2018 Highlights and 2019 Sneak Peek

It has been an exciting year for us from SARIEV Contemporary and an even more exciting one is ahead of us! See some of our highlights from 2018 as well as a 2019 sneak peek. 
 

EXHIBITIONS 2018

      

We started 2018 with artist Luchezar Boyadjiev’s first solo show at SARIEV Contemporary Dystopian Cozy. The exhibition year continued with Krassimir Terziev's solo show called Images Staring at Images. In the summer of 2018 we also presented Lubri's exhibition Ladies Only, Voin de Voin'sperformance and exhibition SUR(REAL)RENDER, followed by What energy do we put into transforming things, with undisguised pleasure - solo show of Paris-based artist Rada Boukova, presented in two locations in Plovdiv – the white cube of the gallery and the Catholic Church St. Joseph. We finished the year with Martina Vacheva's second solo exhibition at the gallery Mud, consisting of new ceramics works. 

OUTSIDE EXHIBITIONS 2018

In 2018 SARIEV Contemporary partnered and supported the realization of several exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad. Among those exhibition projects were JUMPING OVER THREE SEAS… INTO THE FIFTH ONE of the gallery represented, Munich-based artist Valio Tchenkov, Sirma Sarafova-Orahovac's solo show New Works in gallery Credo Bonum, Sofia, the group show On a Clear Day You Can See Forever(Pravdoliub Ivanov, Vikenti Komitski, Stefan Nikolaev, Nedko Solakov, Krassimir Terziev, Ergin Cavusoglu, Alexander Valchev) at Goethe-Institut Bulgaria, Sofia. 
As well as that, along with curator Vera Mlechevska we presented the exhibition "Immersion - Background: Young Artists from Plovdiv" (part of SARIEV Contemporary long lasting program BACKGROUND: Young Artists, dedicated to discovering and presenting young artists) in the Bulgarian Embassy in Helsinki, Finland, which presented works by Dimitar Shopov, Martina Vacheva and Valko Chobanov. 

ARTISTS' HIGHLIGHTS 2018

     

SARIEV Contemporary's list of represented artists got two new additions in 2018 - the famous Bulgarian artist Luchezar Boyadjiev and of the promising young talent Martina Vacheva. 

2018 was a successful year for SARIEV Contemporary's represented artists. Two of them - Valio Tchenkov and Nedko Solakov - took part in the First Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art (RIBOCA1), curated by Katerina Gregos. Another one of the gallery artists, Stefan Nikolaev, presented a monumental sculpture at the entrance of Grand Palais, Paris, during FIAC 2018. 
Among the 2018 highlights were also the publication of Rada Boukova's first monograph RB/РБ, and her work All, 2018 created for the space of St. Joseph Church, Plovdiv, Luchezar Boyadjiev's retrospective exhibition Sic Transit Media Mundi (The Present is Too Short and Rather Tight) in Sofia City Art Gallery and the participations of Pravdoliub Ivanov in the group show Møenlight Sonata - quasi una fantasia in Møen, Denmark, curated by Rene Block, Nedko Solakov in Unlimited at Art Baseland Parcours at Art Basel, Kamen Stoyanov's solo show IN-VISIBLE, Kulturni Center Tobachna 001, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Martina Vacheva's participation in the group show Baywatch at KVOST, Berlin, curated by Natalie Hoyos and Rainald Schumacher, and Voin de Voin in SOFT POWER Palace Festival. 

ART FAIRS 2018

     

In 2018 SARIEV Contemporary participated for the third time at viennacontemporary and debuted at Artissima. At viennacontemporary we took part with a solo booth by our artist Luchezar Boyadjiev, presenting some if his historic works. Our parallel program at the Vienna fair included presentation of the book "Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982-2015)" by Vessela Nozharova and the solo project PHANTASY IS MORE IMPORTANT by Kamen Stoyanov, curated by Boris Kostadinov and presented by FLUCA - Austrian Cultural Pavilion at Notgalerie.
At Artissima we presented selection of artworks including installation, objects, drawings and photography by Pravdoliub Ivanov, Rada Boukova and Luchezar Boyadjiev, part of the DIALOGUE Section of the fair. 

