The exhibition shows the presence of Siemens as a company in Bulgaria in an extraordinary way. The basic historical stages and achievements are linked to the development of art in Bulgaria. There are two reasons for the chosen approach: on the one hand the art of design and aesthetics have always been part and parcel of Siemens growth. In that sense the reference to fine arts broadens the context and adds to the picture. On the other hand, the connection between art and technology is a declared company policywhose expression is Siemens_artLab opened in Vienna in 1996, known for housing Bulgarian authors too.

The exhibition consists of two conceptual and visual parts. The first one concentrates on the chronology of Siemens presence in Bulgaria and its three periods: 1878-1944, 1970-1997, 1998-2008. These periods are visualized through actual company products or photos of them as well as works of art which present its development in Bulgaria from the end of the 19th century to the present day while rendering the atmosphere in the country during the different periods. The second one shows the basic topics of interest and messages of Siemens today: urbanization, globalization, demographic changes,quality of life and ecology. Except through texts, those messages are supported by contemporary works of art – Bulgarian art works from Siemens_artLab Gallery, Vienna.

Among the selected works and exhibits are some from Sofia City Art Gallery, the National Polytechnics Museum as well as works by various Bulgarian artists. The aesthetic impact of the exhibition is achieved through the balance between texts, photos, objects, sculptures, paintings and works of contemporary art.

Curator of the exhibition is Maria Vassileva. Exhibition design – Nadezhda Oleg Lyahova.

With the kind help of: Siemens Bulgaria, National Polytechnic Museum, Bulgarian Post, Multiprofile Hospital of Active Treatment and Emergency Medicine “N. I. Pirogov”, Palace “Tzarska Bistritza”, Municipality of Sliven, Bulgarian State Railways

KALINA TASEVA

12 November 2008 - 06 December 2008

Kalina Tasseva is a versatile author who works in almost all genres. She started her artistic career with paintings on the subject of history and the Bulgarian Revival period. Her first work after her graduation from the Art Academy was Levski in front of the Court. Generations of Bulgarians know and keep in their minds the image of the Apostle created by the artist.

What is central to Kalina Tasseva’s art are the large size historic compositions, portraits of revolutionaries and females symbolizing the Liberation. Those pieces reflect the power of self-denial and the willingness for self-sacrifice in the name of freedom. Kalina Tasseva has created one of the emblematic historic images in Bulgarian art.

No matter how engrossed in history and its heroes, the author has always paid attention to her surroundings. Powerful and outspoken, romantic and tender, sad and disturbing, stern and expressive, Kalina Tasseva’s landscapes have been created with vision and feeling. They also depict Bulgaria, a mysterious, magical land pregnant with history, mythology and legends.

The exhibition of the great Bulgarian artist Kalina Tasseva presents more than 90 paintings created in the period between 1954-2008 owned by Sofia City Art Gallery, theNational Art Gallery, the art galleries in the towns of Blagoevgrad, Veliko Turnovo, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanluk, Karlovo, Kyustendil, Lovech, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Rousse, Silistra, Sliven, Yambol as well as by the author herself. The retrospective character of the exposition outlines a rich artistic life going through a diverse and dynamic creaative development.

Kalina Tasseva was born in Sofia in 1927. In 1952 she graduated in painting from the National Academy in Sofia under Prof. Dechko Uzunov and Prof. Ilia Petrov. Member of the Union of the Bulgarian Artists since 1953. Many times elected on theExecutive Board of the Union of the Bulgarian Artists. Since 1984 she has been a corresponding member of the Kunstlerhaus Union of the Austrian Artists. Bearer of a number of prestigious awards among which Vladimir Dimitrov- Maistora Award, 1974, Zahari Zograf Award, 1975, the award of the Second Tri-annual of Realistic Painting, 1976, Nikola Petrov Award, 1999 as well as some orders – Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, first class, 1984, Order of St. St. Apostles Cyril and Methodius, first class, 2008. Kalina Tasseva’s works are owned by the National Art Gallery, Sofia City Art Gallery, regional art galleries and private galleries in the country and abroad among which are the collections of Prof. Peter Ludwig PhD (Germany), Mr. Hugo Vuten (Belgium) and Academician Svetlin Roussev (Sofia and Pleven).