The National Gallery
Sofia Arsenal – Museum of Contemporary Art
presents
How I Like You
Bojidar Bonchev
Georgi Ruzhev
Iva Yaranova
Mariana Vassileva
Momchil Georgiev
Yuliy Takov
Curator: Nadezhda Dzhakova
7 November 2024–5 January 2025
Vernissage: Thursday, 7 November, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
SAMCA, 2, Cherni Vrah Blvd., Sofia
‘How I Like You’ presents the poetically ironic view of their surroundings by six contemporary artists. They reveal the way they perceive themselves, how others perceive them, and in what times they are living. Using the autobiographical approach as a means of self-expression and the search for a personal identity, the artists examine cultural, religious, political and social themes, focusing on self-reflection and criticising the notion of private and public space. The exhibition is part of the long-term Autobiography Project of curator Nadezhda Dzhakova.
Bojidar Bonchev transforms ceramic material from a utilitarian model into a postmodernist narrative. In his ‘Attempts at Portrait’, the artist mirrors himself. These self-portraits contain different concepts of expression and narration—a blend of sculptural form and pictorial superimposition, basic volumes and intriguing details, colour spots and idealistic landscapes.
Georgi Ruzhev likes to reincarnate as a mythological figure, a music star or a film actor. The 1977 poster of the Sex Pistols band and the artist’s photo collage of himself as its frontman Johnny Rotten refer to the anarchist and punk events during the 1990s rallies and marches in which Ruzhev was involved.
Iva Yaranova brings to the exhibition portraits of collectors—people who are part of her artistic milieu. We see not only images of friends, but a situation where the collectors are depicted in a magical world surrounding them. Behind every pictorial work by the artist are many hidden stories, imbued with divergent signs that demand to be unriddled.
Mariana Vassileva is a multimedia artist who has been living and working for years in Berlin. In the video, ‘Never Carry Two Watermelons Under One Arm’, she quotes popular expressions used by her grandmother. Today, in a different sociocultural context, these lessons from childhood are surprisingly repeated.
Momchil Georgiev builds an instantly recognisable imagerial system, on which he has been working for years: a solid black contour constructs a male head, contrasting against a pastel-vibrating background. The artist gives concreteness to this form in portraits of friends—colleagues who have played a significant role in his life.
Yuliy Takov continues the series of paintings he has been working on for the past two years, depicting his long journey into a mysterious reality. In the infinite interpretation of the surrounding world, the artist gets caught up in many battles and faces obstacles, but finds ways to overcome them.
For further information:
Nadezhda Dzhakova, Head of SAMCA
+359 (0) 879 834 030