The "Steel Ladies" by world-famous sculptor Zhivko Sedlarski debut in Bulgaria

published on 9/19/24 1:21 PM

Zhivko Sedlarski

Photo: Veneta Nikolova

Fashion that you can't wear, but that will inspire you. Exquisite dresses, not made of lace or silk, but of metal. Zhivko Sedlarski's exquisite sculptures are owned by museums, galleries and private collections on 3 continents, earning him the nickname "The Knight of the Steel Ladies".

A few days ago, the Bulgarian artist, who has lived in France for the better half of his life, arrived in Bulgaria to launch a series of exhibitions dedicated to his work. The beginning of this peculiar "aesthetic offensive" was set on September 16 in the capital's "Mission" gallery with the exhibition "Haute couture - Haute soudure" (High Fashion - High Welding). The show features 30 of his sculptures of the steel dresses that have made the Bulgarian sculptor famous around the world.

Over the years, his "steel ladies" have become a sensation. They now grace the parks of castles, city squares, museums and galleries. "Since 2008 I've only been making clothes," Sedlarsky tells Radio Bulgaria, adding that he is inspired by femininity and the flow of matter in space.

"I watch a lot of fashion shows and that's where I got the name for my series, which is all about clothes and covers the whole period since 2008. The title of the exhibition is a play on words - Haute Couture, Haute Soudure, soudure meaning "to weld". So I make haute weld, because my haute couture dresses are not made of fabric, but of metal," says Sedlarski.

The Bulgarian artist works with various materials - metal, resin, copper, wood, granite... His clothes breathe with life, they are minimalist and elegant. They have ethereal names like "Breeze", "Rainbow in the Night", "White Silence"... But the author claims not to be interested in fashion.

"I watch fashion shows only to catch the movement of the model wearing a dress. I want to capture the moment - whether it's the breeze, whether it's the stride, whether it's the movement of the woman doing something spatially interesting and sculpting a form. And now, at the suggestion of my curator Albena Nenkova, we are presenting a series of drawings alongside my sculptures. They are preparatory studies for a future sculpture. The exhibition coincides with the premiere of the book-album dedicated to my work," says Sedlarski.

The world-famous artist has lived in France for 33 years. His life took a turn at the beginning of the 1990s:

"After the fall of the Iron Curtain and the economic crisis in Bulgaria, culture was hit the hardest. It is always the first victim of a crisis. And I realised that for a long time I would not be able to express myself with the means I had learnt. "I went to France with my wife - anywhere, really - just to continue expressing myself plastically and to be able to communicate with people in my own way," Sedlarski recalls.

His undeniable talent quickly garnered admirers. He opened his own studio, and soon commissions began pouring in from around the globe.

In 2011, Sedlarski was invited to represent Bulgaria at a major exhibition organised by the EU with his work "War of Peace". Two years later, his elegant gowns on display in the cathedral of a small Breton town caused a sensation. And in 2017, the master had a solo exhibition, again in France, with students of the designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

So far, Bulgarian audiences have had rare but memorable encounters with Sedlarsky. By the end of the year he will have 4 more exhibitions in the country. The next one will open on September 19 at 6pm, when the sculptor's "steel ladies" will transform the capital's National Palace of Culture (NDK) into a fashion venue, kicking off the palace's autumn cultural calendar.