It is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when a crisis starts. Often a small error in the algorithm causes an entire system to crash. In recent years, we have learned to live in state of a permanent crisis - political, social, environmental, personal. It is as if we have reached the moment when the message "Error" does not raise questions about the issue, but makes us search for an escape, a shortcut or we even sometimes stay in the comfort zone of the problem and learn to live with it as if it has always been a part of us. It is these reflections that form the basis of the seventh group exhibition "Art Start", in which "Goethe Institute" - Bulgaria and Credo Bonum Gallery in Sofia continue the tradition of selecting and presenting young artists whose creative careers are worth following this year.

The theme "Error ...message delivered" has provoked 11 Bulgarian visual artists to present their view on permanent uncertainty and the rethinking of the superfluous through the language of contemporary art. The "Art Start" project started in 2017 with the so-called "gaps" (free dates for interesting exhibitions) in the Goethe Institute's exhibition space, one of the founders of the project, art critic Vesela Nozharova, tells us.

Since the first edition of "Art Start", remarkable artists have emerged who are among the leading names in Bulgaria at the moment, Nozharova tells Radio Bulgaria and adds that for seven years the project has given a platform to more than 90 young artists, as about 20 of them have built serious career in Bulgaria and abroad.

Art Start has given courage to many young artists that it is worth investing efforts in being an artist. Many of them live, study and work abroad, which is a phenomenon. The truth is that the Bulgarian art education system fails to produce a sufficiently competitive product part of world art trends. This is worrying and the selection for Art Start over the years proves it. The artists who studied only in Bulgaria represent a very small percentage of participants. "Unfortunately, art education in our country focuses on technique, gives knowledge about drawing, and I'm not saying that being technical in painting is bad, but it doesn't provide the broad view and perspective on modern times and art today.”

There is also a deficit in terms of professional curators, art critics and theorists, Vesela Nozharova also says, but adds that artists are extremely active.

"There has been an impressive art boom in Bulgaria for two or three years now. Just in Sofia, you can see five exhibition openings within a single day. There are many artists from abroad who want to come and show their work in Bulgaria, because at the moment we have a very vibrant and open art scene.”

For the first time since the beginning of the "Art Start" project, Vesela Nozharova will observe the exhibition only as a spectator and specialist. This year, the selection of authors is entrusted to two young artists - Sofia Dimova and Pavel Naydenov. Both of them are former Art Start participants with international education. Pavel Naydenov, in addition to being an artist, is also a musician living in Vienna. Sofia Dimova graduated in 2019 with a degree in "Fine Arts" at the Minerva Academy (Groningen, the Netherlands), but returned to her homeland the following year.

"Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get used to living there, but it was also a kind of blessing," Sofia Dimova tells Radio Bulgaria. The moment I arrived in the Netherlands, I knew that after completing my education I wanted to return to Bulgaria so that I could be a bridge between the Motherland and the West, and I am happy that this is starting to happen. With the Art Start exhibition, I gave a platform to my colleagues whom I admire to show their works to a native audience."

Speaking about the exhibition this year, Sofia Dimova says that we will see the works of many talented young Bulgarian artists who are currently living and studying abroad. She adds that she sees a growing trend - their desire to return, or at least to strengthen their relationship with Bulgaria. Only time will tell whether “an error” will occur in delivering the message from and to the young Bulgarian artists.

Who are the interesting young Bulgarian artists we should follow this year - the answer is provided by the exhibition "Error ...message delivered", part of the "Art Start 2023" project, held until June 16 in two locations - the Credo Bonum Gallery and the Goethe-Institut Gallery in Sofia.

English: Al. Markov

Photos:Credo Bonum Gallery