Until 7 February 2017, the Sofia-based Nuance Art Gallery offers a very good selection of artworkswith the motto ‘Winter highlights’. It features both pieces by classics and by contemporary artists. The exhibition’s chief curator is Lilly Vladimirova. More about this emotional journey in time from Ognyana Vakavlieva:

„This journey begins with Genesis”, she smiles. “I am saying this with a smile, because we have a wonderful ceramic piece by Maria Nozharova entitled ‘Paradise Lost’. And indeed, the material is ceramics and due to her wonderful technique and vivid imagination Maria Nozharova takes us back to times immemorial that we are nevertheless part of. There are also classical works on display by artists including Atanas Mihov, Pyotr Stoyanov, Boris Mitov, Alaxnader Mutafov, Jaroslav Vesin, Ivan Mrkvicka, Pencho Balkanski, Stoyan Raynov, Preslav Karshovski who have opened windows that take us to the birth of man, to the feelings of childhood, to love and compassion. These are all eternal themes that art has always addressed and reinvented.”

The exhibition’s highlight is the get-together and dialogue between two artworks. Their authors are detached from one another in time with 100 years. These are on the one hand, the sophisticated portraits painted by Boris Mitov – of Gen. Nikola Bakardzhiev and his wife. The general served as defense minister from 11 January 1929 to 31 January 1931. Boris Mitov created the portraits in 1930. They are however mounted very close to portraits by a contemporary artist, Nelly Hristova who works with ceramics. So, here the image of another general appears – a fairy-tale one, indefinite as a person. By his side is his plump wife. So, these works in two different genres – painting and ceramics, engage in dialogue at the Nuance exhibition.

“The impressive works by classics Jaroslav Vesin and Ivan Mrkvicka deserve special attention. Here we show one of the last paintings of Vesin created in Sofia in 1914. The artist died a year later. We also show a moving piece by Pyotr Stoyanov. He was a Bulgarian who studied and lived in Moscow. The exhibition features his fairy-tale ‘Winter wedding’ that captures all the senses. By the way, any visitor of this display will feel irradiated. Irradiation stems not only from classics by also from contemporary artists’ talent. The gallery works with them quite well – Gergana Minkova, Velislava Gecheva, Rosen Rashev – Roshpaka, Petar Georgiev – Rey and many others. They are all purveyors of strong artistic messages and remain dedicated to fine art in times when the pragmatic and the efforts to wrestle with the prose of life win an upper hand. In such a context such artists are able to take us away from routine and steer our minds to superior values.”

To what extent does the New Year spirit show in the selection of artworks at Nuance Art Gallery?

“Well, this time we present brighter artworks in the main. We all know that art has a darker side. There are great Bulgarian artists who however have focused on grief and sadness, as well as ones who have opted for merciless social criticism. For this display we have selected works full of vivid colors and conveying positive emotions. They provide joy to the senses based on the talent and skills of artists, to their dedication and to light, plenty of light.”

English Daniela Konstantinova

Photos from the exhibition: Nuance Art Gallery and Veneta Pavlova