Pravdoliub Ivanov's Artwork Enters the Centre Pompidou Collection, Paris
Sarieva/Gallery is proud to announce that the installation Trouble is Always Double (1997–2015), by renowned Bulgarian contemporary artist Pravdoliub Ivanov, represented by the gallery, is now part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
This is the result of a project by the Bulgarian Art and Culture Foundation, which conducted a study and prepared a proposal for the donation of 40 works by 30 contemporary Bulgarian artists.The works were presented and defended in front of a committee by the curator of Pompidou and director of the Kandinsky Library - Nikola Liuchi-Gutnikov. On the Bulgarian side, the project was led by art historian Desislava Dimova. The final selection of the works was made by the Pompidou curators and approved in the last instance by the Centre's Acquisitions Committee. Three major works by the artists Pravdoliub Ivanov, Rassim®, Ivan Moudov were selected and donated to the museum. These installations reflect key themes from Bulgaria’s post-socialist era, including transformation, identity, and the critique of value systems in art.
The donation of Trouble is Always Double by Pravdoliub Ivanov was made possible by Veselina Sarieva, curator and founder of Sarieva/Gallery and the Open Arts Foundation. A tireless advocate for Bulgarian contemporary art, Sarieva has been instrumental in fostering international dialogue and supporting visionary artistic practices.
About the Work
Pravdoliub Ivanov
Trouble is Always Double, 1997–2015
Installation, metal, fabric
Dimensions: 282 x 120 x 165 cm
In the 1990s, Pravdoliub Ivanov’s installations often responded directly to current political events, such as the wars in the Balkans, with their territorial claims, ethnic conflicts, and border disputes. However, his goal was never to create documentary records or historical narratives. His interests are rooted in the analysis of “otherness,” the search for differences in meaning, the exploration of symbols, and the relationship between an object and its representation. Ivanov has created two other installations interpreting flags—a series made from transparent nylon and another series of flags covered in mud—both of which have become emblematic of his practice. Trouble is Always Double is his third interpretation of the symbolism of flags, and all three works were created during the 1990s.
“The concept for this work was created decades ago, so it is not a result of the current situation, but neither is it detached from it. The piece is about the collapse of ideologies, the merging of opposing political doctrines—the absurdity of politics and nationalism. The work uses flags as symbols of ideology and nationhood, state propaganda, or protest, in a grotesque amalgamation.
The red color is symbolic, but in this case, without any indication of affiliation to a specific ideology or country. It could be communist, national-socialist, Turkish, PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party), or Chinese. Viewers must decide for themselves what they see: one long flag hanging on two poles, or two flags fused together on the ground.
The work seeks to unsettle our comfort with perceiving the attributes of ideology and national symbols. The result is open to interpretation.”
—Pravdoliub Ivanov
The original drawing is now part of the Deutsche Bank collection. The installation Trouble is Always Double was exhibited internationally, including Art International, Istanbul (2015, Sarieva Gallery), Art Cologne (2017, Sarieva Gallery), and and A Few Ways to Win the World (2023, Sofia). The work has also been featured in notable publications, including ArtReview (Oliver Basciano, Vol. 69, No. 3) and Handelsblatt (April 28, 2017).
About the Donation Initiative
The acquisition of Trouble is Always Double is part of a donation comprising 40 works by 30 contemporary Bulgarian artists, curated by the Bulgarian Art and Culture Foundation under the leadership of art historian Dessislava Dimova, in collaboration with Nikola Lluçi-Gutnikov, curator at the Centre Pompidou and director of the Kandinsky Library. The works were selected by Centre Pompidou curators and approved by its Acquisitions Committee. The donation marks the first large-scale entry of Bulgarian contemporary installation art into the Centre’s permanent collection. Three major works were acquired: Rassim® (Krasimir Krastev) – Corrections (Short Version), 1996–1998; Pravdoliub Ivanov – Trouble is Always Double, 1997–2015; Ivan Moudov – Certificate of Authenticity, 2015. These installations reflect key themes from Bulgaria’s post-socialist era, including transformation, identity, and the critique of value systems in art.
A Milestone for Bulgarian Art
The donation culminates nearly a decade of dialogue between the Bulgarian contemporary art scene and the Centre Pompidou, initiated in 2016 by Dessislava Dimova. Through multiple institutional visits and presentations—by directors Bernard Blistène and Xavier Rey, and curators Karolina Lewandowska and Nikola Lluçi-Gutnikov—over 60 Bulgarian artists were introduced to the Centre. This engagement laid the groundwork for a model of collaboration that combines private patronage and institutional standards. The donation of Trouble is Always Double was made possible by Veselina Sarieva, curator and founder of Sarieva Gallery and the Open Arts Foundation. A tireless advocate for Bulgarian contemporary art, Sarieva has been instrumental in fostering international dialogue and supporting visionary artistic practices.
Looking Forward
This acquisition is not only a significant moment for Pravdoliub Ivanov, Rassim®, and Ivan Moudov, but also a wider recognition of the depth and complexity of Bulgarian contemporary art. It builds on previous presences in the Pompidou collection—such as drawings by Nedko Solakov, video works by Krassimir Terziev, and a major holding of works by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
About the Artist
Pravdoliub Ivanov graduated from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he taught from 1996 to 2004. Since 1995, he has been a co-founder of the Institute of Contemporary Art – Sofia. He graduated in painting in the early 1990s, but soon abandoned the traditional tools of a painter, agreeing with Damien Hirst’s idea that if painting essentially adapts pre-existing objects, then the artist might as well work directly with them. Consequently, the “characters” in Ivanov’s installations, objects, drawings, and photographs are most often ordinary items from daily life or typical situations in which anyone might recognize themselves.
The artist turns his attention to the “secret life of things,” tapping into their hidden potential by rearranging details and reorganizing their constituent elements. In his work, Ivanov uses a range of materials—from silk ribbons for military orders and medals to cheese, plaster, plates, school desks, and chairs. He frequently combines the most unexpected materials and invites the viewer to abandon the solid ground under their feet and enjoy the unpredictable.
Pravdoliub Ivanov has a strong presence on the international art scene. In 2007, together with Ivan Moudov and Stefan Nikolaev, he represented Bulgaria at the 52nd Venice Biennale. His works have also appeared in the 4th Istanbul Biennial (1995), Manifesta 3 in Ljubljana, Slovenia (2003), the 14th Biennale of Sydney, Australia (2004), and the 4th Berlin Biennale (2006). He has participated in major international exhibitions such as “In the Gorges of the Balkans,” Fridericianum Museum, Kassel, Germany; “Blood and Honey: The Future Lies in the Balkans,” Essl Collection, Klosterneuburg, Austria; “Who Killed Painting?”, works from the Block Collection, Neues Museum Weserburg, Bremen, Germany (2011); “The Unanswered Question. İskele-2,” TANAS and Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin (2013); “Heaven and Hell: From Magic Carpets to Drones,” Villa Empain, Boghossian Foundation, Brussels (2015); and “Travellers,” National Gallery Zachęta, Warsaw (2016).
