‘The Art of Collecting Time’: The National Gallery unveils a donation from collector Gaudenz Ruf

published on 7/30/25 5:35 PM

Photo: Facebook/ National Gallery

At the height of the 'burning summer' — as author Georgi Gospodinov poetically described these sweltering days — Sofia played host to a remarkable cultural event. The exhibition, 'The Art of Collecting Time', opened at the former royal palace, which is now home to the National Gallery. It features works donated by Gaudenz B. Ruf, a diplomat, collector and long-time patron of contemporary Bulgarian art.

But why is this exhibition such a noteworthy event? Since Bulgaria's democratic transition, state cultural institutions have operated on tight budgets, making it increasingly difficult to acquire new works for their collections, especially in contemporary art. Above all, however, this exhibition is significant because it embodies the unwavering support that Gaudenz Ruf has shown for Bulgarian art since he arrived in the country in 1995 as the Swiss ambassador.

“Mr Ruf has a long-standing commitment to collecting contemporary art. To this day, he continues to be a tireless supporter of projects, artists, initiatives and exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad,” said Martina Yordanova, the exhibition’s curator, in an interview with Radio Bulgaria.

Martina Yordanova (left) and Maria Vassileva at the opening of the exhibition.

This commitment did not cease when his term as ambassador ended in 2000. In 2007, he established the Gaudenz B. Ruf Award for New Bulgarian Art, presented annually until 2011. From 2012 to 2019, the funds were redirected to support Bulgarian artists and contemporary art initiatives at home and abroad.

One of Ruf’s closest collaborators and fellow enthusiasts over the years has been art historian Maria Vassileva. Yordanova credits Vassileva as ‘the main reason he decided to donate part of his collection to Bulgaria’. This is his second major donation to a Bulgarian institution; the first was to the Sofia City Art Gallery in 2014.

Nestor Kovachev, The Tied Balloon, 2013
The current exhibition, 'The Art of Collecting Time', showcases the complete donation that Mr Gaudenz Ruf made to the Bulgarian National Gallery around two years ago. It includes works by 21 artists, 12 of whom are Bulgarian, and features over 150 pieces created between 1987 and 2019. Several of the works are part of series. The artists are diverse in terms of both generation and style, but they all work within the field of contemporary art.

Interestingly, the collection also includes artists from Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia — countries where Ruf developed strong connections during his time as Switzerland’s ambassador to Bulgaria and subsequently to Serbia. The donation includes works by some of the most significant Serbian artists of the late 20th century: Kosta Bogdanović, Zdravko Joksimović (currently the focus of a major exhibition at Belgrade's Museum of Contemporary Art), Vladimir Perić (better known as “Talent”), and Michael Milunović, a Paris-based artist who attended the exhibition opening in Sofia.

These are internationally renowned names, and their inclusion is of great significance to the National Gallery. Sadly, in recent years, the institution has had few opportunities to expand its collection of contemporary regional art.

Gaudenz Ruf has often described his time in Bulgaria at the end of the 20th century as being in the right place at the right time: a period of sweeping transformation across the country’s political and social landscape which left a clear imprint on its art. In keeping with the spirit of the era, the works are primarily conceptual, placing meaning above aesthetics.

"Many of these pieces carry a powerful political and social charge, drawn from our recent history," notes curator Martina Yordanova. 'I believe this was part of what sparked Mr Ruf’s deep admiration for Bulgarian art, and why he continues to support it even today.'

Perhaps the most fitting word to describe the collection as a whole is 'dynamic'. It is a dynamic era, told through the artworks themselves. Visitors can sense the taste and curatorial instinct of Gaudenz Ruf, and his personal connection to each piece in the exhibition.”

Jelica Radovanovic, Dejan Andjelkovic – Time is on my side, 2000