Vezhdi Rashidov has died at the age of 74. His death was confirmed by his family to NOVA and by GERB’s press office to BNT. The National Assembly began its session with a minute of silence in his memory.
He was born on December 14, 1951, in Dimitrovgrad. He graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Sofia, and in 1978 from the National Academy of Art with a degree in “Sculpture.” At the beginning of his artistic career, he worked mainly with bronze and developed a style recognizable for its expressive human figures, faces, and masks.
A sculptor with an international career
In 1985, Rashidov went to France after winning a competition for the Cité des Arts artistic center in Paris. He later presented his works in dozens of solo exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and America. His works entered the collections of the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the Ludwig Foundation in Cologne, the National Gallery in Ankara, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. He worked not only in sculpture, but also with watercolor, drawing, and painting.
Over the years, Rashidov repeatedly returned to the exhibition hall. In 2014, he presented the exhibition “Never Before Shown,” bringing together bronze sculptures and watercolors. In 2025, he presented bronze masks and drawings dedicated to Beethoven. Among the works were pieces he had begun working on as early as the late 1980s.
From the studio to power
Politics entered his life after he had already established himself as an artist. He first served on the Sofia Municipal Council and then became a GERB member of parliament. He headed the Ministry of Culture twice – from 2009 to 2013 and from 2014 to 2017. In parliament, he also chaired the Committee on Culture and the Media.
In October 2022, he was elected Speaker of the 48th National Assembly after lawmakers made prolonged attempts to reach an agreement. He took the post during a period of sharp political confrontation and instability. Rashidov often spoke about the tension between an artist’s freedom and the compromises demanded by politics.
In August 2023, Rashidov announced his withdrawal from politics following a scandal sparked by remarks of his that were recorded in the parliamentary chamber. After that, he continued to take part in public debate, but increasingly returned to his studio and exhibitions.
In December 2025, he prepared the exhibition “The Tree,” dedicated to watercolors and drawings. Just a few months earlier, he had presented masks and drawings depicting Beethoven to the public. Thus, until the final years of his life, he maintained his connection with the materials and themes that defined his artistic path.
Vezhdi Rashidov remains a figure with two public faces – that of a sculptor with an international presence and that of a politician who held some of the highest offices in the country. On November 6, lawmakers honored his memory with a minute of silence.
Sources: dnes.bg, bntnews.bg