Borjana Ventzislavova is a cross-disciplinary artist who works in the fields of photography, video, installation, performative and media art. In her works she analyses stereotypical roles and models of representations and the impact of political and social power structures and control mechanisms on our existence. Her work addresses issues of mobility and crossing of socio-geographical and cultural borders and deals with the complex process of communication and translation.

Her works have been exhibited internationally in solo and group shows as well as at media art and film festivals, including, 21er haus in Vienna, Lentos in Linz,  MAK Vienna, MAK LA, Museum der Moderne, Salzburg and Klagenfurt, Esterházy Foundation, MUSA, Triennale Linz 1.0, Samlung Essl, Thomas K. Lang Gallery, bäckerstrasse4, k/haus, quartier21, Ostlicht, in Vienna, Austrian Cultural Forum Washigton DC and London, Bulgarian Cultural Inst. Vienna “Haus Wittgenstein”, ICA London, Sofia City Art Gallery, National Art Gallery Sofia, Academia gallery, Sofia, ICA Sofia, Credo Bonum Sofia, Art Today Plovdiv, Hunt gallery, St. Louis, US, Cologne Conference, IDFA, Diagonale, Graz, EMAF, Osnabrück, transmediale, Berlin, filmwinter, Stuttgart, Rencontres internationales, Berwick Film and Media Arts Fest., Moscow Int. Filmfest., Int. Short Film Fest. Istanbul, Split Film Fest., etc.

She received numerous grants and awards. In 2013 she was granted with the Austrian State Scholarship for Fine Art 2013, Start Scholarship for Fine Art 2009, winner of Top Ten Nonfiction Award at Cologne Conference 2006, Otto Prutscher Fonds Award 2006, Susmannstiftung Award 2005, recognitions at Art in Motion 2002, Los Angeles, Ars Electronica, 2002, Linz, CYNETart 2001, Dresden. She was artist in residence in London (ACF), Rom (BMUKK), Newcastle (ISIS Arts), Berkeley (CEC Artslink), Los Angeles (MAK Schindler). Her works are part of private and public colletions.

Borjana Ventzislavova lives and works in Vienna and Sofia. She gained her MA in Visual Media Art at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. In 2017 she was granted honorable Austrian citizenship for her achievements in the visual arts.

Contact
Email: borjana@nebudu.net
Website: http://borjana.net

Borjana Ventzislavova

Photo: Borjana Ventzislavova

Roles, 2014

9 C-Prints, 120 х 80 cm and 9 Prints of Text, 20 x 30 cm

Тhe work shows people around 40, friends of the artist who puts them on a conditional stage: standing on reddish sand and behind them is the Black Sea. These are portraits of a generation, its form of identification, motivation and presence. A generation that has the possibility to choose and remain strongly connected or decided to stay in Bulgaria, a choice that is not easy. In short texts the portrayed persons are asked to answer the question "What role do you play in the context of Bulgaria?" The roles of these authentic protagonists are often related to both: personal and public strategies in the context of conditional stage.

with: Orlin Antonov, Vladimir Benev, Milena Fetvadjieva (The Black Milena), Dr. Vlado Gelev, Nina Nikolova, Milena Popova (The Blond Milena), Neda and Alexander Smolyanov, Martina Staneva - Miss Marcolina, DJ Valentine