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Take No Chances

Nestor Kovachev and Martina Yordanova

Nestor Kovachev

1981Born in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
Lives and works in Vienna, Austria.

 

Education 

2006Education Internship at Generali Foundation, Vienna, Austria

2002Study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2013Take no chances, Handi Nikoli Art Gallery, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

2012Uccellacci e uccellini, Gallery Heike Curtze-Salzburg, Austria

2011The Pleasure of Making Art, Next Generation IV, Galerie im Traklhaus, Salzburg, Austria; Me, a Self-Portrait as an Artwork, Gallery Heike Curtze, Berlin, Germany;

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

2013Das Absurde in der Realität, WUK, Vienna;
Der Mann – Nackt, Cultural Foundation Castle Britz, Berlin, Germany;
Bulgarian Artists in Vienna. Contemporary Practicеs at the Beginning of the 21st;
Century, Sofia Art Gallery, Bulgaria;
Women on Stage, Gallery Heike Curtze, Vienna, Austria;

2012The Naked Man, LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz, Austria;
ART BRUSSEL, 30th contemporary art fair, Belgium;
Why Duchamp? From Object to Museum and Back (125 Years), SAMCA Sofia, Bulgaria;

2010Central Europe Revisited III, Esterhàzy Palace, Eisenstadt, Austria;
Gallerist’s choice, Wiener Art Foundation, Austria;

          

Awards and Public Collections 

2013Canson Prix Award Nomination, France

2012Museum der Moderne, Salzburg, Austria

2010Esterhàzy Private Foundation, Eisenstadt, Austria

2010UniCredit Group’s Art Collection, Italy


 

 

Contact:

Web page: www.nestorkovachev.net

 

 

 

1

Nestor Kovachev

Photo: Han Hadji Nikoli

Take No Chances

 

Organisation of the projekt and preparation of the catalogue: M. Yordanova and N. Kovachev.

 

The concept of the exhibition is represented by two main works. One of them is a serial of 71 pencil drawings (size 21x15cm), referring to the Bulgarian movie of 1967 The tied up balloon, directed by Binka Zhelyazkova. During the Second World War, a barrage balloon appears out of nowhere in the sky above a Bulgarian village and begins a conversation with the people. This shakes the imagination of the peasants and causes endless speculations, assumptions and contentions. The villagers are shocked by its appearance and decide to take it off by firing a volley. The movie ends up with the bursting of the balloon and being torn to pieces by by the peasants. I change the end of my interpretation and the balloon is not destroyed, but continues to fly.

 

The second work, which is also part of the exhibition, is a performance at the opening. I invited a woman, who cast bullets for the visitors of the exhibition. The objects are the material part of the performance act and are exhibited on wooden bases in the first of three gallery rooms.

 

The exhibition is titled after a Bulgarian saying, which means something like Take no chances.

 

In conjunction with the exhibition there is a catalogue with a text from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Galina Lardeva.