BACKGROUND: YOUNG ARTISTS

      

This year, within the framework of the gallery’s program of presenting artists just starting their professional career "BACKGROUND: Young Artists", we organized an intensive two-day event format, for the first time in Sofia and at two different locations. The first day was for the performative event 15 Minutes of Fame (participants: Viktoria Georgieva, Radostin Sedevchev, Yavor Kostadinov, Elena Nazarova, Alexandra Mileva and Rumen Markov) and the exhibition In the Dark, curated by Vera Mlechevska (Zlatimir Arakliev (photography), Eli Joteva (video)), held in Tell Me bar. On the second day we held the workshop for young artists Portfolio Day (participants: Marchela Apostolova, Stoyan Ilev, Yavor Kostadinov, Radoslav Ninov, Martin Penev, Ivana Petrova, Anton Tsanev​), held at SARIEV Studio. 

PUBLICATIONS 2018

See all our publications here 

 RB/РБ / Rada Boukova
 First monograph of Rada Boukova, published by SARIEV Contemporary
 more here
   


  

 Ladies Only by Lubri
 Catalogue published by SARIEV Contemporary and Ungrateful Bastards on occasion of the exhibition Ladies Only, solo show by Lubri at the gallery
more here

INTRODUCTION TO CONTEMPORARY ART 
by Open Arts Foundation in cooperation with Sariev Contemporary

      

2018 started with a lecture within the Collectors’ Forum by the Spanish collector from Bulgarian origin Luis Bassat - “The Life of a Collector”, held in Sofia. 
The education platform "Introduction to Contemporary Art" expanded with two new projects this year. The first was the publication of the book "Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982– 2015)" by art historian Vessela Nozharova, which is the first comprehensive history of Bulgarian art from the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. It is published in English and Bulgarian and is based on a cycle of lectures delivered by its author within the frames of Open Arts Foundations's platform "Introduction to Contemporary Art". 
In December started openartfiles.bg - a bilingual website that is a database/archive of Bulgarian contemporary art, an online library and an environment for art criticism. It is part of the project "Open Art Files: Topics, People, Spaces, Files in Bulgarian Contemporary Art" (2018-2019) by Open Arts that seeks to popularize Bulgarian contemporary art in Bulgaria and abroad and will also include an exhibition project, an educational panel and working visits by art professionals. The project is part of the official program of Plovdiv – European Capital of Culture 2019.

SELECTED PRESS 2018

Dystopian cozy: An artist's guide to eternal sunshine
An article about Luchezar Boyadjiev's solo show Dystopian Cozy at SARIEV Contemporary and his long-lasting interest and work on the topic of cities and territories
Artsy, 13.02.2018
Author: Dessislava Mileva
read the article
[in English]

Poetry in motion: How one Bulgarian writer created a global mail order community of radical artists
An article about Svep, a visual poetry magazine with contributors from all around the world, founded by the late Vesselin Sariev in 1990
The Calvert Journal, March 2018
Author: Oliver Basciano
read the article
[in English]

The Artist Who Makes Images Stare at Themselves
An article about "Images Staring at Images", artist Krassimir Terziev's first solo show at SARIEV Contemporary (5 April - 28 May 2018)
Artsy, 24.05.2018
Author: Dessislava Mileva
read the article
[in English]
 
Premiere of the book "Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art  (1982 - 2015)"
Author Vessela Nozharova and Vesselina Sarieva talk about the publication "Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982 - 2015)" before its premiere in Sofia on 11 June 2018
Bulgarian National Television, Morning block 'The Day Starts with Culture', 11.06.2018
watch the video
[in Bulgarian]

Ready, steady, biennial!
Nedko Solakov's work Driving Through the Past, With the Present Ahead, and the Future Behind My Back, 2018 among the highlights that you shouldn't miss at the 1st Riga International Biennial
Artterritory.com, 30.05.2018
read the article
[in English]

Postsowjetisches Schaufenster
Valio Thenkov's installation Private Zoo on Stage, 2018 in an article about the 1st Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art
Die Welt, 25.08.2018
Author: Annegret Erhard
read the article
[in German]

Voin de Voin on Life, Art and Politics in Bulgaria
An interview with Voin de Voin on his life, recent work, future plans and his art space Æther in Sofia
Be Duende
read the interview
[in English]
 
The undisguised pleasures of Rada Boukova
A review of Rada Boukova's exhibition "What energy do we put into transforming things, with undisguised pleasure" in SARIEV Contemporary and Catholic Church St. Joseph, Plovdiv
Kultura.bg, 25.09.2018
Author: Dessislava Mileva
read the review
[in Bulgarian]

