Rado Kirov
Rado Kirov was born in Bulgaria in 1955. He developed an interest in metal art at an early age when he was first exposed to the wonder of the Panagyursko Treasure, an exquisitely handcrafted collection of golden artifacts dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Rado began an extensive apprenticeship in coppersmithing at the age of 25 in the town of Dobrich Bulgaria under the tutelage of Alexander Raev, one of the greatest craftsmen in Bulgaria at the time. He honed his artistic skills with copper over the next 10 years until immigrating with his family to South Africa in 1991. Rado continues to be a member of the Bulgarian Association of Craftsmen – Section: Copper Smithing.
Over the last 15 years, Rado gradually shifted his creative focus to product design and functional art working extensively with interior designers and architects.
Searching for a new creative outlet and complete freedom of expression, Rado embarked on a new artistic venture at the beginning of 2012 drawing on his extensive knowledge of silversmithing and years of experience in working with various different metals. Rado developed a unique technique of manipulating a sheet of stainless steel by hand, using the inherent physical properties of the metal to create a striking three-dimensional surface that dynamically mirrors its surroundings and draws the observer into the magic of its reflection. Rado’s new-found passion for sculpture and his mastery of stainless steel are expressed in this new medium, which he has called the Mercury Effect.