Archives Agency tells story of Haus Wittgenstein in documentary exhibition

published on 5/10/17 11:02 AM]

БНР Новини

Photo: library

Established as a propaganda showcase of socialist art with the personal blessing of then Minister of Culture Lyudmila Zhivkova, daughter of Communist leader Todor Zhivkov, Wittgenstein House has managed to gradually shake off the ideological goals behind its existence and to attract elite audience. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of this Bulgarian cultural institute in Vienna, the Bulgarian Archives State Agency reveals the story of the house in a documentary exhibition.

Wittgenstein House is the first such institute opened in the days of the Cold War in one of the cultural capitals of the capitalist world. It is located in an elegant building designed with the help of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.

"The house was built on the request of Ludwig Wittgenstein's sister," curator of the exhibition Galina Pindikova says. "In 1928, Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein asked her brother for help with the design of a house and he did it together with his friend architect. They created a building with clean, rigid geometric shapes. Of course, its story was marked by vicissitudes and when it was decided that the house would be demolished, Austrian architects established a movement in order to save it. Bulgaria was lucky that this movement was headed by Karl Aubok, whose mother is Bulgarian and knew the Bulgarian ambassador at the time. It is the Austrian architect who suggested that Bulgaria could buy the house, both saving it and aqcuiring a valuable property."

The renovated house opened on January 4, 1977 with an opera concert in the newly-built concert hall and hosted the Bulgarian Research Institute - organizer of scientific conferences and cultural events, Friends of Haus Wittgenstein Association, "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" cultural organisation and many others. More than 300 archive photos and documents that are seen for the first time in the exhibition of the State Archives Agency shed light on the development of this cultural center to the present day.

"It is very difficult to choose the biggest events out of thousands, but one of the memorable moments was in 1984 with the exhibition of 156 Picasso drawings," Galina Pindikova says and adds that many might wonder why Picasso was exhibited. "In those years, communication between the two camps was not so easy. These drawings, however, are owned by Dr. Peter Ludwig, a collector in close contact with our cultural ministry and he agreed to provide them. The exhibition caused great interest and later was shown in the Sofia City Gallery. A great number of Bulgarian artists, sculptors and designers have exhibited their works here. Opera singers are some of the best ambassadors of Bulgarian culture abroad and that is why a great number of concerts have taken place in the house. Many literary readings and theatrical performances have also taken place here. The latest photo we included in the exhibition was taken last year during an exhibition that included works by professor Stoimen Stoilov. Over the years exhibitions have left Wittgenstein House in order to be displayed in major museums throughout Austria."

The documentary exhibition can be seen in the Sredets Hall of the Ministry of Culture until May 11. On May 24, the Day Of Slavonic Alphabet and Bulgarian Culture, the exhibition will open in the Wittgenstein House in Vienna.

English: Alexander Markov

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Archives Agency tells story of Haus Wittgenstein in documentary exhibition

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