The map is the means of traveling for the dreamer who will never leave home and make his travels come true. It is a way to lose yourself or not to lose yourself, depending on your familiarity with the conditionality and its signs.

Maps are a brief literature category, too. They speak many languages, describing the places they show. They are the pictures of the earth redrawn by people, and urban pictures reflect the even more complex and sometimes weird image created by the necessity of man to ensure his comfort. There is everything in this exhibition - islands for the dreamers, cities for the urban people, historic maps for the nostalgic people, political maps for the dabblers in politics.

Viewers are in their own right to select the approach to this exhibition –treating them as geographic maps with the pleasure-provoking intellectual game of decoding them, or as abstractions loaded with the aesthetic beauty of the color and shape.

Prof. Ivan Gazdov COVER CLASSIC GRAPHICATURE

14 April 2005 - 11 May 2005

The COVER CLASSIC GRAPHICATURE COLLECTION (1999-2003) is the most recent series, featuring thirty artworks created by Professor Gazdov during the past several years. The graphicatures, familiar to connoisseurs, appear for the first time in shapes and technique unusual for them. In addition to serigraphic prints, they exist as vinyl ‘billboards’.

The cycle of graphicatures, not shown before, is directed towards the world’s history of art, which is turned into a subject of visual interpretations. The artist has put under operative analysis paintings by some of the world-famous painters ranging from the Renaissance to the Postimpressionism. All works are united by one common ideological strategy, but the original idea has gone through numerous directions of development in each artistic creation. World-famous artwork masterpieces by Brueghel, Rubens, Vermeer, Mane are recreated. The Professor Gazdov’s artistic intervention is not only visual but also a conceptual one. Familiar details are developed towards a direction never imagined before; they can be hidden in the white spots or they can completely disappear. Through his critical approach, the author reveals details that are only implied in the ‘original’ artwork or completely eliminates the ones infringing the logic of the interpretation. Thus, the graphicatures retell, further develop and create new content of the works emblematic for the history of art.

According to “Bulgarian Encyclopedia, A…Z”, published in 2002/2003 by the ‘Trud’ Publishing House, “graphicature” is “a definition of a visual idea with grotesque and artistic unexpectedness and a typical relationship between the black spots and the parts of the white background entering them, in a serigraphic technique; the author’s graphic style of I.Gazdov.

Prior to the present collection of graphicatures, the cycles ‘Play of silhouettes’, ‘Graphicatures-origami’, ‘Black touches’, ‘ Erotic graphicatures’ are created and shown in a sequence of exhibitions in Sofia, Plovdiv, Yambol, Gabrovo, Tryavna, Sozopol, Paris, Copenhagen, Toyama, Warsaw.

JAPAN PRINT ASSOCIATION IN SOFIA ART GALLERY

04 April 2005 - 08 May 2005

The Sofia Art Gallery exhibition features 49 artists, each one presented with two works. In this respect, this is the largest-scale presentation of contemporary Japanese graphic art.

Since the beginning of 2000, the contacts between Japanese and Bulgarian graphic artists have become more purposeful. The friendship and professional cooperation, between Professor Akira Kurosaki and Professor Roumen Skorchev, dating from 1981, have laid the basis of the project. With the participation of „Lessedra” Gallery and its director, Georgi Kolev, the exhibitions ‘Contemporary Graphic Art from Japan and Bulgaria’, (NFAG, 2001) and ‘Contemporary Bulgarian and Japanese Graphic Art’ (Kyoto and Japan, 2003) were presented.

The Japanese Graphic Art Association is the largest organization of this kind in Japan and an internationally renowned partner. It was founded in 1931. Nowadays, it has 187 artists-members and its associate members are 181. Along with the achievements of contemporary Japanese graphic art, its annual exhibitions offer participation to young talents, and the use of new techniques and expressive means is promoted and popularized.

Akira Kurosaki was born in 1937 in Manchuria, Talien. He graduated from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto in 1962. Inspired by the Ukio-e style, he began creating woodcuts around 1967. In 1970, he received the award of the Ministry of Education from the Seventh International Graphic Art Biennale in Tokyo. He has participated in numerous exhibitions in Japan and abroad and received awards in Florence, Seoul, Norway, Bharat, Cairo, Portland, Maastricht and more. In 1983 he received First Prize at the Second International Graphic Art Biennale in Varna.

He is a professor and Director of the Graphic Art Department at the Kyoto Seika University and a member of the Japanese Graphic Art Association. He is author of the books: “Contemporary woodcut”, “Woodcut”, “Work on paper”, “Graphic Art History”.

MEETING POINT Svetlin Balezdrov. "7"

04 April 2005 - 24 April 2005

My three-dimensional abstract work aims at influencing the subconscious and provoking contemplation, e.g to tune the spirit to those peculiar states, typical for the Eastern mysticism. The Asian thread in the project could also be traced in the treatment of the material. Each module of the ensemble is folded only by on single piece of paper without infringing its integrity. Despite my explicit interest towards the East, I belong to the cultural tradition of the West and I think that my work is seriously influenced by the constructivism and minimalism.

