online
Dimitar Solakov / Iana Boukova / Kalin Serapionov / Kosta Tonev / Luchezar Boyadjiev / Maria Nalbantova / Michail Michailov / Mitch Brezounek / Pravdoliub Ivanov / Rudi Ninov / Snejanka Mihaylova / Stefan Nikolaev / Stela Vasileva / Vitto Valentinov / Voin de Voin / Zara Alexandrova / Zoran Georgiev
27 March 2020 – 13 May 2020
-
On March 27th, 2020 Sariev Gallery launched an ongoing project #sarievselfisolation in the situation of self-isolation provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
#sarievselfisolation is a laboratory where the gallery was curating and presenting works of art, texts, videos, sounds, and images that express thoughts on this moment in the life of our world and visions about its tomorrow.
#sarievselfisolation was presenting new works created or developed in March and April 2020 after the invitation by Vesselina Sarieva and Katrin Sarieva. Each artist was in focus for 3-4 days.
The first stage of the project was between March 27th, 2020 and May 13th, 2020 – during the official lockdown in Bulgaria. In this time frame were presented Mitch Brezounek, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Dimitar Solakov, Kosta Tonev, Rudi Ninov, Maria Nalbantova, Snejanka Michailova, Michail Michailov and Zara Alexandrova. The selection was presented under the hashtag #sarievselfisolation on the channels of Sariev gallery in instagram, Twitter , and Facebook as well on the website of the gallery.
With the launch of the documentary film “#sarievselfisolation Pandemic Diaries”, 2020 by Kalin Serapionov and #sarievselfisolation Viewing room on Sariev gallery website in July 2020 are presented the artists Luchezar Boyadjiev, Stefan Nikolaev, Vitto Valentinov and Zoran Georgiev who also created works for #sarievselfisolation.
Vesselina and Katrin thank the artists for the great collaboration, the followers for their reactions, the collectors and the media for their interest!
-
We invite you to take a look on #sarievselfisolation here:
Viewing room #sarievselfisolation here – link
Documentary “#sarievselfisolation Pandemic Diaries”, 2020 by Kalin Serapionov here - link
-
The creation of the film and the viewing room are supported by Plovdiv Municipality.
-
PRESS
SPECIAL FEATURE: #sarievselfisolation, Art Viewer, 20.05.2020
Interview with Mich Brezounek - Hristo Botev Bulgarian National Radio, Artefir, 02.04.2020
Boyscout - Against thr isoaltion 30.03.2020
Momichetata ot Grada 30.03.2020
Capital - Izkustvo pod kljuch - Selection of online project during pandemia 10.04.2020
Vesselina Sarieva : After the pandemic, there will be new art and a new artistic environment - Dnevnik 10.04.2020
---
Dear friends,
This emergency situation in the world, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has forced us, similarly to all our colleagues, to close the doors of Sariev Gallery in Plovdiv for the prescribed period.
However, since our work has never been limited by the physical space of the gallery, art and thinking have been our passion for life; the artists with whom we work, the curators and writers are our family and friends; we as gallerists do not close the doors of our spiritual space and remain in constant contact with our circle by exchanging thoughts, ideas and visions.
Living in self-isolation and like everyone who follows the news, we feel that many people in the world are trying to consider the time in which we live from a different perspective or in a different vision from the one provided by the media. We know that art is what can connect us with the answers within us.
Beyond every familiar manner in which we curate exhibitions and projects, we decided to select images from our correspondence with the artists from the beginning of the pandemic, to invite more artists whose work inspires us to share with us works of art, visions, texts, videos, and sounds that express their thoughts on this global situation and their visions of tomorrow. They are artists, but also people like us, and we believe that you will feel them closer than ever.
You can find our selection in the next weeks under the hashtag #sarievselfisolation in the channels of Sariev in instagram, Twitter , and Facebook .
We are optimistic that the hope for tomorrow and the belief in today will be the contagion that will give us life.
Stay healthy!
