This March 2024 Art Positive project brings the theme of "PINK". It is a kind of closure of a series of 17 editions, as the first one in 2004, presenting artists working in Plovdiv, which began as "ART POSITIVE", which is both - the theme and the title of the project - positivism, without naivety against the background of a “not - pink" reality. "PINK" is posed as a conceptual and plastic problem for the artists to create their works initiated with one initial step, namely the presence of or the idea of PINK. This gives the artists the opportunity to predictably make unexpected combinations and connections between PINK and respective objects and materials. Here are some of the shades of pink in one sentence - pink rose, deep pink rose, deep cherry, hot pink scarlet, salmon pink, pink coral, pale mauve pink, crimson pink, dark mauve pink, fuchsia pink /or magenta/, antique pink , light pink, pearl pink…. Any other color in the place of PINK would make the theme simply a color assignment, but this color is so loaded with symbolism, evoking countless associations and famous phrases. Even where PINK is simply part of a color contrast and interpretation of light, namely in painting, even there its background is felt. And this is the "pink tax", which that color pays to psychology. On the one hand, PINK gives a feeling of softness and calmness. On the other hand, it is a symbol of seduction or ambiguity. Perhaps an unbiased look at PINK is not needed, the color that cannot avoid its own emotional charge. From the rosy fingers of the dawn mentioned by Homer when describing a sunrise in the Odyssey, to the pink dots of Yayoi Kusama, PINK - this controversial color, gains the most from its predestined symbolism.

Participants: Angel Stoychev, Antonia Kostova, Velina Hristova, Veneta Marinova, Georgi Stanchev, Du Xiaokun, Evelina Petkova, Evelina Nova, Emil Mirazchiev, Zdravka Rubin, Ivan Ivanov, Kaloyan Nikolov, Krasimir Dobrev, Mitch Brezounek, Nadya Genova, Natallia Zaloznaya, Natasha Kyupova, Osman Yuseinov, Petar Kochevski, Raya Dimitrova, Sarkis Nersesian, Sevdalina Kochevska, Sonya Mitova /cAlma/, Tsvetanka Bornosuzova, Tsvetelina Angelova, Yavor Kostadinov.

Kapana Gallery, 29 Rayko Daskalov St
Opening on 15.03. 2024 from 18:00 to 20:00.
The exhibition continues until 13.04.2024.

The project is implemented with the support of: Municipality of Plovdiv and Goethe-Institut.

Media partners: BNT2, Въпреки.com, Katra FM, Pod tepeto, Kapana.

"Art positive" is a project of the Art Today Association, a member of Goethe-Institut.
international network of German cultural societies abroad.

Art Today Association

29th edition of Week of Contemporary Art 2023

After the war

I chose the theme of Week of Contemporary Art in the hope that by September the war would be over. Sooner or later it will happen. Will there be a new and even more devastating one? What are the preventions, or does humanity need to construct entirely new and more humane ideologies based on empathy, compassion, love?

The issue is not just about the war in Ukraine but about war as a problem-solving phenomenon. What would the consequences be and, above all, what should the new construction to prevent such phenomena look like? Is mankind capable of building the peace so much longed for, or is it a dream unfulfilled for millennia?

All the pain that war causes, the incurable wounds, the destruction, the devastation, the spiritual poverty and hatred that are deeply rooted in society – will they ever find their healing?

What happens after war? I turn for these answers to friends as the invited artists:
Alla Georgieva (Bulgaria/Ukraine), Velizar Dimchev, Group 7+1 /Ilko Nikolchev, Johannes Artinyan, Kamen Tsvetkov, Pancho Kurtev/, Dimitar Kelbechev, Emil Mirazchiev, Zhanna Kadyrova (Ukraine), Ivan Ivanov, Nadya Genova, Natallia Zaloznaya (Belarus/Belgium), Natasha Kyupova, Olga Volodina (Russia/Bulgaria), Sevdalina Kochevska

Emil Mirazchiev, curator

Kapana Gallery, 29 Rayko Daskalov Street, Plovdiv
Opening on 09.09 2023. from 18:00 to 20:00 with a performance “Propaganda” by Olga Volodina
The exhibition continues until 05.10.2023.

The project is implemented with the support of: Municipality of Plovdiv , Goethe-Institut and National Fund „Culture“ program „Mobility“.

Media partners: BNT2, въпреки.com, Katra FM, Pod tepeto , Kapana .

The Week of Contemporary Art is a project of the Art Today Association, a member of the international network of German cultural societies abroad at the Goethe-Institut .

Art Today Association

ART POSITIVE 2023

ECO

Art Positive is a project strongly influenced by the actuality of the time. Each year it introduces a topic through which artists can reflect and develop a work linked to fundamental questions of the present. Authors have complete freedom to express themselves through any media of contemporary art – video, installation, painting, photography, performance and more. As in a creative laboratory, they work separately and yet together, installing their works in the common space of the gallery, which contributes to their inspiration and experience enriching the overall artistic environment in the city of Plovdiv. This year, Art Positive, in addition to raising the theme of eco-sustainability, connection with the environment and conscious consumption, will carry out an exhibition that strives to be zero-waste, so all works will either be from organic or recycled materials (or up-cycle). In this way, besides reflecting the very need of humanity at the moment to “return” and integrate the natural way of thinking, it gives the opportunity to explore the different practices in art related to a more ecological and directional way of creation.

The artists in the exhibition are: Velina Hristova, Gergana Tabakova, Dorian Bolca, Du Xiaokun, Evgeni Mladenov, Evelina Nova, Emil Mirazchiev, Iva Vacheva, Ivan Ivanov, Nadia Genova, Osman Yuseinov, Raicho Stanev, Sarkis Nersesyan, Sevdalina Kochevska, Sonya Mitova, Harita Assumani, Tsvetanka Bornosuzova, Tsvetelina Angelova, Yavor Kostadinov.


The project is implemented with the support of the Municipality of Plovdiv and the Goethe-Institute

Media partners: BNT2, въпреки.com, Katra FM, Pod tepeto, Media Cafe, Kapana

Art Positive is a project of the Art Today Association, a member of the international network of German cultural societies abroad at the Goethe-Institut.

Every weekend - Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m., guided tours will be held, through which the public can familiarize themselves with the works in the exhibition, the format of the project, the main messages and the "eco" practices used by the artists. The tours may be conducted bilingually – both in Bulgarian and English, no registration is required. No entrance fee.
The tours are led by Kalina Peycheva – an art critic, with the financial support of the National Culture Fund, Bulgaria.