Text: Magdalena Gigova
Works by teachers at the National School of Arts in Plovdiv: Antonia Fingarova, Vanya Godzhelova, Dimitar Kelbechev, Keti Georgieva, Kristina Kutlova, Mihail Malamski, Paulina Stoyanova, Petar Chuchuligov, Plamen Velchev, Polina Todorova, Svetlozar Chavdarov, and Hristo Zhekov, and three artists associated with the school: Yordan Velchev, Tsvetana Gumelya and Yanko Nenov, will soon be on display at the Prof. Vasil Gerov Hall of the ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ National Endowment Fund.
The ‘Serigraphy’ exhibition opens on 27 September 2022. For those unfamiliar with the term, we clarify: ‘serigraphy’ is derived from two ancient Greek roots: ‘seri’ (screen) and ‘graphos’ (write). Printing consists of applying a thick layer of ink over a base of fabric, synthetic material, paper, card, plastic, glass… and is realised with the aid of a mesh stretched over a frame, on which is prepared a stencil of the image to be printed.
The graphic works come from ‘Studio S’ serigraphy atelier at the Tsanko Lavrenov National School of Arts. All the prints were produced on Fabriano handmade paper with high quality EUROINKS products. The ‘Studio S’ collection demonstrates the rich technological possibilities of serigraphy and includes works by famous artists realised through individual creative approaches.
Established in November 2012 with equipment donated by the Bulgarian Association of Contemporary Graphic and Print, an associate member of FESPA, the serigraphy atelier is housed in the National Secondary School of Arts in Plovdiv.
The goals of ‘Studio S’ are to promote and teach the unique possibilities of graphic reproduction of works of art. During Graphic Art classes, the pupils of the Tsanko Lavrenov Art School learn about the art of serigraphy and are given the opportunity to create their own graphics.
The specific methods applied in the printing of the graphics are overseen by the Atelier’s umdrücker master, Sabi Sabev, who advises the artists, sharing his professional skills and experience.
The exhibition will be on display in the NEF ‘13 centuries of Bulgaria’ gallery until the end of October.
The creative and friendly relations between the Fund and the Tsanko Lavrenov Art School date back to 1988, when a donation by Maria Staykova, a Bulgarian from Australia, was registered for the first time. She is the daughter of Anastas Staykov, the first Rhodopean artist to receive an academic education, later specialising at the French Académie Julian in Paris. Dr Staykova herself is a neuroimmunologist, and has worked for many years at the Australian National University in Canberra.
With Dr Staykova’s financial support in memory of her father, an award in his name was set up in 1990, and is presented every year by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ to the top graduates in various specialisms at the Tsanko Lavrenov National Secondary School of Arts.