Prof. Assadour Markarov, PhD, is the first recipient of the newly established Honorary Badge of the Rector of the National Academy of Art, awarded on the occasion of the Academy’s 130th anniversary
2026.10.27
Prof. Dr. Asadur Markarov—a long-standing faculty member in the Department of Textile – Art and Design at the National Academy of Art, a curator, and a professor at the China Academy of Art (CAA) in Hangzhou—is the first recipient of the newly established Honorary Badge of the Rector of the National Academy of Art
.
The distinction was officially presented to him on the campus of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou by Assoc. Prof. Nenko Atanassov, PhD, and Asst. Prof. Ivaylo Todorov, PhD—lecturers in the Department of Poster and Visual Communication at the National Academy of Art—on behalf of the Rector, Prof. Georgi Iankov.
The award serves as recognition of Prof. Markarov’s exceptional contribution to the visual arts and higher education in arts, as well as his pivotal role in building and developing a sustainable academic and cultural bridge between the two institutions.
This academic distinction was established by the National Academy of Art to mark the 130th anniversary of the Academy, founded in 1896 as State School of Drawing. The Rector, Prof. Georgi Iankov, honours awards it to prominent public figures, patrons, and benefactors as a token of appreciation for their significant contributions to the development of visual arts, Bulgarian culture, higher education, and the prestige of the National Academy of Art.
The honorary badge design and creation are the result of the joint efforts of a creative team comprising the faculty members Prof. Nikolay Mladenov, PhD, and Assoc. Prof. Georgi Pavlov, PhD, from the Department of Poster and Visual Communication, and Ch. Asst. Prof. Ventsislav Shishkov, PhD, from the Department of Metal.
The presentating of the first honorary badge in Hangzhou also serves as a testament to the long-standing cooperation between the National Academy of Art and the China Academy of Art. The partnership has encompassed numerous joint initiatives, including academic exchanges for faculty and doctoral students, workshops, plein air events, and exhibition projects such as the Bulgarian-Chinese creative project "Poetry of Everyday Life" and the poster exhibition "50 Actions, 100 Posters" held at the China Design Museum in Hangzhou. At the heart of this active connection and continuity between the Bulgarian and Chinese art scenes lies the dedicated creative, curatorial, and pedagogical work of Prof. Markarov.