Stela Vasileva

Stela Vasileva lives and work in Sofia. She graduated from the Department of Mural Painting at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. Stela Vasileva participated in numerous group exhibitions and projects. Among her solo exhibitions are: "Signs of Sound", Cultural Center "The Palace" - Balchik (2018/2017), “Tunnel”, metro station Vardar (2017); “Under Construction”, Contemporary Space Gallery, Varna (2015); “5 Boxes”, The fridge, Sofia curated by Yovo Panchev (2015); “Work and Leisure”, UN Cabinet D’amateur, Sofia curated, by Olivier Boissiere (2014); “As A Soup”, Contemporary space, Varna (2013) and Pistolet Gallery, Sofia, curated by Leda Ekimova (2011); “Field” , 0gms ICA, Sofia, curated by Vladiya Mihaylova (2011); “Formal”, Vaska Emanouilova Gallery, Sofia, curated by Vladiya Mihaylova (2010). Stela Vasileva has participated in group exhibitions including: “Shifting Layers / Young Art at the Museum”, Sofia City Art Gallery, curated by Vladiya Mihaylova (2017); “Polyphonia”, Goethe Institut, Sofia, curated by France Oosterhof (2017); “Process in Progress”, Bäckerstrasse 4, Vienna, curated by Vessela Nozharova (2015); “Focus Bulgaria”, at Viennacontemporary (2015); “Caution: Wet Paint!” Sofia City Art Gallery (2015); “BAZA Award” for Contemporary Art, Sofia City Art Gallery (2015); “Art for Change 1985-2015”, Sofia City Art Gallery, curated by Maria Vassileva (2015); “To be continued...” Collection of Contemporary Bulgarian Art of Gaudenz B. Ruf, Sofia City Art Gallery (2014); “EAST of BEST”, Roodkapje Rot(t)terdam, Holland, curated by Kolektiff (2011)… In 2010 Stela Vasileva won The Gaudenz B. Ruf Award for New Bulgarian Art in the category of young authors; First prize from the International Foundation "St. Cyril and Methodius " (2009); Nomination for the BAZA Award for Contemporary Art, Sofia, (2015/2013); Nomination for the Mtel Contemporary Bulgarian Art Award (2009). She has been awarded artist in residence grants (AIR) in: Cité Internationale des arts, Paris, FR (2014); Krinzinger Projekte, Petomihalyfa, HU (2012); KulturKontakt, Vienna, AT (2012).

It is not important what the functions of things or of their surroundings are, the important thing is the way we see them. Regardless of what they are – photographs, installations, objects or drawings – the works of Stela Vasileva are a quiet way of knowing the world through color, form, rhythm, silhouettes, and reflections. Her works are often related to spaces and objects found where she lives, which she sees or uses – workshops, basketball courts, seamstress’ shops, and children’s playgrounds and so on. Most of her works are drawings. The artist captures momentary movements, figures or things in order to transport them via markers onto the sheet of paper while leaving large white areas empty. 
- Vladiya Mihaylova