The Embassy of Cyprus to Sofia has opened its space for an interesting exhibition of photos and pictures. Photographer Ventsislav Petrov and H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Bulgaria, Mr. Stavros Avgoustides in his artist alter ego met three years ago. They both have been ‘hunting’ inspiring subjects and sites across Sofia ever since and create works of art together.

“Our major purpose is to show unknown interesting cultural aspects of this city,” Ventsislav Petrov says. “This is not only an exhibition, but the launching of an initiative which is about to develop, hopefully in a large scale. The Sofia Fragments event aims at export of culture and support for children in need.”

The revenues are to go to the For Our Children Foundation, supporting children who face difficulties in their development. The initiative belongs to Mr. Avgoustides and the collaboration is successful due to the fact that both artists have discovered their harmony between form and color. Ventsislav Petrov basically likes colors, but in this case he provides the black-and-white photos which artist Stavros Avgoustides completes, in order to bring them to life as pictures.

The Ambassador of Cyprus has graduated political science and economics, but has always keen on architecture. He has opted not for Cultural Diplomacy, but for the diplomacy of culture after all and has been doing his best to popularize art. He doesn’t feel like a foreigner here, but being not local helps him spot things that we take for granted. Playing with his children is the personal thing that inspires him the most. Ventsislav Petrov on the other hand loves planes, just like a grownup kid. The most impressive location within this project found him at the so-called touch point of the Sofia Airport’s track, where the landing gear touches the ground.

After having watched many times a documentary by Maria Zabova, aka Maria of Bells, the photographer and the artist have climbed up together many times the 220 steps up to the roof of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, in order to share the passion and love in the morning and evening bell ringing of the 89-year-old woman.

“I took recently several fellow ambassadors to the cathedral and when they met Maria they realized the spiritual power, endurance and faith of the Bulgarians,” the Cyprus Ambassador says. “She rings those bells no matter wind or snow and the temperatures that are below zero now. I also came up with this idea for a campaign, aiming at the restoration of the cathedral’s murals.”

Do Cyprians and Bulgarians know each other quite well? Mr. Avgoustides says that he has felt our love:

“Some 40,000 Bulgarians live in Cyprus and they have their life organized – with their own schools etc. I had the honor to accompany President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev during his visit to Cyprus in November 2017. One of the occasions for the voyage was the unveiling of a Vassil Levski street at the Lakatamia Municipality. We felt the closeness of the two nations there. Both Bulgarians and Cyprians welcomed us in traditional folklore clothing and danced together. It was thrilling! We share the same values and we are brothers!” H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Bulgaria, Mr. Stavros Avgoustides says in conclusion.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev