Ivan Velkov (1930-2008)
Born on April 22, 1930 in Vranje. Ivan Velkov is a representative of the post-war generation of artists who individually approach abstract art in its most diverse and modified variants, with expressionist content, lyrical and geometric abstraction, informel, cubist content, abstract expressionism, etc.
1948 Admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana together with Radmilo Popovski and Petar Hadzi-Boskov, with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Macedonia. He inherits the cult attitude towards drawing and graphics from professors Marij Pregelj, France Michelic, Maxim Sedej, Rico Debenjak and others. These professors will leave a lasting mark on Vekov's work.
1952 Transfers to the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, in the class of Zora Petrovik.
1953 Goes on a multi-day stay with a group of students and tours galleries and museums in Venice and Florence.
1953 Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, received a master's degree in 1955 in the class of prof. Zora Petrovik.
1953 Receives an award for painting at the University of Belgrade.
1954 Becomes a member of DLUM
1960 Together with Petar Mazev, he initiates the founding of the group "Mugri".
1960 Goes on a study visit to Paris, as a scholarship holder of the Mosha Piade Foundation.
1962 Performs the wall composition "Spring Game" in the House of Culture in Strumica.
1963 Elected member of the Initiative Board for the establishment of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje.
1970-1995 Works as a professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Skopje.
1993 Performs the wall painting "Dawns" in Ruzonberok, Slovakia.
1995 Retired as a full professor at the Department of Fine Arts at the Faculty of Architecture in Skopje.