The international performance art festival Sofia Underground is a contemporary art event, which gained cult status during the years with its original form. Founded by the art critic and activist Ruen Ruenov (1958 - 2011) in 1997, it first started as a widespread happening with a long-running performance program – a reaction to the social crisis of that time. Ever since, with a few short breaks, this event has developed a prominent sensitivity regarding public processes and the dynamics of the local art scene.

After the festival revival in 2007 with the title Remember Sofia Underground, the following editions were realized:

2008Alone / Individual rituals, gestures and images in the mass communication era;

2009Crisis Edition;

2012Justified Actions (in memory of Ruen Ruenov);

2013Occupy Yourself - Gesamtkunstwerk;

2014Unusual Evidences.

Exhibitions with documentary material from the festival were presented in prestigious museums and galleries in Berlin, Cairo, London, New York, Plovdiv, Russe, Sofia and Varna. A big part of its archive was donated to the fund of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sofia (SAMCA).

Contact
Phone: +359 897 912 967
Email: yovopanchev@gmail.com
Website: http://sofiaunderground.com/

Sofia Underground logo

Courtesy: Sofia Underground

FILES 2 (2007 – 2014)

Center for Contemporary Art – Plovdiv – The Ancient Bath

31 October – 10 November 2014

The Center for Contemporary Art – Plovdiv – The Ancient Bath opened the show FILES 2 (2007 – 2014) that includes photo and video documentary material from Sofia Underground performance art festival. The exhibition started with a happening by Dobromir Ivan and performances by Ianko Velkov – Yaneca and Medea Yankova.

The exhibition presents various materials from the festival through the years including photo and video documentation, original posters, drawings and press and critics bibliography. FILES 2 is a continuation of the show FILES (1997 – 2003), Sofia Museum for Contemporary Art (2013), which presented the documentation of the festival in the respective years. Thereafter the whole archive was donated to the National Art Gallery (principal of the Contemporary Art Museum).

With its show in Plovdiv, Sofia Underground wants to remind that art is a manifestation of freedom but a responsibility as well and to give a hint to the City of Plovdiv, that has been elected for European Capital of Culture 2019.

Organized by eXAF.org and Studio Dauhaus

with the kind support of:

Center for Contemporary Art – Plovdiv – The Ancient Bath

Gaudenz B. Ruf Award for New Bulgarian Art

ArtExpress 2004 OOD