Ivan Kostolov (1972, Plovdiv) is a graduate of the USSR Academy of Dramatic Arts, Plovdiv. He studied at the National Academy of Sciences - Sofia (1994-1996). During the period 1999-2001 he studied at the Academy of Arts, Mainz. From 2001 to 2006, he was a student of the world-famous artist Prof. Hermann Nitsch, and in 2006 he completed a master class with Prof. Christa Neer at the Stadelschule in Frankfurt am Main. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists. He has numerous solo exhibitions and participation in prestigious general art expositions in Bulgaria and Germany. Winner of the 1st prize for painting in the National Competition for Young Artists, Critics and Curators of the Union of Bulgarian Artists in 2007.

Specialists define Ivan Kostolov as a phenomenon in the new Bulgarian painting. After a nearly ten-year stay in Germany and after his graduation in 2006 from one of the most prestigious art academies in Europe – the Stadelschule in Frankfurt am Main (in the class of Prof. Hermann Nitsch and Prof. Christa Neer) he had an intense period with numerous serious participation in the Bulgarian and German art scenes.