BIOGRAPHY
Petar Pondev (b. 1986, Bulgaria) is a contemporary textile artist whose work bridges the personal and the universal through large-scale wool tapestries. Based in Bulgaria, Pondev’s artistic journey is defined by a deep engagement with visual storytelling and an evolving exploration of textile as a medium.
In 2024, Pondev presented his landmark solo exhibition, “Loophole: Chapter One”, a powerful series of monumental wall tapestries resulting from a year-long process of technical research, experimentation, and intensive studio practice. These works blend abstraction, figuration, and bold color to express layered emotional and conceptual narratives.
Pondev spent over a decade in Berlin, Germany, where he collaborated across disciplines with filmmakers, musicians, directors, and photographers. This period greatly influenced his multidisciplinary approach, which continues to shape his textile-based creations today.
His current body of work is centered on handwoven wool tapestries. Fascinated by the act of weaving as both a literal and symbolic gesture, Pondev uses the loom as a tool to interlace memory, identity, and global concerns into vibrant, textured compositions.
Pondev’s artistic foundation began at Nikola Vaptsarov Primary School, specializing in applied and fine arts. He continued his education at the School for Textile Production and Design in Kazanlak, and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luben Groys University in Bulgaria in 2009.
In addition to his work in visual arts, Pondev also had a successful three-year career as an actor with the National Theatre in Sofia. He returned to textile art in 2023 while working in a studio in Porto, Portugal, reigniting his passion for fabric as a mode of expression.
CV
01.07.2023 CRU CREATIVE HUB, PORTO, PORTUGAL(solo)
09.12.2023 – 11.12.2023 SELECTED FOR BAAM BERLIN
18.01.- 08.02.2024 DOZA GALLERY, SOFIA BUŁGARIA(solo)
30.03.2024 SIMPLE SPACES, SOFIA, BULGARIA(solo)
14-23.2024 ART&FASHION WEEK MILANO Passepartoutgallery
04.04.2024 – 10.05.204 SOLD OUT DESIGN, SOFIA, BULGARIA(solo)
2024 GALERIA RUVEL, KAZANLAK, BULGARIA(solo)
2025 GALLERY ONE B .SOFIA BULGARIA
2025 NATIONAL MUSEUM “BORIS HRISTOV” SOFIA BULGARIA
STATEMENT
TEXTILE ARTIST PETAR PONDEV, BORN IN BULGARIA IN 1986, CURRENTLY LIVES AND WORKS IN
BULGARIA, MERGES PERSONAL AND GLOBAL CONCERNS IN HIS VISUAL CREATIONS. FOR HIS BIG
SOLO EXHIBITION IN 2024 „LOOPHOLE: CHAPTER ONE“, THE ARTIST HAS PUT TOGETHER A SERIES OF
LARGE SCALE WALL TAPESTRIES, THAT ARE THE RESULT OF A YEAR OF TECHNICAL RESEARCH,
EXPERIMENTATION AND PRACTICE.
HE LIVED AND WORKED IN BERLIN, GERMANY, FOR 11 YEARS, ENGAGING IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY
PROJECTS, MAINLY COLLABORATING WITH FILMMAKERS, DIRECTORS, MUSICIANS AND
PHOTOGRAPHERS. MUCH OF HIS CURRENT WORK IS PARTICULARLY COMMITTED TO WOOL
TAPESTRIES. HIS FASCINATION WITH THE PROCESS OF WEAVING NARRATIVES WITH HIS MEDIUM OF
CHOICE CHALLENGES HIM TO PORTRAY PERSONAL AND UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH A
CANVAS. THESE WORKS FORM AND COMPOSE THROUGH THEIR METHOD OF MAKING AND
COMPLETING INTO FIGURATIVE, ABSTRACT AND VIBRANTLY COLORFUL COMPOSITIONS.
IN HIS EARLY YEARS, PONDEV ATTENDED THE NIKOLA VAPTSAROV PRIMARY SCHOOL FOCUSED ON
APPLIED & FINE ARTS, COMPLETED HIS FORMATION AT THE SCHOOL FOR TEXTILE PRODUCTION AND
DESIGN IN KAZANLAK, AND RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS FROM LUBEN GROSS UNIVERSITY IN
BULGARIA IN 2009. AS AN ACTOR, HE PLAYED FOR THREE YEARS AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN
SOFIA, BULGARIA. HE CAME BACK TO FABRIC ART IN 2023, WHILE WORKING IN A STUDIO IN PORTO,
PORTUGAL.
