RESTORATION OF MEMORY. THE NOT/KNOWN ARTISTS FROM ONE PICTURE

10 Юли 2014 - 29 Септември 2014

The work of Asen Vasilev Discussing a picture is at the base of the exhibition presented in Vaska Emanuilova gallery. Created in the middle of the last century, the work has been repeatedly included in exhibitions, but for a long time the personalities depicted in it remained unknown to the general public and to professionals alike. The scientific curiosity of Ilinka Chergarova and Plamen Petrov, after almost two years’ work, helped those "gone dumb" and steeped in oblivion images to come to life again.
Researches show that on the canvas are depicted some of the most prominent artists from Kyustendil: Vladimir Dimitrov - the Master, Ivan Nenov, Krum Kyulyavkov, Kiril Tsonev, Bogomir Lazov, Stoyan Venev, Boris Kolev, Dragan Lozenski, Boris Eliseev, Lyuben Stoimenov, Ivan Yordanov, Grigor Popdimitrov, Vasil Evtimov, Nikola Ivanov – Shanata, Raina Evtimova, Evtim Tomov, Bogomir Lehchanski, Asen Yanchev, Vladimir (Pop)Grigorov, Mordechai Bentsion and the author of the picture himself - Asen Vasilev. The authors of the research encountered an impressive detail of the work, that reveals his closeness to the famous fresco by the Italian painter Raphael – The School of Athens (Scuola di Atene).
For viewers, the team that set up the exposition, has selected works by each depicted in the picture artist, most of which have not been displayed for decades. Besides works by not very well known artists, in the halls of the gallery can be viewed paintings by the Master, Kiril Tsonev and others that surprise and present in a novel for us aspect their abundant artistic talent. Among the prevailing paintings are included graphic prints and sculptures.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog in which the process of exploring the Discussion of a painting is tracked, and on each of the depicted on the canvas characters is presented a brief prosopographical reference that to some of the artists provides the only currently available information. For better understanding of the time and context in which the picture of Asen Vasiliev appears, in the edition is published an insightful analysis by Professor Evgeniya Kalinova on culture and ideological imperative behind the Iron Curtain in the early Cold War.
The exhibition features works from the collections of the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria Shalom, Art Gallery – Kyustendil Vladimir Dimitrov - the Master, and Sofia City Art Gallery, the latter two institutions being co-organizers in the preparation and creation of the exhibition and the catalog.

Asen Vasiliev (1900–1981)
Discussing a picture, 1952
oil on canvas, 102 x 129 cm
Sofia City Art Gallery

Some participants in the General Art Exhibition in Kyustendil 1930 – Bogomir Lazov, Stoyan Venev, Dragan Lozenski, St.. Shishkov (friend of the artists), Lyuben Gaydarov, Bogomir Lehchanski (left to right)

The Interior, portrayed in the picture of Asen Vasiliev – one of the classrooms in Otets Paysiy school, Kyustendil. A look at the 1st National Art Exhibition in the town since 1930.