Opening: 10 June, Wednesday, 6:00 PM
Kvadrat 500, Panoramic Hall
1, 19th February St., St Alexander Nevsky Sq., Sofia
The National Academy of Art (NAA) and IKEA Bulgaria have joined forces in the innovative project “Reforms: Creative Design Laboratory”. The initiative builds upon the theme of the circular economy and draws attention to sustainable design, offering an alternative interpretation of everyday objects.
The exhibition is part of the official program of the European Design Festival 2026, which brings the best of European communication design from 11 to 14 June to Sofia. Find out more here: europeandesign.org/festivals/sofia-2026
Within this year-long project, students majoring in Industrial Design, Ceramics, and Porcelain and Glass Design experimented with IKEA furniture and accessories, using them as a “raw material”. Through methods of redesign and the concept of the “ready-made”, the young creators were challenged to rethink the functionality of mass-produced products and discover ways to extend their lifespan. The result is a transformation where objects acquire a new identity, unexpected aesthetics, and a new life beyond their original function.
The exhibition shifts well-known, mass-produced objects into the realm of experimentation and critical exploration, organizing them into three main directions:
SYSTEM – marked in IKEA’s signature blue, this section explores the logic of modularity, repetition, and structural order.
DEVIATION – referencing the iconic red color of the NAA facade. Here, objects break free from the strictly functional logic of design, transforming into art pieces with a conceptual message.
EVERYDAY LIFE – the design piece sheds its pretentiousness and manifests quietly and unobtrusively, naturally becoming a part of daily routine and the feeling of home.
The project is implemented under a Memorandum of Cooperation between the NAA and IKEA Bulgaria, aimed at supporting young creators and providing a modern environment for their education. The collaboration itself began with a donation from IKEA to renovate the Academy’s studios, followed by open houses and lectures on sustainable design by company experts.
The exhibition is also part of the events celebrating the 130th anniversary of the National Academy of Art Sofia since its founding as the State Drawing School in 1896.
Curatorial Team: Gergana Minkova, Diana Vasileva, and Elizar Milev.
Supervisors: Industrial Design – Diana Vasileva, Zahari Ganchev, Denitsa Simeonova, Rangel Chipev; Porcelain and Glass Design – Elizar Milev; Ceramics – Yana Yunakova.
Media partner: BTA / Bulgarian News Agency.
For contact:
IKEA Bulgaria
Joana Tsoneva – Marketing Manager Bulgaria
Mobile: +359 893 300 623, Joana.Tsoneva@ikea.bg
National Academy of Art
Didi Spassova – Head Public Relations
Mobile: +359882515114, d.spasova@nha.bg
National gallery / Kvadrat 500
Theodossiy Gueorguiev – Curator, Department of Decorative and Applied Arts
Mobile: +359878 585 255, theodossiy@gmail.com
