An exhibition opened yesterday at the gallery of the Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA) entitled “Light” and showcasing textiles, combining traditional and new techniques. Textile is a material widely used in contemporary art for the transformation of the most diverse artistic ideas. Many artists prefer to use it both in traditional ways and also combining it with other materials – for example, for different installations, artistic initiatives, etc. Here's more from Michaela Padeva, secretary of the Textiles section at the UBA in an interview for Radio Bulgaria:

"As an example I can give Christo, who works entirely with textiles, but we cannot call it a textile artist, because he is not bound by his material, but with his idea. We set ourselves a similar objective – first it is important to have an idea of value. And second - to serve this idea with a suitable material. The concept in a work is the most important thing."

"Nowadays we are much more free and have the absolute right and opportunity to be innovative in mixing the materials, in selecting them and in the way we show and combine them”, Mihaela Padeva continues. “Digital art is also entering our field, and very actively at that. Yesterday in a gallery I watched works on handmade cardboard, handmade different elements, but inside, in the center, the work is digital. We can all already mix things if the result is good. Such is our exhibition. In part of it we can see filmed textiles. Or fibers embedded in resin. And more: painting on traditional rugs with oil paints. One can also see works on paper which is also considered a relative of textiles as it is made of plant fibers. But at the same time it is flexible and allows being twisted just as fabrics. There are also classic fabrics, but used in a new way and many other interesting ideas. "

One of the most interesting works in the exhibition is that of Prof. Ani Boyadjieva woven from transparent small tubes. The exhibition presents artists from different generations. We can see for example a tapestry of the great Bulgarian artist Georgi Baev /1924-2007/. And not far from it - a curious student work. From the middle generation is artist Valentin Donchevski, whose works present the intersection of old tradition and new means of expression.

"I present two works based on the principle of collage as for many year I have been using the Bulgarian rug that once I used to paint and now I decorate with appliqués. These are hand-woven rugs that are 70-100 years old, they carry history and beauty inside, they are quaint and have the charm of old time, folklore, kindness, hard work, pragmatism, and aesthetics. I have always been astonished by this - how can the sky recreated by the hands of the Bulgarian woman receive an earthly countenance. Part of the dowry of my grandmother was burned years ago in the yard when selling a house in the village, and I could not save these rugs. So what was left of my grandmother, I could use it in my paintings and thus gave these objects a new life.”

English version: Rossitsa Petcova