Ruud Matthes – Netherlands/Greece – Visual arts and installations
Ruud Matthes was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
While studying Social Pedagogy at the University of Amsterdam (1972-1979), he also pursued studies in printmaking at the Free Academy in the Hague (1975) at the International Summer Academy in Salzburg (1976) and at Atelier 17 of S.W. Hayter in Paris (1978).
In 1989 he moved to Thessaloniki, Greece.
Since 2004 he has been engaged in several international artist-in-residence programs.
In 2015 he left Greece to settle in a village in the Rodopi area of Bulgaria.
Ayaka Yamamoto – Japan – Photography
Ayaka Yamamoto (Kobe,1983) lives and works in Kobe , Japan.
„I graduated Kyoto Seika University in 2006. I began studying painting in college, but gradually moved towards performance and video art, both of which I produced using my body. In 2004, while studying abroad in San Francisco, I started taking photographs. Since then, I have continued to take extremely fascinating portraits which generate an unusual atmosphere.
As an artist, I have always been interested in something innate in and inseparable from a person, which is often not based on his own choice. People take it for granted that they were born as humans, and don’t stop to think of their sex, kin, land, skin color and name. My lifetime interest is to try to really understand those things through direct experiences.
I believe Gorna Lipnitsa village is my ideal place to make my works. Because there are rich nature and many layer of long history.“
Miryan Kolev – Bulgaria – Music
https://soundcloud.com/mirian-kolev
Miryan Kolev is а musician, who works in experimental, electroacoustic and improvisational music sphere. His main activity is related to his solo ambient project E.U.E.R.P.I. and he has taken part of many festivals and stages in Bulgaria, Norway, Serbia, Romania, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Slovakia. He starts his project with the idea to present music as an expression, or in other words to be able to convey emotions in most pure form without frames. He uses mainly guitar through software effects and other non-traditional staff/instruments.
Martin Petrov – Bulgaria – Painting
Martin Petrov lives and works in Pavlikeni. He has graduated in “Iconography” at “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo. He works in the sphere of painting, sculpture and wall-painting.
I’d like to show and share with the audience the ideas incorporated in my paintings. Every single form of art is a window through which you can look at the world refracted through the senses of our imagination. I present my world toyou in a unconventional way, in which the most important question is “Why?”. This is a promising beginning that can reveal a unique reality and lead to something original.
I was born somewhere in the middle of north Bulgaria, enough years ago for my mature age. I’ve been painting all my life but most often I work in the aria of wall-painting and sculpture. Mainly I have exhibited my works in a group shows with other artists from the region.
I can say that I’m on an endless journey where I chase views and ideas in order to visualize them in a different form of expression.
As I think it is a great thing for a man to travel on the waves of art, isn’t it?
Plamen Petrov –Bulgaria – Visual arts and installations
Plamen Petrov is born in Gorna Lipnitsa village.
He has graduated painting and aesthetics in “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo. He has been doing graphical design from 1986 until now. He has solo and group exhibitions in Pavlikeni, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo and Sofia.
L.Y.R.A. – Bulgaria – Ritual art/Visual arts and installations
L.Y.R.A. is a project by Darina /Rina/ and Dimitar /Nigor Pilnatsa/ aimed to create Ritual art. They are artists and lawyers who live and work in Bulgaria. Darina and Dimitar are also the organizers of the Old School Residency – Gorna Lipnitsa, Bulgaria. They have been organizing various art events since 2010. In 2012 L.Y.R.A. started their work on creation and development of Ritual art /RA/ as a form of art. The idea for its creation is a result of continuous search for a modern and conceptual vision of art that integrates the principles of rituals and ancient knowledge. At the heart of Ritual art are the ideas of the Manifest 2012 of the Old School Circle for the Beginning of the New World.
Ritual art follows a clear goal of public significance that goes beyond the familiar and known, and at the same time is understandable outside the limits of planet Earth. In 2014 L.Y.R.A. developed the idea for Star Ritual art /STAR RA/.
In their works L.Y.R.A. mix the old knowledge and symbols with principles of modern physics / quantum theory and theory of relativity/ along with legal/ political models and techniques. Their works are ritually created imaginary sanctuaries including paintings, collages, texts, objects and performances. Each work is a result of previous research and study of the specific topic. At the end of this process the accumulated knowledge is incorporated in the work.
L.Y.R.A. work with the idea that every ritual artist is a creator and legislator who works in a peaceful and balanced state of mind to be able to perceive the fundamental unity of the Universe. Only in this case its actions create interactions that dynamically change and transform the Universe.
