The illustrations that Tekla Alexieva creates for the covers of the science fiction series Galactica are gaining wide popularity. Her recognizable, intriguing style, combining a peculiar interpretation of surrealism with elements of photography, is known to many. On the other hand, Tekla's painting also stands out with its artistic language and original genre solutions. Several of her works became the highlight of a recent exhibition organized at the Sofia City Art Gallery and curated by Georgi Gospodinov and Georgi Lozanov*, becoming the embodiment of an entire era from our recent past. Recently, her painting was presented again, this time in a joint exhibition with Iskra Blagoeva at Gallery One. Thus, Tekla Alexieva's art stands out with its own appearance, with a bright individuality, with undeniable artistic qualities. It continues to excite strongly today, attracting a younger audience that remains fascinated by their encounter with this artist.
Another important part of her art should be specially noted. These are the huge number of popular science illustrations created for various publications in the field of natural sciences. They seem to be less known and are not shown in an exhibition context, and it is precisely to this side of Tekla Alexieva's work that the current exhibition at the Little Bird Place gallery is dedicated. The illustrations, created in different years for textbooks and books, represent an interesting synthesis between science and art, between a faithful reproduction of reality, of natural phenomena and a pronounced aspiration for a clear, accurate and understandable recreation, presented with taste, with measured stylization and generalization, with a recognizable style and cheerfulness. These works build a world of their own, in which, in addition to the laws of nature, flawlessly visualized, the laws of scientific illustration also rule with the aspiration for objective reproduction of the world around us, the laws of aesthetics with harmonious chromatic combinations, with well-considered forms and compositional solutions, but most of all the aspiration for these images to be clearly recognizable, exciting and memorable prevails. With these qualities, Tekla's illustrations not only fully meet the challenges facing a natural science illustration, but also stand out as independent works of art with a sophisticated artistic language. In addition, they also provide an interesting opportunity to peek into the art of the book and illustration before the digital age and the time of modern computer programs. And it is precisely the hand-craftedness that excites perhaps the most in these works, making them understandable, cheerful, accessible and impactful. Their presentation in an exhibition is necessary precisely today, at a time when digital illustration with raw color and mechanically resolved details betrays a lack of thought, retreats from the definition of art, and becomes expressionless documentation.
Exhibitions presenting works by Tekla certainly arouse a special sentiment in generations familiar with her covers of the Galaxy series or her paintings from General Art Exhibitions. But her work also turns out to be particularly interesting and exciting for a younger generation, which for one reason or another discovers Tekla Alexieva's works for the first time. And this is indisputable proof of the remarkable artistic qualities of her art. This is an encounter that reminds us of the timeless nature of good painting, which, beyond classifications, definitions, and formulations, always has an immediate impact.
Dr. Lyuben Domozetski
Opening: June 20, 2022, 5:00 PM
Location: Little Bird Place, 11th August Street
Closing: July 14, 2022
Source: FB event
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