Dimitar Lukanov is born on February 23, 1969 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He begins his studies at the art school of his hometown, works in a foundry of bronze in Sofia, studies a year at the Hudojestvena Akademija there and in 1991 leaves on a full scholarship to continue in Paris. He attends Ecole Parsons a Paris, France (1991-93), Parsons School of Design, New York (BFA, honors, 1994), Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine (1995), Columbia University, New York (MFA, 1997). Honorary Citizen, Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Mexico (2001), Fellow, Medal for Sculpture, Fundacion Sebastian (2001). Recipient of Mr and Mrs David-Weill funding (1991-97), Skowhegan Fellowship (1995), Open Society grants (1991-95), Cyril & Methodius Fund Scholarship (1991-94), Artist-in-residence, Fellow, Altos de Chavon Cultural Foundation (1997), Sculptor-in-residence, York College, NY (1998), Winner, Parsons Printmaking Competition (1994). Dimitar Lukanov is among the top 100 alumni of all times of Parsons in New York (2003). Dimitar Lukanov is a honorary member of the Chilean Association of Painters and Sculptors, Santiago de Chile (2009).
In 1982 he chaired the World’s Children Parliament in the Roerich-inspired International Assembly “Banner of Peace” in Sofia with 135 countries participating. Numerous solo and group exhibitions and work shown (New York, Paris, Shanghai, Moscow, Monaco, Mexico City, Milan, Miami, Chicago, Santo Domingo, Casa de Campo, Washington DC, Beacon NY, Plovdiv, Sarasota, etc.). Commission, permanent installation “Light to Sky”, John F. Kennedy International Airport, International Airrivals – Terminal 4, New York (2006) Exhibits: George de Bartha, Moscow-Geneva (2006), Maison d’Art, Shanghai-Monaco (2006), heritage gallery, moscow, russia (2008), NiBa Home, Miami (2006), Hodgell Gallery, Sarasota (2005), Forecast Gallery; Holly Hunt, Miami (2004), Lo River Arts Gallery, Beacon, NY (2005), Sculpture at Ordway, Sculpture/Prints, Washington DC (2003), Firewind, Galerie Hopkins-Custot, Paris (2002), Transparent Volcano, Sculpture, Olivier Mousson Artpluriel, Paris (2001), Salto de Agua, International Sculptural Garden Punta Sur, Isal Mujeres, Mexico 2001 (permanent); Invited Artist, Expresarte International Festival of Arts, Mexico City (2001), New Outlooks, NJ Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ, "Storms", San Lorenzo Fine Art, NY (2000), "Conversation with Mountains", International Art House Lilia Yakov, Plovdiv (1999), Holzhausen Sculptural Park Concept, Neiheim, Germany (1998), Sculptural Vectors, York College Art Gallery, Jamaica, Queens, NY (1998), Four Invited Artists, Casa de Chavon, Santo Domingo (1997), Museo Arquelogico, Altos de Chavon, Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic (1997), WorkSurface Exhibit, American Institute of Architecture, Chicago, IL (1997), Lithographs & Other Prints, Maison Francaise, Buell Hall, Columbia Univ., NY (1996), “24 degrees”, group show, 480 Broome Street gallery, NY (1996), Film/Computer Drawings, two-person show, Watson Gallery, Columbia Univ., NY (1995); Set Design, “Titus Andronicus”, dir. I. Talijancic (1995), Sculpture for International Film Festival, New School for Social Research, NY (1993), Sculpture & Painting, solo show, Ecole Parsons gallery, Paris, France (1992), Works On Paper exhibit, Milwaukee Art Institute, WI (1991), Group Show, Accademia di Belle Arti, Milan, Italy (1991), Sculpture & Drawing, solo show, Plovdiv Student Academy, Bulgaria (1986). Dimitar Lukanov had been, since 1998, on the faculty of Parsons School of Design, New School University; Faculty, college studio: Parsons Intensive Summer Studies in Paris, France, (2000, 01, 02), Faculty, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ (2000), Artist-in-residence, Arts Horizons, collaborative projects, NY public schools (1998), Lecturer, York College, New York (1997), Visiting professor, Altos de Chavon The School of Design, Dom. Rep. (1997), Visiting Lecturer, Escuela de Bellas Artes, Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. (1997), Faculty, LeRoy Neiman Art Center, MY. Selected collections: Mr & Mrs David-Weill, New York & Paris; Waring Hopkins, Paris; Yue-Sai Kan, New York & Shanghai, Yves Bouvier, ArtCultureStudio, Geneva, Switzerland, Parsons Trustees Printmaking Collection, NY; Dan Snyder, Washington, DC; Isla Mujeres Sculpture Park, State of Quintana Roo, Mexico; Altos de Chavon Foundation, La Romana; Eddie and Edith Creed Collection, Toronto; Mikhail Golub, Moscow, Olivier Mousson, Paris; Neale Godfrey, Chester, New Jersey; Victor Chuchkov Foundation, Sofia; Alfred Singer, Washington, DC. Dimitar Lukanov is a 2010-2011 grant recipient of The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York.