Katrin and Vesselina Sarievi, Sariev Gallery
Luchezar Boyadjiev
"Sofia needs to enjoy (a lake, a Ferris Wheel, a climb up Vitosha Mountain)", 2020
drawing
Pravdoliub Ivanov
A dream I had on March 24th 2020
drawing 29.5 х 21 cm From the series Quarantine, started March 2020 24.03.2020 By 3 in the afternoon I fill dizzy and went to bed. I dreamed that people could see into the future by wearing a simple medical mask put on eyes. I saw a lot of people around me doing it. I moved my mask from the mouth to my eyes and saw how some compelling, invisible force drives the right-handers had to do everything with the left hand and vice versa, the left-handers had to do everything with the right hand. The world was the same, but much more awkwardly made. I couldn’t understand why everything had the same yellow-reddish color. At first, I decided that everything was made of copper, but then I looked as if things were smeared with iodine. David woke me up by running into bedroom shouting - Dad, we’re making a movie with Mom. / Pravdoliub Ivanov
Kosta Tonev
Best goddamned bartender... (The Shining), 2020
2 photographs 30 х 30 cm (each) Photographs documenting a series of collages on the window of the artist's home. Subtitles from “The Shining” (1980). View the work in details here The artist transforms his living room window into a movie screen, which displays subtitles from famous moments in film history. Thus, his everyday life, seen from the position of his neighbors, becomes a mosaic of movie scenes dedicated to the isolation of the individual and the attempt to reenact social interactions.
Stefan Nikolaev
DEADLINE, 2020
engraved granite, gold leaf
Kalin Serapionov
Drawing of an Elder Woman (#5), April 2020
Video, sound, 115 sec.
Iana Boukova
Fears leading to insanity (excerpt), 2017 - 2020
There are topics where it is a symptom the very fact that they are called "current". Victorians are said to have talked about death all the time, but never about sex. Like Victorians with a reverse sign, we constantly talk about sex, never about death.
Kosta Tonev
Here's to 5 miserable months on the wagon... (The Shining), 2020
Video 30 sec. https://vimeo.com/407646424
Zara Alexandrova
It's a Girl (after Margaret Atwood), 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper 
Kosta Tonev
It's probably nothing, it's just a little neighborhood murder (Rear Window), 2020
photography 30 х 30 cm a photography documenting a collage on the window of the artist's home. Subtitles from “Rear Window” (1954).
Dimitar Solakov
Let Humanity Tip Over. I Need Fewer Priorities., 2020
3d render “Things are changing, like they’ve always have in an endless cycle, and humanity still cannot realise just how fragile it is, where its place in this cycle is. So little of what people think and worry about is meaningful. They cling to the superficial, feeding greed, which grows more and more powerful and reckless. The tower of collective greed must topple. Let humanity tip over. I need fewer priorities.” March 2020, Dimitar Solakov View the work in details here
Maria Nalbantova
Malaysian Tigress, 2020
9,3 х 5,5 х 2 сm soap, water tattoo, acrylic unique work Part of a series ‘Brave New Hygiene’, 2020 Brave New Hygiene, 2020 We are constantly given advice and instructions about how to wash hands – a major barrier against spreading infections. Using the simplest means of hygiene – the soap, we are protecting both ourselves and our loved ones. We are washing away doubt, problems and danger. Handwashing has become a ritual. The soap is now a field of interpretation regarding both the existence of the community and the issue of how to deal with a crisis. / Maria Nalbantova, Sofia, April 14th, 2020
Maria Nalbantova
Palm Beach, 2020
