ABOUT

Sava Tsonev is a contemporary sculptor working in natural stone. His practice explores the genesis of form as a process of becoming, where matter carries the memory of transformation between movement and stillness. Through abstraction and precision, he creates spatial works defined by balance, tension, and internal movement.

At the core of his work is the emergence of form as a layered process that includes biological, organic, and geological states of transformation. Stone is understood as a material with memory — a substance shaped by deep temporal processes, where movement has condensed into apparent stillness.

From this perspective, his practice operates in a reversed dynamic: from stillness toward movement. Through carving and reduction, he seeks to reactivate latent energies within the material, revealing internal spatial structures and tensions within solid form.

A defining principle of his work is “form within form,” where internal volumes generate rhythm, depth, and spatial complexity within a unified sculptural body. The works are conceived as fully spatial objects, intended to be experienced from all angles, where each viewpoint reveals a shifting relationship between volume, surface, and light.

Through precise execution and material refinement, Tsonev creates works that hold stillness and movement simultaneously — forms that appear stable, yet remain visually and conceptually active.

MAIN SERIES

Genesis
Exploring the emergence of form as a layered process of becoming, including biological, organic, and pre-material states of transformation.

The Jurassic Era
Engaging with deep geological time and the material memory embedded in stone, shaped by pressure, erosion, and accumulation over time.

Fragments of Thrace
Reflecting on traces of classical culture and their presence within landscape, memory, and cultural sedimentation, translated into abstract sculptural form.

BIO

Sava Tsonev is a Bulgarian sculptor working primarily with natural stone. He is a co-founder of U.P.A.R.K Gallery. His background in scenography and design for film productions and events informs his understanding of space, structure, and composition.

Since 2013, he has focused on the development of a consistent body of sculptural work in stone. He has exhibited in Bulgaria at Fabrika 126 (Sofia), UPARK Gallery (Plovdiv), Arte Gallery (Sofia), the Union of Bulgarian Artists (Shipka 6), and The Mission Gallery (Sofia).

His works are held in private collections in Bulgaria, Italy, and Turkey, and his practice has been featured in Euronews Bulgaria and BNT.

Sava Tsonev is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists.