Vernissage on 10 February, Thursday, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., considering all anti-epidemic measures and with controlled access.
In 2021, Germany and the world celebrated the centennial of the birth of Joseph Beuys. In Germany, the beuys 2021 initiative aimed primarily at rearticulating the question of whether his ideas remain relevant today and what his legacy may be for German and global art. In Bulgaria, the question was: who is Joseph Beuys and what does he have to do with Bulgarian art?
The ideas to which Joseph Beuys aspired were recognised and adopted in Bulgaria only when the social climate became suitable for them. For many Bulgarian artists, Beuys was indeed a confirmation that freedom in art was not fenced in with barbed wire.
Although displaying a mass of contradictions, Joseph Beuys was a visionary who inspired. He devoted all his energy to directing the transformative power of art to influence society by developing his theory of social sculpture. The exhibition seeks the artistic expression of the sparks that ignited the need to rethink social reality, the search for new forms of creativity and freedom of spirit— both for Beuys and for Bulgarian artists.
The exhibition goes beyond the traditionally designated temporary exhibition galleries in Kvadrat 500, ‘conquering’ new areas, including incursions into the permanent exposition. The exhibition will include an accompanying programme with screenings, lectures, performances, and tours. Further information about these features will follow soon.
‘Sparks of Imagination: on Frequencies of Beuys’ is a project of the Goethe-Institut Bulgaria in cooperation with the National Gallery in Sofia, and the Art Affairs and Documents Foundation.
Visual identity: Paul Voggenreite
Curator: Vera Mlechevska
Participants: Adelina Popnedeleva, Albena Mihaylova, Alexander Valchev, Veselin Dimov, Vladimir Ivanov, Georgi Ruzhev, Gradat Group, Dobromir Ivan, Art in Action Association, Ivo Dimchev, Kamen Stoyanov, Lyuben Farzulev, Luchezar Boyadjiev, Monika Popova, Miryana Todorova, Orlin Dvoryanov, Pravdoliub Ivanov, RAB Group, Sasho Stoitszov, Stanislav Pamukchiev, Stefan Nikolaev, Stanka Tsonkova – Usha, and Tsvetan Krastev, among others.