GAUDENZ B. RUF

Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982– 2015)

Sariev Contemporary and Open Arts Foundation, Plovdiv

Sariev Contemporary Gallery was founded by Katrin and Vesselina Sarievi in Plovdiv. Sariev Contemporary focuses on establishing itself as an international gallery for contemporary art and works for the development of the scene of contemporary Bulgarian art.

Since 2011 Sariev Contemporary has built a representative list of Bulgarian-born artists: Rada Boukova, Luchezar Boyadjiev, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Vikenti Komitski, Lubri, Stefan Nikolaev, Nedko Solakov, Kamen Stoyanov, Valio Tchenkov, Voin de Voin.

Sariev Contemporary presents solo shows by the artists from the gallery list, new collaborations and solo or group shows by international artists all of them developed in cooperation with curators or critics. The gallery also works on two exhibition programs: Background: Young Artists and Re-discovery.

The need for context and understanding of contemporary art in Bulgaria has motivated us to develop two platforms in partnership with curators and art critics: the annual educational course Introduction to Contemporary Art and the Collectors’ Forum, started in 2011. For those activities Sariev worked with numerous curators and art historians including Vera Mlechevska, Vladiya Mihaylova, Iara Boubnova, Jacob Racek, Vessela Nozharova, Emile Ouroumov, Maria Vassileva, Svetlana Kuyumdzhieva, also Walter Seidl, Bettina Steinbrugge, Aaron Moulton and René Block. In addition to publishing artists' and exhibition catalogues and booklets, Sariev have also committed to publishing the first bilingual history of Bulgarian contemporary art by art historian Vessela Nozharova, as part of the platform Introduction to Contemporary Art.

Contact

Phone: +359 888 520 375

Email: office@sariev-gallery.com

Website: www.sariev-gallery.com

The front cover of the book.
Photo: Sariev Contemporary

Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982– 2015) is the first comprehensive history of Bulgarian art from the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. It is based on a cycle of lectures delivered in Plovdiv and Sofia by the author, within the frames of the Introduction to Contemporary Art educational platform of the Open Arts Foundation and Sariev Contemporary Gallery.

The book aims to trace and present the history and specifics of Bulgarian contemporary art with its most important participants, artists, institutions and galleries. The book offers an all-round overview of the art scene in Bulgaria in a clear and accessible way.

The book is published in Bulgarian and English.

Janet 45 Publishing, 2018
Open Arts Foundation, co-publisher, 2018
Vessela Nozharova, author, 2018

Kiril Zlatkov, design, 2018
Poststudio, cover gesign, 2018

On the Cover: Memory Is a Muscle by Pravdoliub Ivanov (2007, detail)

Preprint: Kalina Dimitrova
Proofreading of the Bulgarian version: Sofia Nestorova, Lora Sultanova
Translation to English: Ekaterina Petrova, Boris Deliradev
Proofreading of the English version: Sophia Kleinsasser

paperback, 300 pages, 165 x 240 cm

This book is part of the Introduction to Contemporary Art platform of the Open Arts Foundation, Plovdiv

Partners: Sariev Contemporary, Plovdiv

The English language version of the book is supported by Gaudenz B. Ruf Award