Process - Space Festival from 1992 to 2000 - New Opportunities
The first eight editions of the Process - Space Festival were in the town of Balchik. They were perhaps the richest editions in terms of schedule – exhibitions, experiments, presentations, actionism, avant-garde, performative forms, generational amplitudes, exchange of ideas, but above all, the richest in emotions, romantic moods and the attitude that history was being built. Back in that period, Bulgaria was going through a complex socio-cultural and political transformation, which further supported the development of new artistic forms and means of expression, for which the Process - Space Festival was the most suitable stage for development. Some of the most prominent at the time Bulgarian artists, artistic groups, conceptualists, performers, critics, theater performers, musical experimenters, collectors, journalists, students from the NAA (National Academy of Arts), etc. took part in those first editions. The foreign presence was extremely large and motivating for the concept and development of the forum. In the ideas of the organizers, back then, there was the conviction that its basis must be somewhat provocation and "conflict" through the absolute freedom of the means of expression. The coexistence of the painting made on canvas and with oil paints, with the installation and photography was not a problem for the concept of the festival, but for the choice of their authors. It was no coincidence that at the very first festival, the question of archeology and historical fabrics as the subject of current art was raised, and no genre requirements were set.
The first three editions of the festival did not have a motto to give the event a theme. The first moto came into being in 1995 - "Two States", and that same year the "Safety Pin" campaign also took place. Among the main organizers in that period were Dimitar Grozdanov, Boris Klimentiev, Diana Popova, Lidiya Georgieva, Elena Panayotova, Elisaveta Musakova, Hristo Gospodinov – Pechkata, Elena Ivanova, Galina Yotova, Dan Tenev, Hristina Bobokova, Ekaterina Akrabova, Silviya Boyadzhieva.
Every corner of Balchik was the center of events - the City Art Gallery of Balchik, the promenade, the UBA (Union of Bulgarian Artists) base, the Ethnographic Museum of Balchik, the gypsy neighborhood, the "Palace" of Balchik, the pier with its protection walls, the city beach, etc.
from action "The big feast", The Edge Group (Bulgaria)/ 1992
About the Festival in 1995 – "Two States"
"I think that this year's festival in Balchik was very successful - because of its great energy and goodwill, because of the open contact between colleagues, because of the natural atmosphere of exchange of ideas, experiment and experience. The contact with the people from Balchik is also important for me, not only as an audience, not only as (or consumers of the festival's production> I don't know if truths are born in every dispute, but I am positive that the lessons learned from the mistakes made, and the critical evaluations of colleagues, friends and ill-wishers are very helpful for the future of the festival. Having started as a crazy idea and a dream, the festival has now become an event. If it creates controversy, then it has ideas and a direction, and experimentation and free spirit will be at the heart of every future project. I hope that the festival will go into the originally conceived rhythm of a continuously functioning "institution" preserving its independence".
Elena Panayotova, Art/Art in Bulgaria magazine, 1995, issue 24, p.9
Elena Panayotova (Bulgaria)/1995
"When it comes to the first editions of the Process - Space Festival, I think that any formal terminology would limit it in terms of its possibilities from that time, when it involved more and more new artistic forms. At first glance, no other goal was seen back at the time, except the strive for a new expressiveness, experiments, games and exchange of ideas. At the same time, the ambition of the organizers to turn this into a sustainable forum to place Bulgaria on the European map of modern art festivals was clearly visible."
Hristina Bobokova/ 2023