From April 30 2024, the exhibition with selected works of the fifth International Exlibris Competition Varna will visit National Art School "Tsanko Lavrenov” in Plovdiv.

Ex-libris are marks engraved or printed inside book covers, serving to identify the owner. The term originates from Latin, "ex libris," translating to "from the books of..." or "from the library of...". Over time, bookplates have evolved from functional identifiers to artistic expressions, transcending their original utilitarian purpose.

The artistic director of the International Exlibris Competition Varna in its five previous editions is the famous Bulgarian graphic painter Julian Jordanov. The chairman of the jury is the beloved Bulgarian artist and professor at the "Graphics" department of the National Academy of Arts, Prof. Dimo ​​Kolibarov.

The current edition features some of the best names in the field of small graphics and bookplates in the world. Graphics of the winner of the fifth edition, the Bulgarian artist Petar Lazarov, will be shown, as well as the latest works of the winners of the previous editions of the competition - Ivan Rusachek (Belarus), Veselin Damyanov-Ves (Bulgaria) and Oleg Denisenko (Ukraine). The participation of the doyens of the Japanese graphic school Shigeki Tomura, of the Italian school Ivo Mosele, Luigi Casalino, Maria Maddalena Tuccelli, of the Argentine graphic school Maurizio Schwartzman, of the Estonian graphic Lembit Lohmus is especially valuable. 

Dive into the lively scene of the International Exlibris Competition Varna, a biennale that's been making waves in the coastal city since 2014, now in its fifth edition. Originally organized by Largo Gallery until 2021, the reins have now been passed to the Jordan Petkov Art Foundation. From day one, the competition has been fueled by the generous support of the Municipality of Varna through the Culture Fund, with recent traveling exhibitions in 2022 and 2024 made possible by the National Culture Fund.