Svetlin Balezdrov

MEETING POINT Nikolay Zanev. Derailed

15 March 2005 - 27 May 2005

Within the context of “Meeting point”, Nikolay Zanev’s project raises numerous questions of major importance treating the relationship between critique, audience, artist and artefact. The artist makes the art object and the critique dependent by critically exposing texts in the gallery space, offering free interpretations of them. His methods include appropriations of already existing objects, photography, pictures and manipulated objects.

The critical text often sets off to explore different possible relations and meanings of the work. Using foreign borrowings and too complex metaphors and abstract descriptions it exposes the artistic work to the risk of distortion, oversaturation and overcharging. The impressive phrases and complex metaphors provide the artist with specific material. He takes solely the literal meaning of them and thus removes in a surgical manner the connotation of the epithets in the description. The result is a sequence of graphic, generalized pictures, similar to the explicatory symbols on commercial product packages. Thus, N. Zanev reduces the image to a semiotic sign, eliminates the effectiveness of the description and hurls it to the bottom of its impact ability.

Despite the fact that the exhibition employs simple means and without being pompously ambitious, it raises a huge number of questions in numerous directions: form the frequently discussed public space to the pitiable state of the critique torn between its function of art and a formative modulator in the contemporary artistic reality.

Vera Mlechevska

IVAN KANEV painting

02 March 2005 - 26 March 2005

The Sofia City Art Gallery presents Ivan Kunev on the occasion of his 70th anniversary. The exposition features about 80 pastel, water-colour and painting works from 1963 to the end of 2004.
Ivan Kunev is one of the few artists who get inspired by direct contact with nature even nowadays. Thus, landscapes of Sofia, Balchik, Sliven, Koprivshtitza, Smolyan, Damask, Crimea, Gurzuf and his numerous portraits were created during the decades. His works of art appear contemplative at first sight, and yet, they contain not only the profundity of time but also the capability to live through experience and feeling suggested by the beauty of shapes and the subtle colour tints.
The artist was born on 29 March, 1935 in the town of Nova Zagora. In 1963, he graduated from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia; major Applied Graphic Arts taught by Professor Alexander Poplilov.He has worked in the area of painting and graphic art. He has participated in various joint art exhibitions and has organised one-man exhibitions. He has worked as a curator and chief organiser of the art gallery in Sliven / 1963-1968/, expert in matters concerning art galleries, the Museums Department at the Committee of Culture /1973-1985/, Director of the Sofia City Art Gallery /1985-1993/.
His works are owned by the National Art Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery, art galleries in Pleven, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Kazanluk, Silistra, Russe, and private collectors in Bulgaria, Switzerland, Denmark and more.

MEETING POINT LIGHT

24 February 2005 - 13 March 2005

Replaced categories, a flawed stereotype and lack of strict schematics pierce the space of the “Light” installation. Contrasting and mobile associations depict the new material shapes whose remote and subdued clarity is expressed in a new centre: the spectator is involuntarily turned into the moving force of the whole project. With the aid of a photo cell the presence of the spectator instantly makes each element alive, giving to it his/her own rhythm. Penetrating through the dimensions of time, the spectator is the one to add intensity that varies from moderately calm to overtly dynamical. The colours are warm and energetic. They are born from the darkness in the inalterable playful hue of the surprise.

The sphere of Vasilena Mihaylova is situated in the centre, rhythmically pulsating in the lively waves of the red. Acting as a nucleus and a symbol of the infinite source, it moves into the light of the perfect cosmos. The hidden creatures of Liuba Atanasova also gravitate towards the infinity. Symbols of the invisible presence, they unexpectedly become alive exceeding human height. Their active and burning gaze reminds the lurking eternal observers. Stern linearity defeated by the soft chaotic matter is presented by Rozaliya Ekimova. The geometry is atrophied and the clear, solid lines of matter are distorted, outlining a new and unknown dimension. The work of Monica Naydenova has evaded the boundaries of its static character and the harsh expressiveness of shapes. In it she intertwines the visible with the invisible with the aid of iron armature and transparent chiffon, elevating it in the shape of a spiral arc above the visitor. In the numerous rays, piercing the solid matter, Vulko Bekirski presents to us space- conquered, thoroughly infiltrated by the light. The shadow is already gone, giving way to the infinite power and absolutism of the light.

The sensation of a perfect unity and entireness of the concept is perceptible through the fine threads bonding the elements. Sank into seeming peace, they imperceptibly wash away the boundaries of the conceptions, drifting into a distant dream.

