Teofan Sokerov (1943-2020)

Teofan Sokerov was a Bulgarian artist born in the city of Lovech. He graduated from the National Academy of Art in 1969 with a degree in Painting; he had studied under the tutelage of Prof. Petar Mihailov and Prof. Iliya Petrov. Following his graduation, he settled in his hometown and from 1971 to 1982, he served as the chairman of the Representation of the Union of Bulgarian Artists in Lovech. He later moved to Sofia, where he taught painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, and from 1994, he was a professor at the Academy. The artist worked in the field of painting, drawing and monumental arts. After his passing in 2020, an art gallery in Lovech was named after him.

Teofan Sokerov was known for creating a large number of monumental wall art. Some of his notable works include murals in “Georgi Bregov” Secondary School, Pazardzhik, 1976/1977; a mural in the former House for Political Education, Lovech, 1978; a mosaic in the District Court, Lovech, 1978; an exterior mosaic in “Vasil Levski” museum, Lovech, 1981; mosaics in the National Palace of Culture, 1981; a mosaic in the House of the Bulgarian Communist Party (also known as the Buzludzha Monument), 1981; a mural decoration in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Holy Ascension of the Lord in the city of Veliko Tarnovo, 1985; a wall painting in the Aprilov High School in Gabrovo, 1986; a mural in the “Earth and Man National Museum,” 1986/87; a mural in the “Shumen” Hotel, 1989; a mural in the Youth Center, Novi Pazar, 1989/90; a mosaic in the House of the Book, Lovech, 1980s; and a mosaic in the Computing Center, Lovech, 1980s.

Teofan Sokerov was the recipient of several national and international awards, including the “Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master” award in 1979 and 1982, the “Ilya Petrov” award in 1986, the “Zachary Zograf” award in 1987, and the Pier Franceschi Miketti Foundation Award in Italy in 1988.