In the heart of Sofia Еxhibition 

11 February - 09 March 2020
Exhibition hall „2019“, 32 Gladston Str., Plovdiv

IN THE HEART OF SOFIA
European presence in the contemporary architectural face of the Bulgarian capital

The exhibition presents the architectural heritage in the contemporary look of Sofia reflected by the works of Bulgarian artists, which testifies to the presence of European architects in the country or Bulgarian ones, most of whom have received their professional education in the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Germany and elsewhere. The works selected for the traveling exhibition are by famous artists such as Nikola Tanev, Nayden Petkov, Canko Lavrenov, Aleksandar Stamenov, Denyu Chokanov, Vladimir Kavaldjiev, Todor Hadjinikolov and others. The architectural monuments, that are perpetuated in their works include: the National Assembly, the Monument of the Tsar Liberator, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Eagles’ Bridge, Sofia University, Banya Bashi Mosque, the Sofia Synagogue, and the medieval city emblems – the Saint Sophia Church and the Church of Saint George.

Other featured works show elements of the country’s recent past, which have often sparked active public debate in recent years such as the Monument of the Soviet Army, and the destroyed Mausoleum. A number of prominent architects such as Václav Prošek (Czech Republic), Friedrich Grünanger (Austria), Ludwig Richter (Vienna), Hermann Helmer (Germany), Peter Paul Brang (Romania), Viktor Rumpelmayer (Slovakia), Arnaldo Zòcchi (Italy), Daniel Neff (Switzerland), and others have taken part in the construction of all these architectural sites, which reveal the rich and centuries-old history of the Bulgarian capital. The Bulgarian Architectural School, which takes pride in their professional basis of alumni of Western European architectural centers, presents the sites of architects Naum Torbov, Ivan Vasilyov, Pencho Koichev, Nikola Lazarov, Sava Ovcharov and others.

The exhibition grants the opportunity to evaluate both the current state of architectural diversity in the city and its historical development, while details of the personal and creative paths of artists and architects, as well as the architectural sites themselves, most of which are included in the list of immovable cultural monuments of national importance, allows the construction of a rich and intriguing story about the presence of Europe in one from the most ancient and vibrant cities of the Old Continent.

Exhibition team: Plamen V. Petrov – author of the concept, Ramona Dimova – organizer, Natasha Noeva, Nikoleta Gologanova, Ramona Dimova, and Plamen V. Petrov – authors of the edition; Ilinka Chergarova – renovator