Juliya Karemova

MEETING POINT Alexander Valchev. Reminiscences*

03 February 2005 - 20 February 2005

The idea: to make portraits of great artistic merit in the spirit of Renaissance, of our contemporaries, people engaged in intellectual activities.
How was the idea conceived: there is a beautiful view from the window of my place of work. A part of the National Library, the garden belonging to it, some buildings and in the distance – the impressive Balkan mountains can be seen. Most of the people who visit me on one or another occasion, sit down with their back to the window, which takes up the whole northern wall and their silhouettes are outlined against this view. As a setting this reminded me not only once of the magnificent portrait of Federico da Montefeltro, the duke of Urbino, painted in 1465-66 by the great Renaissance artist Piero de la Francesca. I had the impression that this context seemed to express the best of the very human being. I shared my observations with Alexander Valchev, and it turned out that he had also had similar impressions and associations. That is how the idea of the present project was conceived.
Realization of the idea: after we saw a great number of Renaissance portraits, we decided that it was a good idea to introduce several criteria on the selection of models. They should be people engaged in intellectual work, should have inner potential, and as far as it is possible, physical resemblance with a certain Renaissance person. The main and not an easy task of the author was to express the spiritual nature of the portrayed person, to catch and convey such depth, inner beauty and dignity, which are a distinctive feature of the Renaissance portraits. In order to achieve this goal, the suitable character was put in typical background reproducing as exactly as possible the posture, atmosphere and setting from a portrait - prototype.
In technical respect, the so created “neo-Renaissance” portraits are large-format digital colored prints.
The message: each ordinary person might look with dignity. If the person wants that and makes minimum efforts. People nowadays are not much more different than those who lived 500 years ago. Portraits serve as evidence of that. Maybe people have only lost their own calmness and faith of the Renaissance man that he is the most perfect creation of God.

Stefania Yanakieva
Curator

____________

*reminiscence - (лат. reminiscentia) - reverberation of somebody else’s work in poetry, music, fine arts, etc.

KIRIL GULEMETOV painting prints drawings

01 February 2005 - 27 February 2005

The exhibition presents Kiril Gulemetov’s artistic life in its different stylistic and plastic periods during the decades. Among the 100 graphic works presented are metal engravings /etching, aquatint, mezzotint /, with the classic finesse of the image, typical for the author; wood and linoleum engravings that are close to the print stylistics of the revival period; lithography, drawings and watercolours. The exposition features 50 paintings from the period from 1962 to 2001 shown for the first time to viewers.
In the creative work of Kiril Gulemetov the precision of the engravings and the realistic drawing are combined with the attention towards detail and a warm, humane insight into the ordinary at first sight plots taken from nature and country life.

GEO MILEV AND BULGARIAN MODERNISM

28 January 2005 - 27 March 2005

Organizers: Geo Milev International Foundation, Sofia Art Gallery, Art gallery of Stara Zagora, Geo Milev Museum House of Stara Zagora

With the support of: The Municipality of Stara Zagora, The SS Cyril and Methodius International Foundation, The Democratic Network Association, AKB FORES (The Financial & Industrial Concern) PLc, BULGARGAS PLc

Curator: Ass. Prof. Rouzha Marinska

In 2005, 110 years from the birth of Geo Milev (1895-1925) will be celebrated. His name and activity as a poet, critic, editor, theatre figure and painter are connected in Bulgarian history with the peak of the development of modernism at the beginning of the 1920’s. The “Vezni” (“Balance”) - 1919-1922 and “Plamak” (“Flame”) - 1924 magazines edited by him became the uniting centre for the Bulgarian intellectuals, poets and artistst with radical views in the area of literature and art.

The exhibition features approximately 100 large-scale reproductions of Geo Milev’s works and the works of artists form his circle such as: Ivan Milev, Ivan Boyadjiev, Petar Dachev, Sirak Skitnik and others.

The art works are divided in five main themes:
The Ego; Gods and Rites; The Woman; The City; Music.

Lecture program (On Thursdays, 4 pm):

3 February - LEDA MILEVA: My father
10 February – Ass. Prof. ROUZHA MARINSKA, New Bulgarian University: The Artists from Geo Milev’s circle
17 February – Prof. SVETLOZAR IGOV, PhD, Institute of Literature, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences: Geo Milev – The leader of Bulgarian Avant-garde
24 February – Ass. Prof. LACHEZAR KARANLUKOV, the ‘Pancho Vladigerov’ National Academy of Music: Bulgarian Music Art and European Modernism
10 March - Prof. MIROSLAV DACHEV, New Bulgarian University:
Geo Milev and Modern Poetry
17 March - VIOLETA DECHEVA, Senior research Associate IІ degree, Institute of Art Criticism, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences:
Geo Milev and the Theatre as a Figure and Practice of Modernism
24 March – CATHERINA GADJEVA, PhD student at New Bulgarian University: Bulgarian Modernists and the photographer

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