Boyan Montero

Boyan Montero (1992, living and working between Amsterdam and Sofia, they/them) is an artist rooted in drawing. Born in Sofia to a Bulgarian mother and a Mexican father, they spent half of their childhood in China. Drawing inspiration from life experiences and the complexities of human nature, Boyan channels their inner child to access a more intuitive and instinctual mode of creation. Their practice aims to inspire the viewer to embrace innate creativity. Montero works across various media, including collage, text, music, photography, and digital media, transforming their drawings into installations and performances. Their creations often incorporate text and involve collaboration with others.

Education

2019–22MA Fine Arts, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2016–19BA Fine Arts, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2011–15BA Book and Printed Graphics, National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria
2011–15BEd Theory and Practice of Art Education, National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria
2012Erasmus Exchange Book and Printed Graphics, École Estienne, Paris, France
2007–11National School of Fine Arts Iliya Petrov, Sofia, Bulgaria
2010Chinese Language and Culture, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China

Residencies

2024The Bookstore Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018M4gastatelier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017Manifesto, Texel, The Netherlands
2010Родопи 2010 (Rhodope 2010), Stoykite, Bulgaria
2008Бялата къща (The White House), Kovachevitsa, Bulgaria

Solo exhibitions

2024Van Gogh’s Sunflowers Devouring Each Other, Pleinkamer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2024Make Me Feel Useful and Loved, De Vishal, Haarlem, The Netherlands
2023Valley Of Desire, Open Studio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020I Don’t Know Who You Are But I Miss You, Mertens Frames Project Space by Plan B, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2012Великденска манджа (Easter Stew), Administrative Court of Sofia and National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria
2008Игри (Games), Debut Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria

Performances

2023Harry Potter, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022Venom, Thomaskerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019Hi Stranger, NEVERNEVERLAND, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019You Got To Burn To Shine, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2019Holy Disorders, Domkerk, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2018A Puppet Opera, Part 2, Korzo Theatre, The Hague, The Netherlands
2018A Puppet Opera, Part 1, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Scripted Party, M4gastatelier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Balcony Scene, The Warehouse, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Pillow Talk, The Warehouse, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017Free Apples, Open Studio, School of Visual Arts, New York City, United States

Group exhibitions

2023Living Room, Marwan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022Sandberg Institute Graduation Show, diez gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022Small Thing, NEVERNEVERLAND, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021The Resident Broadcast, W139, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020I Really Wanna Be With You, Lumen Travo Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020Dust is Us, NEVERNEVERLAND, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019Pleinkamer Opening, The Bookstore Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019The Common Inn, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2019Gerrit Rietveld Academie Graduation Show, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019Buzzcut, M4gastatelier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Tight-Lipped and Tongue-Tied, Museum Perron Oost, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Uncut, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Titanic, The Warehouse, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Back and Forth, Rietveld Pavilion, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017Amazon Prime House, Open Studio, School of Visual Arts, New York City, United States
2017Re Union, Open Studio, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2010Предсказания (Predictions), Gallery Nikolay Rainov and Embassy of Serbia, Sofia, Bulgaria
20104th National Youth Exhibition Collage, Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and National Art School Tsanko Lavrenov, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2009Книгоразделители (Bookmarks), Helikon Bookstore, Sofia, Bulgaria
2009Painting section of the National Youth Exhibition for Fine and Applied Arts, Gallery Shipka 6 of the Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA), Sofia, Bulgaria
2009Цветовете на Бяла (The Colors of Byala), Town Square, Byala, Bulgaria
2008Книгоразделители (Bookmarks), Tocka Cultural Center, Skopje, North Macedonia
200857th Annual Painting Exhibition, Sredets Gallery, Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria
20082nd National Youth Exhibition Collage, Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and National Art School Tsanko Lavrenov, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2007Имената на бъдещето (Names of the Future), National Palace of Culture (NDK), Sofia, Bulgaria
2007Колаж (Collage), Debut Gallery and Direkta Company, Sofia, Bulgaria
2007В гората на френските приказки (In the Forest of the French Fairy Tales), French Cultural Institute, Sofia, Bulgaria
2006Ковачевица (Kovachevitsa), Debut Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
2005Видях нещастието със очите си (I Saw Misfortune With My Eyes), Russian Cultural and Information Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2005Български народни поговорки (Bulgarian Folk Proverbs), Earth and Man National Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria

Publications

2022A Muscular Little Red Riding Hood Collecting Heavy Stones, Artistic Research, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019Only The Sun Comes Up For Free, Artistic Research, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017Wasteland, Artist’s Book, New York City, United States
2016IRIS, Artist’s Book, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2015Сапунени мехури (Soap Bubbles), Illustrated adaptation of Svetoslav Minkov’s fairytale, Sofia, Bulgaria
2013The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Illustrated adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, Extrapool, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2012Le Clown (The Clown), Artist’s Book, Paris, France
2011Йероглифът на съня (The Character Of The Dream), Artist’s Book, Sofia, Bulgaria