7,8 х 4,8 х 11 сm soap, cocktail umbrella edition number 1/3 Part of a series ‘Brave New Hygiene’, 2020 Brave New Hygiene, 2020 We are constantly given advice and instructions about how to wash hands – a major barrier against spreading infections. Using the simplest means of hygiene – the soap, we are protecting both ourselves and our loved ones. We are washing away doubt, problems and danger. Handwashing has become a ritual. The soap is now a field of interpretation regarding both the existence of the community and the issue of how to deal with a crisis. / Maria Nalbantova, Sofia, April 14th, 2020
Maria Nalbantova
Pink dreams, 2020
8,5 x 5 x 2 cm image transfer on soap edition number 1/3 Part of a series ‘Brave New Hygiene’, 2020 Brave New Hygiene, 2020 We are constantly given advice and instructions about how to wash hands – a major barrier against spreading infections. Using the simplest means of hygiene – the soap, we are protecting both ourselves and our loved ones. We are washing away doubt, problems and danger. Handwashing has become a ritual. The soap is now a field of interpretation regarding both the existence of the community and the issue of how to deal with a crisis. / Maria Nalbantova, Sofia, April 14th, 2020
Zoran Georgiev
Placebo for Anti-vaxxers, 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper
Mitch Brezounek
Plovdiv 2020, 2020
folder consisting 11 printed digital drawings 42 х 29 cm each signed and dated March 2020 Edition 50 View the works in details here “In the dark days of the coronavirus, stuck in my flat on the 6th floor in Plovdiv, I can observe the behavior of the population during isolation. Being an anthropologist, I started drawing to record the stereotypes of my fellow citizens. Between imagination and reality, this series of drawings "Plovdiv 2020" emerged, which gives another perspective or even brings a smile in the corner of your mouth without assuaging the situation.“ Mitch Brezounek
Michail Michailov
Roaming, 2020
HD video, 4'25''
Zoran Georgiev
Sad Protester, 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper
Zara Alexandrova
She Had to Stay at Home (after Margaret Atwood), 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper 
Vitto Valentinov
SIGNALS, Morse Code Blinking Messages (#2), May, 2020
Video, sound, 1:55 min. 
Vitto Valentinov
SIGNALS, Morse Code Blinking Messages (#1), May, 2020
Video, sound, 2:20 min. 
Vitto Valentinov
SIGNALS, Morse Code Blinking Messages (#3), May, 2020
Video, sound, 1:37 min. 
Zoran Georgiev
Small Tribute to the Big Waste of Time, 2020
aquarelle, acid free paper
Zoran Georgiev
Social Distancing Shopping Bag, 2020
aquarelle, acid free paper
Voin de Voin
Study 3, 2020
photography, digital collage
Voin de Voin
Study, 2020
pen drawing on wall paper
Zoran Georgiev
T.I.N.A., 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper
Zoran Georgiev
To Dr. Li, 2020
aquarelle, acid free paper
Snejanka Mihaylova
Translation of Psalm 22 in Feelings
by Snejanka Mihailova in a dialogue with Philip Baber
Rudi Ninov
Untitled #1 ( after Charles Mingus’ Pithecanthropus Erectus 1956), 2020
ink on paper
Rudi Ninov
Untitled #22 (after Charles Mingus’ Pithecanthropus Erectus 1956), 2020
ink on paper
Rudi Ninov
Untitled #28 (after Charles Mingus’ Pithecanthropus Erectus 1956), 2020
ink on paper
Kosta Tonev
Untitled (Rear Window), 2020
Photography
Pravdoliub Ivanov
Untitled, 2020
drawing
Pravdoliub Ivanov
Untitled, 2020
drawing
Stela Vasileva
Untitled, 2020
paper, watercolor
Stela Vasileva
Untitled, 2020
paper, mechanical pencil 0.5 mm, red color pencil
Zara Alexandrova
Women's Shelter 2, 2020
aquarelle, acid-free paper 
Kosta Tonev
You talkin 'to me? (Taxi Driver), 2020
4 photographs 30 х 30 cm (each) Photographs documenting a series of collages on the window of the artist's home. Subtitles from “Taxi Driver” (1976). View the work in details here The artist transforms his living room window into a movie screen, which displays subtitles from famous moments in film history. Thus, his everyday life, seen from the position of his neighbors, becomes a mosaic of movie scenes dedicated to the isolation of the individual and the attempt to reenact social interactions.
Kosta Tonev
You talkin' to me? (Taxi Driver) 2020
Video 30 sec https://vimeo.com/407647617