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Reflections Multiplied

Mariela Gemisheva and The 8th of March Group
Mariela Gemisheva Fish Party 31.10.2004 Mariela Gemisheva Fish Party 31.10.2004 Photo: Dimitar Dilkov

Reflections Multiplied
Sofia Grt Gallery, 2006
(curator Maria Vassileva)

The exhibition is a try at a mirror reconsideration of history. It is a “tête-à-tête” of two generations of lady artists: the first “bunch” of graduates from art academies in Bulgaria who advocated the right of the “fair sex” to deal seriously with art (Elena Karamihailova, Elisaveta Konsoulova-Vazova, Anna Hen-Yossifova, Nevena Gancheva, Todorka Bourova), and artists who in late 20th century understood art as an avenue to convey messages and to provoke public opinion (Adelina Popnedeleva, Alla Georgieva, Mariela Gemisheva, Nadezhda Oleg Lyahova, Nina Kovacheva, Silvia Lazarova).

The two groups of artists have many things in common. The former protested and asked to attend the nude painting classes in the Art Academy, to have their artworks displayed in general exhibitions side by side with the works of artists from the opposite sex, to organize their own exhibitions and to be treated in a serious way. The latter tried to raise taboo questions that for many years before them were unuttered in the guise of fear and inertia. The former were trained abroad and brought home the trends of Impressionism and Expressionism. The latter experimented with media and means of expression that previously were not employed in Bulgarian art. As regards the subject matter, the affinity is undeniable: both groups are definitely introspective. Self-portrait appears to be the commonest choice. Understandably, the reasons are far from being identical. In the early 20th

century the self-portrait stood for growing self-confidence and self-consciousness. At the end of the century the self-portrait was the vehicle of inner drama and anxiety and raised many questions. The exhibition seeks to highlight the similarities and dissimilarities in the attitude to the still life, the male nude body and the portrait.

Curator of the exhibition is Maria Vassileva.
08 March 2006
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Participations 1995-2007