Grants and Awards

2024Artist Start Grant, Mondriaan Fund for Visual Arts and Cultural Heritage, The Netherlands
2010Grand Prize for Creative Achievement, 4th National Youth Exhibition Collage, Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and National Arts School Tsanko Lavrenov, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2009First Place in the Painting Section, National Youth Exhibition for Fine and Applied Arts, Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria
2001–08Various Painting and Collage Awards for Youth and Children’s Exhibitions, China and Bulgaria

Community Activities

2024–nowMember of De Vishal, Haarlem, The Netherlands
2019–22Community Development Volunteer Arts and Culture, The Bookstore Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2016–21Member of the MR (Participation Council), Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Workshops and Reading Groups

2022Foul Play, reading group led by Aidan Wall, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021–22Writing From and About and Around the Self, workshop led by Maria Barnas, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Juicing Your Hole, vocal workshop led by Geo Wyeth, TENT, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2018In Touch, reading group led by Amelia Groom, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018–22Unsettling Rietveld/Sandberg, various workshops organized by Judith Leysner and Clare Butcher, Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2008–09Truth Behind Masks, acting course led by Professor Anastasia Savinova, National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts Krastyo Sarafov, Sofia, Bulgaria

Freelance

2023Moderator, terra(t)rium, M4gastatelier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023Album Cover, Harp Piece by Boris Bezemer and performed by Michela Amici
2022Presenter, Sandberg Institute Opening Academic Year 2022–2023, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2018Book Cover, Totalitarian Experience and Knowledge Production: Sociology in Central and Eastern Europe by Svetla Koleva, Brill Publishers, Leiden/Boston, The Netherlands/United States
2017Book Cover, Боян Магесника. Изследване на литературния мит (Boyan The Magician: A Study of the Literary Myth) by Svetlana Stoycheva, Iztok-Zapad Publishing House, Sofia, Bulgaria
2017Performer for David Everitt Howe, Second Sundays, Pioneer Works, New York City, United States
2016–17Artist Assistant, Margriet Smulders, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2015Book Cover, Малката Книга (The Small Book) by Georgi Merdzhanov, Nest Press, Sofia, Bulgaria
2014Artist Assistant, Boryana Varbanov, Paris, France
2013Book Cover, Афенти. Историите на азиатския хитрец (Afenti: Stories of the Asian Trickster) edited by Svetlana Stoycheva and translated by Chen Ying, SONM Publishers, Sofia, Bulgaria
2012Book Cover, Социологията в България през погледа на поколенията. Интервюта с български социолози (Sociology in Bulgaria Through the Eyes of the Generations: Interviews With Bulgarian Sociologists) edited by Svetla Koleva, Diana Nenkova, Simona Treneva, Pensoft Publishers, Sofia, Bulgaria

Publicity

2024Featured in Boring Festival, Haarlem, boringfestival.nl
2023Featured in terra(t)rium, M4gastatelier, Amsterdam, terra-t-rium.com
2022Kunst kijken in De Thomas (View Art in De Thomas), article by Saskia van Wees, online newspaper Amsterdam-Zuid, www.wijkkrantzuid.nl
2022Sandberg Institute Graduation 2022, article by Branko Popovic, brankopopovic.blogspot.com
2022The Resident Broadcast, interview by Maria Barnas, W139, w139.nl
2019Gaudeamus Saturday Afternoon, interview by Luke Deane, Stranded FM, www.stranded.fm
2019Een perspectiefwisseling met een knauw (A Change in Perspective With a Twist), article by Ans Vianen, www.ansans.nl
2019Om een veelvoudige wereld te maken heb je lichtheid nodig (To Create a Multiple World You Need Lightness), article by Alina Lupu, Tubelight, www.tubelight.nl
2016Featured in Литературен Вестник (Literary Newspaper), April issue, litvestnik.wordpress.com
2012Гледайки навътре, виждайки навън (Looking Inward, Seeing Outward), interview by Yovka Yovcheva, Darik News www.dariknews.bg
2008Боян Монтеро (Boyan Montero), artist profile by Irena Georgieva, One Week in Sofia, December issue, Bulgaria
2008Чрез рисуване се трансформирам (Through Drawing I Transform Myself), interview by Malina Tomova, Литературен Вестник (Literary Newspaper), October issue, Bulgaria
2008Дебютът на един млад Монтеро (The Debut of One Young Montero), article by Diana Stoeva, Вестник Култура (Culture Newspaper), October issue, Bulgaria
2007Четенето е празник (Reading Is a Celebration), interview by Malina Tomova, Литературен Вестник (Literary Newspaper), November issue, Bulgaria