Martin Penev (b. 1985) lives and works in Sofia.

In 2009 he took his Master's degree in Theology from the Sofia University, and in 2012 –  in Digital Arts from the National Art Academy, Sofia.

Since 2010 he participates in group shows and realizes his own projects in a number of festivals and events in Bulgaria and abroad.

In the last few years he has presented ambitious projects in solo shows such as:  Unforeseen (2018), ICA-Sofia, Sofia; Wonderful Urban Story (2018), The Fridge, Sofia; Ritual (2017), Atelier Plastelin, Sofia; Appetite (2017), Æther, Sofia; Exploitation of the Erased Image (2016), Vaska Emanouilova Gallery, Sofia.

In 2017 and 2018 he was shortlisted for the BAZA Award for young artists and in 2018 he was among the 12 artists selected for the exhibition Art Start: young artists to follow in 2018.

Contact
Email: martin_penev@abv.bg

Martin Penev at Swimming Pool.
Photo: Archive of the artist

An Object of Concern

17 May – 24 June, 2018
Swimming Pool, Sofia

Curated by Viktoria Draganova

An Object of Concern uses the architectural features of the exhibition space (Swimming Pool) to transform them into the intimate spaces of the personality.

Within the exhibition area there is an installation - stylized deer. The object fills the main interior space, being its only occupant. It seems to be reanimated but is now prosthetic, monstrous, deformed, ugly.

Outside there are various types of flags (8 pieces). The terraces are the personal outer space, the border zone for the perception of the world, the membrane between the "Me" and the "Other".

An Object of Concern views the crisis, but also the attempts of the personality, through internal and external forces, to deal with it. Using deer and flags as images leads to mystical, mythological layers. In this dream of irregularity there is another important point - the use of the golden color, the color of the Sun, the divine. So far, the crisis has been overcome by means at hand, the result is not aesthetic. This does not cause shame; on the contrary, visibility and communication are wanted. The personality is externally exposed - horizontally - to anyone who sees it; and vertically - for all divine forces.