine, and then from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. He lives and works in Sofia.

Telalim is one of the Bulgarian artists working predominantly in watercolour. He combines the natural fluidity of watercolour with the power of sharp lines, creating amazingly vivid and emotional works. His paintings harmonize visions of childhood with his philosophy. The conciseness of his medium highlights the depth and expressiveness of his watercolours in the heritage of Zen philosophy. He also works as a calligrapher and book illustrator.

He is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists and has had more than 60 solo exhibitions in Europe, the USA and Japan.

Telalim's artworks can be found in numerous private collections in Europe and the US, as well as in public collections of the City Gallery of Izmail (Ukraine), the municipality of Saint Louis (France), the Bulgarian Consulate in New York City (US), the municipality of Weimar (Germany) and the Ukrainian Consulate in Sofia (Bulgaria).

Career 2002: International ceramic workshop, Troyan, Bulgaria 2003: Mural "The Magic Theater", The National Academy of Theater and Film, Sofia 2004: International watercolor workshop, Nova Zagora, Bulgaria 2004-07: Design line for the FPI hotels, Sofia and Varna, Bulgaria 2009: "Watercolor Dreamscapes" workshop, Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, IL

Selected group exhibitions 1983-95: Group shows in Izmail and Odesa, Ukraine 1997: National exhibition "Bulgaria — Drawing '97", Sofia, Bulgaria 1999: National exhibition "Bulgaria — Drawing '99", Sofia, Bulgaria 2000: "Spiritual Messages", Vitosha Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria 2002: "Sails" (installation with Valia Telalim), "Sea of Forms" Art Festival, Golden Sands, Varna, Bulgaria 2004: Around the Coyote Art Festival, Chicago, USA "Far From Yesterday: New Bulgarian Art" — TZ Gallery, Chicago, USA 2007: "Trace of Water", Bulgarian Consulate in New York, (Bulgarian Days Festival), New York 2009: "Belle Mistique", Gallerie MK, River Nord Art District, Chicago "Faces Without Translation", Noe Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria 2010: "The Light of the Winter Star" (with Vassilen Vasevski), Ukrainian National Museum, Chicago, USA 2011: "The First Flight" exhibition by contemporary Bulgarian artists, Sofia Gallery, London "Traditions and Inspirations from the East" - calligraphy of A. Telalim, bonsai and ikebana, Mission Gallery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia. 2013 "Summer Fusion", Collection Red showcases the talents of artists from the former Soviet Union, Kensington, London

Selected solo exhibitions 1997: "Water Reflections", City Art Gallery, Izmail, Ukraine "Message from the East", "Cristina de Vicente" Gallery, Huelva, Spain "Valentina" Ukrainian Art Club, Sofia, Bulgaria 1999: Gavrilova Gallery, Saint-Louis/Basil, France "The Sky", Santa Clara Monastery, Moguer, Spain "The Way of the Wind", "Festinvest" Exhibition Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria Garduno Gallery, Sevilla, Spain; City Gallery, Masagon, Spain 2000: "Bridges" — "Bulgaria — Slavonic World" Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria City Art Gallery, Lodz, Poland 2001: "Message from the West" — Sachie Ikeda Gallery, Kagava, Japan "Ludwig Beier" Exhibition Hall, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria 2002: "Gift for Lovers — 14.02", Galeros Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria "Watercolor from Bulgaria", Olivian Gallery, Kagava, Japan "Fishing at Night", Contemporary Art Center, Varna, Bulgaria 2006: "Balkanica" Cultural and Art Center, Sofia, Bulgaria "Yellow and Blue" (Ukrainian Days in Macedonia), National Art Gallery, Skopje, Macedonia 2007: "Awake and Dreaming" — Grita Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria "Aqua Incognita", Girafe Gallery, Berlin, Germany "Aqua Incognita", Literaturehause Gallery, Weimar, Germany "New Mithology", Noe Gallery, Sofia 2008: "The Flowers", Papillon Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria "Aquarelle", Girafe Gallery, Brussels, Belgium "Edem: At Home, Towards the Inner Self", Lik Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria "Dreams on the Roof", Sofia Philharmonics Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria 2009: "Watercolors", Ukrainian National Museum, Chicago, USA "The Home", Papillon Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria 2010: "Morning in the Promised Land", Rosh Pinna, Israel 2015: Masters of Watercolor - Exhibition participants' catalogue, Saint Petersburg, 20–31 January 2015