Dimitre Mehandjiysky
Encyclopedia
Dimitre Manassiev Mehandjiysky (8 October 1915 - 17 October 1999), is a Bulgarian
painter
and designer
. He is considered one of the pillars of the 20th century Bulgarian environmental (interior, exterior and furniture) design. In addition, he is known as a masterful watercolor painter.
, a city with a mostly Bulgaria
n population that subsequently became a Serbia
n territory, since Bulgaria was on the losing side in World War I
. After his parents' untimely death, Mehandjiysky became the guardian of his young siblings. Together, they migrated to Sofia
, where Mehandjiysky struggled for years to support his family and to obtain a decent education. Ultimately, he became a student at the National Art Academy in Sofia, where he studied under Prof. Dechko Uzunov
and Iliya Beshkov. He graduated soon after the end of World War II
, in 1946.
, USSR, Czechoslovakia
, Poland
, Italy
, France
, Cuba
, U.S.
, Canada
, Japan
, Denmark
, Austria
and many other countries. He received many awards and recognitions for his talent and achievement. In addition, his name was added to the prestigious Bulgarian Encyclopaedia of Design
and Applied Art
(Енциклопедия на Българските Приложни Изкуства, Том 2: М-Я).
, Japan
, where he worked predominantly on paintings in watercolor and gouache
(tempera
). He developed a new watercolor technique that surprised everyone who knew the artist in the past: the pragmatic, purist
, minimalistic
designer thinking was replaced with an emotional, irrational, semi-abstract, kinetic, dynamic, sometimes lyrical and transparent- and sometimes dark, dramatic and turbulent- application of marker & watercolor over special textured paper... Mehandjiysky got inspired by diverse subjects: traditional architecture and nature of Japan; a large variety of fresh flowers and still-life, etc. In addition, he worked on series of nudes- sensual, spontaneous paintings with elegant, subdued eroticism that ultimately became extremely popular with private art collectors in Japan and other countries.
, California
, and was buried at the Forest Lawn
cemetery in Glendale
.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
. He is considered one of the pillars of the 20th century Bulgarian environmental (interior, exterior and furniture) design. In addition, he is known as a masterful watercolor painter.
The beginning
Dimitre Mehandjiysky was born in BosilegradBosilegrad
Bosilegrad is a town and municipality in Pčinja District of Serbia. The municipality comprises an area of 571 km². According to 2011 census, it has total population of 7,979 inhabitants, while the town has 2,530.-1991 census:...
, a city with a mostly Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n population that subsequently became a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n territory, since Bulgaria was on the losing side in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After his parents' untimely death, Mehandjiysky became the guardian of his young siblings. Together, they migrated to Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, where Mehandjiysky struggled for years to support his family and to obtain a decent education. Ultimately, he became a student at the National Art Academy in Sofia, where he studied under Prof. Dechko Uzunov
Dechko Uzunov
Dechko Uzunov was a Bulgarian painter. He was born in Kazanluk and died in Sofia at the age of 87....
and Iliya Beshkov. He graduated soon after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1946.
First Period
In the following years, Mehandjiysky gradually established himself as a strong, influential artist/designer with a distinct aesthetic sense and a fresh, clean, recognizable style. He was commissioned to design furniture and home accessories, and to work on multiple museums, exhibits, store interiors and art galleries, international expos and fairs- in BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, USSR, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and many other countries. He received many awards and recognitions for his talent and achievement. In addition, his name was added to the prestigious Bulgarian Encyclopaedia of Design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
and Applied Art
Applied art
Applied art is the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or...
(Енциклопедия на Българските Приложни Изкуства, Том 2: М-Я).
Second Period
In the later years of his dynamic creative career, Dimitre Mehandjiysky lived in OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where he worked predominantly on paintings in watercolor and gouache
Gouache
Gouache[p], also spelled guache, the name of which derives from the Italian guazzo, water paint, splash or bodycolor is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. A binding agent, usually gum arabic, is also present, just as in watercolor...
(tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
). He developed a new watercolor technique that surprised everyone who knew the artist in the past: the pragmatic, purist
Purist
A purist is one who desires that an item remains true to its essence and free from adulterating or diluting influences. The term may be used in almost any field, and can be applied either to the self or to others. Use of the term may be either pejorative or complimentary, depending on the context...
, minimalistic
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
designer thinking was replaced with an emotional, irrational, semi-abstract, kinetic, dynamic, sometimes lyrical and transparent- and sometimes dark, dramatic and turbulent- application of marker & watercolor over special textured paper... Mehandjiysky got inspired by diverse subjects: traditional architecture and nature of Japan; a large variety of fresh flowers and still-life, etc. In addition, he worked on series of nudes- sensual, spontaneous paintings with elegant, subdued eroticism that ultimately became extremely popular with private art collectors in Japan and other countries.
Epilogue
In spite of old age, the artist led an active life and remained remarkably productive until his last breath; he died in 1999 during a trip to PasadenaPasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and was buried at the Forest Lawn
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
cemetery in Glendale
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.