On 24 Nov the exhibition, Expressionism: the Eternal Dance of Life opened at the Archives State Agency. The idea for the display came in connection with the 150^th birth anniversary of celebrated Norwegian expressionist artist Edvard Munch. His piece The Scream is one of the most famous and most expensive paintings in the world. The name of the exhibition was in part borrowed from a cycle of Edvard Munch’s works – Frieze of Life. The trend of expressionism emerged in the early 20 c. and has left worthy works of European art and literature.

The project highlights the influence of expressionism on Bulgarian artists – in 20 c. and today. The exhibition has been supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. More in an interview for Radio Bulgaria given by Natasha Dimcheva, expert at the Archives State Agency and leader of the project:

„With the emergence of expressionism a few Bulgarian artists were influenced by its style and themes. The strong and emotionally dense interpretation of suffering in Munch has impacted on the development of expressionism, one of the most powerful socio-political trends in world art. His creative legacy is a source of inspiration and is a way to reinvent human nature.”

Today theArchives State Agency keeps a string of private archives of Bulgarian artists including their works of art and various documents. The exhibition seeks to formulate the Bulgarian inputs in expressionism. It features pieces by outstanding painters like Asen Vasilev, Ivan Milev, Bistra Vinarova, Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, Ivan Nenov, Sirak Skitnik, Alexander Dobrinov and other creative minds that came under influence from expressionism. Furthermore, the exhibition spans a bridge to the new generation in Bulgarian art.

„Especially for the project we have invited for a symposium several young artists who created wonderful works”, Natasha Dimcheva says. “They are five – Ema Vankova, Nora Ampova, Kalia Kalacheva, Teresa Zikopoulou and Radoslav Dimitrov-Badulya.Their wonderful works display a remarkable continuity in art between the young artists and their celebrated predecessors.”