Hanna Ilczyszyn – Poland/ Belgium – Painting
Hanna Ilczyszyn is a young Polish painter living in Belgium. She was an MFA student at Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten in Gent, Belgium, and previously studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, Poland. She has been exhibiting her work at many group shows in Belgium and Poland, and has been selling her work to collectors around the world.
She is one of the “One to Watch” artists by Saatchi online gallery, which promotes creators that are already gathering attention for their work. Her evocative paintings and drawings capture the innocence and uncertainties of childhood.
Recently she took up silkscreen printings on textiles and together with another artist created AHAHA.BE. She is also one of the founders of POLISH WORKERS PRODUCTIONS artistic collective. The aim is to work collaboratively on artistic productions and bring down all sorts of stereotypes and beliefs.
Yanyi “Sunny” Jiang – U.S/China – Painting/Performance
She is a painter and performance artist who lives in NY, U.S.
I call myself an erroneous narrator. I invent and illustrate stories of identity confusions, plurality, time travel, control and manipulation and hidden symbols, all under the disguise of cruel eroticism.
My practice focuses on performance art and painting. I practice the ancient technique of oil and tempera painting, developed in the 15th century and nowadays almost falls into oblivion. The characters I portray are all suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. They and their mental twins not only exist in different spaces, but also travel into different directions of time. Their journeys are marked with erotic play of limbs, and mutual manipulation within a system of red strings. Centering on multiplicity, my paintings comprises of myriad pictorial and philosophical layers that are simultaneously clarifying and confusing. With the meticulous technique of trompe l’oeil (French for “fool the eye”), I seek to deceive the audience, while intentionally revealing the fallacies to (mis)guide them into a universe of temporal and spatial discrepancies.
My performance art mirrors the fundamental elements in my paintings: erotica, red strings, bodily pain, manipulation and deception. Nevertheless, while a tableau is a distant scene contained in a picture frame, a performance is more intimate and more palpable. These actions of ephemeral existence complement my frozen images by audaciously illustrating taboo topics in real life.
My art would not be complete without the sinister fondness of symbolism. My works are full of words, images, and actions that carry veiled meanings. Through rich historical references, ornate details, and witty play of words, I discreetly lure my audience into a game of decryption.
Domingo Pino – Spain – Visual Arts and Installations/Painting
Domingo Pino is born in 1985 in Madrid (Spain). He has graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Cuenca), specializing in the fields of Plastic Arts and Graphic Design.
I enjoy working in different styles and disciplines, both plastic and digital: painting, video, illustration, collage and modeling. Although not all the works are focused on a common theme, in most of them is the idea of representing different aspects of my perceived reality. My style is very diverse by the wide spectrum of my interests and inspirations, as well as allowing me great flexibility in meeting the demands of graphic design clients.
On the formal aspect, when I start working I try not to plan the final result, but to develop the work bearing in mind the idea that motivates it. I like to experiment and try different expressive possibilities offered by the materials I work with.
Brandi Martin – U.S. – Visual Arts and Installations
http://www.brandimartinfineart.com/
I’m a nationally recognized teaching artist living and making art in Brooklyn New York. I use multimedia installation, photography, videography, works on paper, or whichever medium is best suited for the concept. I’m an MFA candidate at the School of Visual Arts.
I challenge the authority of any singular medium or point of view by layering narratives embedded in a variety of media. The resulting metacognitive products create a process, instead of the other way around. My art diagrams its own plan, but the transparency leans away from eliminating the mystery involved in art, in thinking.
Translated, I think about thinking, I think about you and how you might think about art by leaving something for you, the viewer, to discover and add within the work.
Presiana Shisheva – Bulgaria/UK – Wood sculpture/Visual Arts and Installations
https://presianashisheva.wordpress.com/
Presiana Shisheva is a Contemporary Crafts graduate from Falmouth University in the UK. She returns to Bulgaria with the idea to apply the knowledge she gained abroad in her homeland. The main theme in her art works is the relationship between contemporary society and nature. Her recent work is inspired by traditional Bulgarian crafts and folklore patterns.
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.
Ishai Shapira Kalter – Israel – Short Films/ Visual Arts and Installations
http://www.ishaishapirakalter.com/
Ishai Shapira Kalter investigates mechanisms of political power, the dynamics of social order and processes of victimization, gentrification or exploitation. Working across a wide range of media including films, essays and installations, his humane interactions with his protagonists appear as independent social initiatives. By focusing on the rational and the emotional narratives of abandoned minorities, he dedicates himself to revealing live testimonies that are seldom stated by stateless individuals, whether he or she are an underprivileged citizen, illegal alien or a group of refugees. Shapira Kalter’s work functions as a unique form of art activism, which cannot be judged merely as moralistic or righteous. Therefore, he is interested in the crucial moment which suspends the boundaries between artistic collaboration and exploitation.
Guests:
Trevor Knott – U.S. – Performance/ Drawing
Trevor Knott is a performance artist, who lives in Minneapolis, U.S. This is his second stay in the residency; he was a participating artist in 2013 edition – Ritual art.
His works are focused on the correlations between ritual in spiritual practices and ritual in studio practices. Other topics in his art are advanced figure drawing; large scale installation work and abstract drawing; wood, metal and ceramic fabrication.
There is something primordial—even elemental—about charcoal, water, and paper that speaks to me on a very fundamental level. This elemental quality strongly resonates with my intense investigations into the Lakota, Buddhist, and other gnostic traditions. Common amongst these traditions is the emphasis on ritual and practice—two things that are quite significant to me. To truly bring these aspects into the work, performance became necessary. With these performances, the audience has direct access to my process, projections, and an active meditation—the essence of drawing as ritual.
Local artists:
Damyan Bumbalov – Bulgaria – Painting/Wall-painting
Born in 1979 in Yambol, he hardly fits in any box. He can be called provocative and even scandalous, but this would not be the whole truth. Because his regard for the everyday and eternal themes rooted deeply in the human essence, is not for its own sake. Underneath the form of expression, infuriating to the puritanical minds, there are indented messages, far more sophisticated and operating both on the conscious and subconscious level. These messages could shake every thinking person, dwelling the space beyond the paradigm of mediocrity.
He has been exhibiting his work at many solo and group shows in Bulgaria. His paintings and plastic works are part of private collections in Germany, Austria, Greece, France, Turkey, U.S. and U.K.
Damyan Bumbalov is one of the founders of Taralej Gallery (The Hedgehog) – Veliko Turnovo. Various art events in Veliko Tarnovo are organized by Damyan, – Art zone fest, Samovodska street open – air festival, Light Installation for the Earth Hour, 12 hours art mini festival.
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 to you 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.
Hristo Valchev – Bulgaria – Photography/ Visual arts and installations
My name is Hristo Valchev and I am a native of Bulgaria. I define myself as an artist – Naturalist, investigating the human manifestations with nature. My education is in the environmental studies and in the moment I am actively studying master programs about ecological management and conservation of nature. I have been always connected with artists, but for the last five years thanks to my wonderful relatives and friends, I am actively involved in the running The Old School residency in Gorna Lipnitsa – an initiative that combines art, village culture and way of live, local and world myths and legends and magical nature.
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.
Organizing and Conducting of Ritual Art – Time and Space edition of the Old School residency is financed under BG 08 Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Arts Programme of the EEA Financial Mechanism.
This document is created with the financial support of BG 08 Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Arts Programme of the EEA financial mechanism. Community center Zora – 1887 is fully responsible for the content of the document and under no circumstances can be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the operator of BG 08 Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Arts programme.