Curators' agenda choices at Viennacontemporary 2018 
A curators' overview of the fair, including among the accents the participation of Luchezar Boyadjiev presented by SARIEV Contemporary
Blockfrei, 4.10.2018
read the article
[in English]

#ArtissimaLive | THE DEBUT pt. II
Vesselina Sarieva talks about the debut of SARIEV Contemporary at Artssima
ATP Daily, 01.11.2018
read the article
[in English]

A Bulgarian footprint at the Paris fair
An interview with Stefan Nikolaev about his 4-meter monumental sculpture in front of Grand Palais as part of FIAC 2018 program 
BTV, morning block "This morning", 22.10.2018
watch the video
[in Bulgarian]

Vesselina Sarieva - what it is like to be an art dealer in Bulgaria (video)
Vesselina Sarieva talks about what it means to be an art dealer and the responsibility of her mission to represent Bulgaria through its young artists
Dnevnik, 13.11.2018
watch the video
[in Bulgarian]

UPCOMING IN 2019 

EXHIBITIONS

We will start the new year with "!", a solo show by Kamen Stoyanov opening on 11 January. In 2019 we will also present solo shows by our gallery artists Pravdoliub Ivanov, Stefan Nikolaev and Nedko Solakov, as well as more exhibitions by associated curators and artists.  Our first fair for the year will be Art Brussels 25-28 April 2019. Sariev is presenting Martina Vacheva and Valio Tchenkov at the Dialogue section. 

PROJECTS

In February 2019 we will announce our newest project - an international sculpture residency program "Sariev+Markov Artist Residency" in Sofia for established artists. Focus countries next year will be France and USA. This project is developed by Sariev in cooperation with small board including two renowned international curators that will be announced with the launch of the residency.
In 2019 SARIEV Contemporary will be part of the official program of Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture 2019 with two of our projects. During the summer months, we will present the exhibition "BACKGROUND: Young Artists form Plovdiv" in several locations in Plovdiv. In cooperation with Open Arts Foundation within the frames of "Open Art Files: Topics, People, Spaces, Files in Bulgarian Contemporary Art" we will hold an exhibition popularizing the “Open Arts Files” database and the openartfiles.bg website, an educational panel which will be based on the educational platform “Introduction to Contemporary Art”, and working visits and lectures of international art professionals.

Furthermore, we have exciting new projects which we will announce very soon! Stay subscribed to our mailing list to receive info about upcoming fairs throughout the year.
Follow our activities on our website, Artsy and in the social media Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Image credits: 
Installation view from the solo show "Images Staring at Images" by Krassimir Terziev, 5 April - 28 May 2018, SARIEV Contemporary. Photo: Maria Djelebova.
Installation view from the solo show "“What energy do we put into transforming things, with undisguised pleasure”" by Rada Boukova, 6 September - 27 October 2018, held at SARIEV Contemporary and the Catholic Church St. Joseph. Photo: Maria Djelebova.
Installation view from the group show "Immersion - Background: Young Artists from Plovdiv", 1 - 25 November 2018, Bulgarian Embassy in Helsinki
Installation view from the solo show "New Works" by Sirma Sarafova-Orahovac, 30 August - 30 September 2018, gallery Credo Bonum
Installation view of Stefan Nikolaev's monumental sculpture "Streetlight, 2018", exhibited at the entrance of Grand Palais during FIAC 2018. Photo: Mark Domage
Installation view from Nedko Solakov's work "Driving Through the Past, With the Present Ahead, and the Future Behind My Back", 1st Riga International Biennial (2 June - 28 October 2018)
Installation view of SARIEV Contemporary's booth at viennacontemporary 2018, 27 - 30 September 2018. Photo: kunst-dokumentation.com
Installation view of SARIEV Contemporary's booth at Artissima 2018, 2 - 4 November 2018. Photo: Pravdoliub Ivanov
Presentation of the book "Introduction to Bulgarian Contemporary Art (1982-2015)", Sofia City Art Gallery, 11 June 2018. Photo: Merian Nikolova
Screenshot of the website openartfiles.bg
Installation view from the exhibition "In the Dark - Background: Young Artists 2018", 30 June – 1 July 2018, Tell Me bar, Sofia. Photo: Pravdoliub Ivanov
Group photo of the participants in Portfolio Day 2018, 1 July 2018, SARIEV Studio, Sofia. Photo: Detelina Garbatova
Kamen Stoyanov, Phantasy is more important (Triangle in Valentina Castle), 2018