Camera: Evgeni Bogdanov, Tsvetelina Borisova
Edit: Under7floor
Music: Apparat, Georgi Ruzhev

“THE BULGARIANS ARE COMING”

Bulgarian Cultural Institute
21 – 28 October 2013, 19:00 h.
Working hours for period 22-28.10.2013, 10:00 – 18:30

Address:
188 Queen’s Gate
South Kensington
London
SW7 5HL
www.bcilondon.co.uk
+44 (0) 207 591 0179

Standpoint Gallery
24th October – one day presentation
18:30 – 21:00

Address:
45 Coronet Street
London N1 6HD
www.standpointlondon.co.uk
+44 207 739 4921

A show dedicated to free exchange of ideas and collaborations between artists form different nations.
The idea behind this show is provoked by the last UK press prediction of mass immigration in 2014 by Bulgarians and Romanians with allowed work permit.

The artworks to be shown are of UK based artists and Bulgarian artists, all participants of the Water tower art fest – an artist run initiative.

Water tower art fest is the biggest event with its 7 years history in the development of contemporary arts in alternative spaces with socially engaged artworks from national and international artist’s participants in Bulgaria.
The UK based artists participation is the most prominent one. On that basis we have decided to extend the festival presentation in collaboration and support by them artists in London and show the positive act of communicating through the arts, beyond the limits of national and European politics of the day.

The festival has proved to be the most respectable event in the contemporary art scene in Bulgaria with its international artist’s profile. Throughout the years we have established the free way of communication between artists, institutions and audience by using abandoned buildings as a place for our exhibitions, involving artists from all around the world(last edition included – 900 artists participated so far).
Starting from a small scale initiative with mind liked people around abandoned water tower in Sofia, thus placing the right motivation and act of being socially engaged through the arts has proved to be the most successful event in the history of contemporary arts in Bulgaria. The collaborations made during the festival have extended themselves outside Europe, making an independent network for artistic exchange and communication.

www.watertowerartfest.com
www.facebook.com/watertowerartfest

Nia Pushkarova – Festival Director and curator, artist living in Sofia, Bulgaria. Graduated at Reading University – Fine arts, 1995.

Artists:
Alexandra McGllynn (UK) – “He said that I am the way” voices landscape presentation
Andrey Vrabchev (BG) – object #1
Andy Broadey (UK) – “Still” 2013 a presentation at Standpoint Gallery and “Sight Seeing – Photography “2012
Anna Simeonoff (BG) – print series: “Idioms- Anatomists”
Arran Poole and Mark Summers (UK) an improvised music concert
Caitlin and Andrew Webb – Ellis (UK/Canada) – video
Claire Halpin (UK) – “Micro-aviary 1” drawing
Emil Mirazchiev (BG) – video film: “Marlene”
Galya Yotova (BG) – photography installation
Gareth Bell Jones (UK)
Herve Constant (UK) video films
Hitomi Kammai (JP/UK) – sculpture “Roses”
John O’Hare (UK) – installation
Juan DelGado (UK) photography “The Wounded Image” (2002),
Kenneth G. Hay and Seetha A – Moorland Productions (UK) – installation
Marieta Tsenova (BG)
Nia Pushkarova (BG) – title of work: Paintings series of “I am your balance” and video film: “The Expulsion of Adam and Eve”
Remi Merchant (UK) photography
Vessela Mihailova and Tiago Martins (BG &Portugal) – interactive sound installation

Article in The Bite Magazine – Autumn Winter 2013.

/// Vidin
21st September 2013, from 18:30 to 22:30
The Vidin Synagogue

Artists:
So Far Channel :: Mara Goldwyn & Maxfield Gassmann (USA) participatory installation:
Радио сxаx
רדיו סכך
RADIO S’CHACH

Aleks Angelov & Prodan Markov – performance Vsevolod Danger Music
Georgi Ruzhev
Dcnstrct – YvesO

Whit kind support of:
Embassy of the United States Sofia, Vidin Municipality, Shalom Organization

/// Stara Zagora – part of Razlichniat Pogled Youth Festival
22nd September 2013

More about the event: here.

This is the programme for Water Tower Art Fest 2012, feel free to download.

Promo video for WTAF 2013 – Temporary Protected Spaces
Art Direction: Water Tower Art Fest Team
Camera: Toni Stoev
Edit: Alexandra Nenkova
Music: Apparat – Sweet Unrest
With the kind support and equipement from http://www.photopavilion.com/

Greeting letter to wish the festival good luck:

Sofia, May 15th, 2013

Mrs. Pushkarova,

Thank you for your invitation to the 7th edition of Water Tower Art Festival – an international festival for contemporary art in alternative spaces. Unfortunately, due to absence from the country, I will not be able to join your guests at the opening.

I would like, however, to congratulate all participants in this truly unique project. I was interested to learn about your original ideas, and I am impressed by the modern thinking of everyone involved in this initiative.

As you know, the history of my family is emotionally bound to the Kazichane station, which you have selected for a location for the 7th edition of the art-fest. I am very pleased that young and talented people like all of you take notice of this place. It was built by my grandfather – Tsar Ferdinand I, in the style of Vienna stations of that time. Unfortunately, very little has remained from what had been done back then. I hope that your initiative will attract the public’s attention, and thus, renew the interest in the station. It would be wonderful if your project becomes a reason for the restoration of the station. I believe it is always useful to build a connection between fine architecture specimens from the past, and modern tendencies. Your project is a proof of that.

Please inform all your artists who participate in the art-fest that I send them my regards and I wish good luck to the initiative!