The sectional exhibition of “Graphics and Illustration” at the UBA was opened yesterday (May 30, 2017) on the second floor of “Shipka 6”. Expectedly or not, we do not find any illustrations in it. Even during the section meeting at the beginning of the year, it was clear that illustrations would be difficult to admit, regardless of the common “hat” under which the two arts are united to this day. The priority of the UBA remains the exhibitions, biennials and triennials of graphics and small graphic forms, and a general exhibition of illustration in the Union has not taken place for more than 11 years.
But let's return to the current exhibition and follow what exactly is happening in it, loudly called "sectional" and even more loudly with the theme "Entry-Exit". Upon entering the building, all the guests found that there was no electricity, but the surprise was great not because of its lack, but because the fault was CEZ, and not the Union of Bulgarian Artists, in which only a few lamps flicker anyway. The exhibition was opened by the chairman of the Union - Lyuben Genov, the curator of the exhibition Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Hristova, Prof. Dr. Svilen Stefanov and Prof. Buyan Filchev.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Hristova emphasized that the idea of the exhibition was to present only the best and to seek new and modern views on the presentation of graphics. The idea of the section was to present works that would go beyond the framework of classical graphic arts and enter modern techniques. “So even a single dot that is printed can be called graphics.”
In this direction was the speech of Prof. Dr. Svilen Stefanov, who masterfully provoked the guests in the hall with questions about the boundaries in art and to what extent an art is graphics as in this case, or is it just another exhibition of contemporary, modern forms. To what extent can we allow the reverse encapsulation and closure, after the final opening of all arts on a global scale? "In any case, especially as it concerns here, our local territory of Bulgaria, it is definitely positive insofar as we all still need to expand those set fields in which the main types and genres in art develop" - summarized Prof. Dr. Svilen Stefanov.
In this sense, we will ask the same question: to what extent should the UBA, which too often sets itself the goal of screening out the best and most professional in the field of art in Bulgaria, allow itself to experiment precisely in its sectional exhibitions? Is the admission of “outsiders” firstly right and secondly, what each visitor can discover for himself in the exhibition, do ceramics, photography and video art have a place in an exhibition of the “Graphics and Illustration” section? While we were waiting for the electricity to come on, a colleague of mine, an artist (graphic artist), greeted me with the words: “If this is an exhibition of the “Graphics” section, then according to them I do not do graphics!” And indeed, in the exhibition you will hardly find the “classical techniques”, but at times you will also hardly find “Entry-Exit”. We are sure that each of the participants has presented a brilliant essay explaining his creative idea and we are very far from the appeal for literalism, so we leave the topic of the topic to you. Despite everything, in the exhibition we find two names that refer us to illustration – Kapka Kaneva and Zaklina Zhekova.
We know Kapka Kaneva mainly from her work on a huge number of book covers, which, through photography of various objects made of paper, come to life on the book market. Here too, Kapka retains her recognizable technique and style through two separate sets. A group of black and white paintings-photographs of objects made of paper, which represent different objects. The play of cast shadows reveals their three-dimensionality, and the texture of the sheet from which they are made, brings them to life and creates plasticity of the objects. The second series, Kapka showed to the audience at the exhibition “Love is…” in the “Steppenwolf” gallery on February 14, 2017 and is entitled “Anatomy of Love”. This boutique exhibition consists of 12 heart-shaped installations made of white paper, each of which hides a certain message and emotion, enclosed in a plexiglass box.
The second ray that crept into the dark exhibition hall are the two art books by Zaklina Zhekova, illustrated through graphic printing. The focus in them is the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet, letters and symbols. Here the young author has retained the condition of technique, but has managed to refract it through her professional prism, turning it into a book.
A question that we cannot ignore, however, is whether and for how long Graphics and Illustration should be placed under a common denominator, since even the Comics section exists on its own and every year realizes its own exhibition and supports its artists. Where and how can native illustrators present their work in the Union? Where can book artists – designers, illustrators and calligraphers – together invite their audience to a common annual exhibition? When? And perhaps the most important question – do they have a place in this common section?
Photos: Milena Radeva
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