Ivan Vukadinov

The journey of Ivan Vukadinov's renowned painting "In Memory of the Heroes," culminated in its acquisition by the Vatican Museums.

Painted in 1973, the artwork garnered acclaim during an art exhibition held in Rome during the mid-1970s. The exhibition was housed by Galleria Marguttina 51, situated in the art-centred Via Margutta, which featured artists and celebrities, such as Federico Fellini. Impressed by Vukadinov's artwork, the Vatican Museums expressed interest to acquire it as an inaugural piece for the opening of the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art, Vatican Museums. However, the Bulgarian government at the time vetoed the offer, asserting that the work held the status of a "national treasure," rendering it unattainable for purchase.[5][6][9]

The artist, deeply disappointed by the refusal, made a vow to never exhibit his works in Bulgaria again. It wasn't until 2006, that Vukadinov returned to the artistic scene in Sofia, with exhibitions at Gallery Rakursi.[5][6][9]

In October 2022, after nearly 50 years, In Memory of the Heroes was placed in the Vatican Museums, with the support of the Bulgarian state.[10] Vukadinov's painting thus became the first work by a Bulgarian artist to enter the Vatican Museums. The art historian and director of the Vatican Museums, Barbara Jatta, said that this represented "an important moment in the relations between the Holy See and Bulgaria... Certainly, the message of Vukadinov's work is strong, bright, in which the sacred shines through; a message about art and faith".[5] Micol Forti, director of the Collection of Contemporary Art since 2000, described the painting as "a work with a view beyond the visible."[5]

The significance of Vukadinov’s painting ties into Paul VI's vision for the artists in the Vatican Collection of contemporary art, "regardless of their personal faith, the important thing is that their artwork can testify to a glimpse of what is beyond the visible," in the words of Micol Forti:[5]

[E]specially the painting by Ivan Vukadinov, which is included in the collections of the Vatican Museums, is a very interesting example of precisely this look beyond the visible. Through the title he offers to his painting in memory of the heroes and through a synthetic form of a human figure that stands out against the golden background, he offers a deep reflection on some important themes: the theme of memory of identity, of the value of the individual in the community and the topic of transversal culture. These characters have no name, no origin, we are not told who they are. Everyone has their reference character, that is, their roots, they represent the roots of our essence. This is perhaps the most important message within the collection of modern and contemporary art in the Vatican Museums, which is transversal in era, geography and origin, but which seeks to document the spiritual and transcendental aspect of artist's research.

The Bulgarian government honored Vukadinov by issuing a special postal-philatelic commemorative stamp in 2022,[11] which features his painting "In Memory of Heroes" and pays tribute to Vukadinov's artwork becoming part of the Vatican Museums' collection. The Ministry of Culture organized a ceremony to validate and launch the stamp, coinciding with the artist's 90th birthday celebration. The stamp was designed by Stoyan Dechev.

Ivan Vukadinov's painting was chosen as one of the ten artworks showcased in the special exhibition across the Vatican Museums, commemorating the significant milestone for the institution in 2023.[12][13]