34TH PROCESS – SPACE ART FESTIVAL:
ARCHAEOLOGY OF HAPPINESS
In 2023, the Process - Space Festival celebrates its 34th edition and it takes place under the motto of "Archaeology of Happiness", which will be held on three stages - Ruse, Varna and Balchik. The beginning will be set with an exhibition on May 31 in the City Art Gallery of Ruse, and the exciting finale will be in Balchik in the weekend of June 9-11. Varna is the hot center of one of the most provocative events - the "THE BRICK/ 2023" Exhibition.
The creative part of the festival, during which various invited artists will work, will be held in the town of Balchik from June 2 to June 11. For the 34th edition of the forum, participants and guests from Bulgaria and abroad have been selected, who will work both on site and remotely. The curator of the project is the art critic Hristina Bobokova, the artistic director is the artist Rada Yakova.
The motto of the festival for 2023 is ARCHEOLOGY OF HAPPINESS and it aims to make us think about the different understandings of the concept of happiness in modern society, the artistic urges, pursuits, emotions and processes that bring us satisfaction in life, pleasure or make us unhappy. Individual agitations related to everyday problems, excitements and passions, as well as individual facts of life and defects in society, related to the progress and changes which occur around us and which we witness in modern times, could find their reflection in the creativity of the participating artists working in a group or individually within the festival.
"Process - Space" is a platform built for artists that enables the exchange of experience, collaboration, individual development and expression, discussions on current topics related to culture and art. In 2023 we are partnering with the Municipality of Ruse, Municipality of Varna, Municipality of Balchik, CAG of Ruse, CAG of Varna, CAG of Balchik, the UBA (Union of Bulgarian Artists), "ReBonkers" Cultural Center, “Melnitsata” Information Center, "Buna" Festival, "August in Art" Festival, etc.
The main organizer of the forum is the Process - Space Foundation. Under the auspices of the organization, in March and April, the art event "THE BRICK/ 2023" is being held, which includes 150 selected artists from all over the country. Results of the event and the names of the final participants will be displayed during the festival in Balchik, as well as in accompanying events. Within the festival, four exhibitions will be opened in three towns in the country, which are open to the public:
- town of Ruse - “From Coal to Fire” exhibition , Exhibition, dedicated to art critic Dimitar Grozdanov. Opening on 31.05.2023 in the City Art Gallery of Ruse, at 6:00 p.m. The exposition collects and presents the main works of the artist, as well as the film "Dante and the Air Feather" by the director Dimitar Lipovanski. The exhibition can be visited until 22.06.2023.
- city of Varna - “THE BRICK / 2023” exhibition, presenting the result and the works of the large-scale art event held throughout the country within the period of March-April 2023. Opening in the "ReBonkers" Cultural Center, on 08.06.2023 at 6:00 p.m., and the exhibition can be visited until 03.07.2023.
- town of Balchik - “Dimitar Grozdanov - the Other Face” Exhibition in the City Art Gallery of Balchik on 09.06.2023 at 5:30 p.m. The exposition presents rare works of the artist and art critic from private collections and can be visited until 05.07.2023.
- town of Balchik - “ARCHAEOLOGY OF HAPPINESS” Exhibition opening on 10.06.2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the "Melnitsata" Information Center, floor 4. The exposition presents works of art from the 34th edition of the Process - Space Festival, which can be visited until 05.07.2023. The curator is Hristina Bobokova, the art director is Rada Yakova.
Participants: Konstantin Konstantinov (Bulgaria), Iliana Ilieva (Bulgaria), Iglika Hristova (Bulgaria), Rada Yakova (Bulgaria), Silvia Bogoeva (Bulgaria), Sofia Dimova (Bulgaria), YO/KO+INA (Bulgaria), Catherine Tomova (Bulgaria), Nicki Sotirov (Bulgaria), Marius Strolia (Lithuania), Vilma Šileikienė (Lithuania), Nick Twaalfhoven (Netherlands),Marko Meijer (Netherlands).
10.06.2023 - A one-day forum will be held in the form of a discussion on the topic "Problems and Perspectives of Contemporary Art in Bulgaria / 2023" in the "Melnitsata" conference hall, 6th floor, Balchik, from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
- Individuals working in the field of contemporary art, curators, journalists, culturologists are invited as speakers for the debate, who will present their opinions, observations and views on topics with emphasis on: the knowledge and perception of contemporary art in Bulgaria; audiences of contemporary art in the country; exposure, exhibition spaces and museums for contemporary art in Bulgaria; market and collecting of contemporary Bulgarian art;
Speakers:
- Margarita Dorovska (Director of the Museum of Humor and Satire in Gabrovo, curator)
- Georgi Lozanov (philosopher, analyst, journalist, teacher)
- Gredi Assa (artist and teacher)
- Ralitsa Gerasimova (curator, representative of the non-governmental sector working for the development of contemporary art in Bulgaria)
- Vladimir Iliev (collector and owner of galleries in Bulgaria and abroad)
- Iglika Hristova (art teacher at the Sorbonne/Paris, contemporary artist)
- Radoslav Mekhandzhiyski and Teodora Konstantinova (creators of the platform for contemporary art and culture, Art & Culture)
- 5New Artist Studio (creators of the documentary "From Where to Where Bulgarian Art")
Traditionally, at the end of the festival, a closing exhibition is held, presenting the results of the collective work and interaction between the participants of the festival every year. In 2023, this will be the "ARCHEOLOGY OF HAPPINESS" Exhibition on 10.06.2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the "Melnitsata" Information Center, 4th floor, Balchik.
Assistants: Stela Bobokova, Mladen Manolov, Daniel Petrov, Stefan Georgiev
Partners: City Art Gallery of Ruse, City Art Gallery of Balchik, ReBonkers, City Art Gallery of Varna, BUNA: Contemporary Art Forum, August in Art Festival, Rusenski Lom Nature Park
Sponsors: Municipality of Varna, Municipality of Balchik, TRUD AD/Ruse, Speedy, Agria Group Holding JSC/Varna, Sofia Stock Exchange/Sofia, Konstantinov OOD/Varna, Prista Oil EAD/Ruse, Winery House Levent/Ruse.
