Christo for Beginners by Luchezar Boyadjiev

August - November 2022
Sarieva Open Arts Program
Sarieva Gallery, Plovdiv

Christo for Beginners by Luchezar Boyadjiev is a project about what’s private and shared in both the physical space and the imagination. The artist engages with the public space and that involves the urban, the media, and the virtual environment. Luchezar Boyadjiev is activating them with artworks, visions, exhibition displays, actions and lectures while involving the collaboration of both his fellow citizens and colleagues. Christo for Beginners is the pilot project of the Sarieva / Gallery and the Open Arts Foundation within the Sarieva Open Arts program.

Learn more about the project on Open Arts Foundation’s website

Christo for Beginners - Stage I

Luchezar Boyadjiev
Solo exhibition, part of Sarieva Open Arts Program

5 August 2022 – 30 September 2022
Sarieva Gallery, Plovdiv

The goal of the project “Christo for Beginners” is to create a space for debate and to kick of this debate – asking questions about the past, as well as about the future in our culture. The first stage of the project “Christo for Beginners” by Luchezar Boyadjiev within Sarieva Open Arts program will manifest an “exploratory mandate” for the creation of a massive, equestrian monument to Christo in Plovdiv. The so titled exhibition in Sarieva / Gallery and the „Walk and Talk” lecture tour given by the artist in the city environment will investigate the format, the locations, the public attitudes and the fantasy needed for the erection of such a monument.

Pravdoliub Ivanov, Few Words, 2022
colour pencil, 21 x 29,7 cm

Luchezar Boyadjiev, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Stefan Nikolaev, Nedko Solakov

Self-splaining (a Triumph of Empathy)
Part of Manifesta 14
Group show
July 22 - October 30 2022

Iskra Blagoeva, Luchezar Boyadjiev, Mitch Brezounek, Mariela Gemisheva, Sophia Grancharova, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Nikola Mihov, Ivan Moudov, Maria Nalbantova, Elena Nazarova, Stefan Nikolaev, Aksiniya Peicheva, Martin Penev, Kiril Prashkov, Antoni Rayzhekov, Aaron Roth, Valentina Sciarra,  Radostin Sedevchev, Kalin Serapionov, Dimitar Solakov, Nedko Solakov, Krassimir Terziev, Dessislava Terzieva, Miryana Todorova, Alexander Valchev

University of Prishtina, Faculty of Arts Gallery

Stefan Nikolaev, Under Reconstruction, 2002, 2017

Yellow and blue plastic helmets, stenciled text

The helmets might be produced at different times and for two different contexts (Montenegro in 2002, and Bulgaria in 2017) but they imply the same constant process of see-saw transformation, typical for the Balkan region. This is the first time they are shown together.

Pravdoliub Ivanov, Protest Yourself, 2013-2022

Manipulated B&W photographs from the protests in Sofia in 2013; pens, hooks, rubber bands

Every day for more than three months the artist was protesting on the streets of Sofia against the corrupt government with a slogan in his hands. Now the visitors of the exhibition would be able to fill in the blank fields on the posters with their own message of discontent!

Luchezar Boyadjiev, Golden Age, Second Chance, 2015

Customized trampoline, metal, fabric; drawings printed on memory vests

The popular leisure device has been repurposed as a nostalgic outlet and a new beginning in human relationships.

Luchezar Boyadjiev, Rent-a-Gov, 1998/2022

Poster, various sizes, printed text

The work is a dystopian comment on the interaction between global and local politics, propositioning to failed states to hire (rent) governments of international experts, rather than holding elections, which reproduce their failures as states.

Nedko Solakov, Some of My Capabilities, 1995

Video, sound, 1’38’’. Digitally remastered: Kalin Serapionov, 2002

The simple, sometimes too simple…, capabilities of a young artist and man are demonstrated in this short video, which turns into a statement of self-belief and optimism.

Nedko Solakov, Silent (But as Rich as Only the Bulgarian Language Can Be) F Words, 2009

Video, sound, 2'07''. Camera and editing: Kalin Serapionov

The video is a reference to TV coverage of sports events, usually football, where one can lip-read the athletes’ cusswords. The “silent” F-words are directed at the rival team or the referee but in the video the “target” of abuse are the politicians hiding in some emblematic governmental building in the center of Sofia.

Kamen Stoyanov

What Can Be Done?
Group show
July 7 - August 25 2022

Anatoly Belov, Aldo Giannotti, Anna Jermolaewa, Dariia Kuzmych, Alicja Rogalska, Kamen Stoyanov, Rayyane Tabet, Anna Witt, William Kentridge

The public space of Traiskirchen, Austria

Sasho Stoitzov at Sarieva

Artviewer
In English

Summery Plovdiv walk through Sarieva/Hub

The Girls from the City
In Bulgarian

Sasho Stoitzov’s time capsule

Kultura
In Bulgarian

Exhibition Views from Dimitar Genchev’s Light and Dust

Dimitar Genchev
Solo exhibition
July 14th - August 14th 2022, artnewscafe, Plovdiv

Still life, industrial landscape or figurative composition. For me it doesn't matter. What is important is that the subject matter I choose carries my alternative view of the world. I paint abandoned places that look beautiful or ordinary objects that look attractive. My time in the studio is spent constantly trying to create a beautiful image. These attempts alone make me feel useful and fulfilled. When I have nothing to say I paint, when I am lazy I try to paint, when I am not painting I think about painting. This is my weird obsession.

• - Dimitar Genchev about his art

Artnewscafe bulletin is a monthly newsletter with selected information about art events in Bulgaria and across the world, as well as career opportunities in art and culture.

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¬ Cover: Kosta Karakashyan, Memory Spirit Moves, visual installation at TaM, Velio Tarnovo, August 8 - August 14