Apart from being called the “capital of humor” and “the Bulgarian Manchester”, the town of Gabrovo is also known as “the town of the bridges”. The specific relief and location of the town have defined not only what it looks like on the outside, but also its inhabitants’ personalities – Gabrovians have earned the reputation of “tough highlanders”. The nickname “town of the bridges” can take on a symbolic meaning as well, given that the main pass that connects Northern and Southern Bulgaria passes through Gabrovo.
In the late 19th and early 20th century the Gabrovian stonemasons – bridge-makers – were some of the best and most requested craftsmen in Bulgaria and abroad. There is evidence that Gabrovian craftsmen, who consequently became entrepreneurs too, have built bridges in what is now known as Turkey, Serbia and Romania.
It was precisely the fact that Gabrovo is a town of bridges that inspired the name of the “BRIDGES” Triennial.
There are two aspects to that name. The first one is philosophical – the bridge as an expression of man’s eternal desire to overcome, to conquer, to know and to connect. Our natural ambition to challenge division, borders, barriers and abysses.
The second aspect examines the bridge as the most significant facility that humans have built. It is more important and steadier than houses and more sacred than temples, because it is more accessible. It belongs to everyone and is the same for all.
In this day and age we are constantly faced with choices, especially choices of identity and the topic of division is especially relevant and sensitive not only in this country, but in the whole of Europe. In this sense we believe that the topic of bridges fits in very well in the context of the Creative Europe program, whose motto is “equal in our diversity”.
In 1974 in the first General Artistic Exhibition on the topic of labor was held in Gabrovo. Its last edition was in 1988 and almost three decades later, the town is once again hosting an event of this type – the National “Bridges” Triennial for Contemporary Painting. A tradition which had been broken for a long time ago is now restored. Gabrovo is once again a center for contemporary art.
The idea for this event was born in 2016 and it was made into reality thanks to the initiative and hard work of the team of Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery.
The gallery is partnering with the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Gabrovo and the Union of Bulgarian Artists on this project.
The mayor of Gabrovo is the patron of the exhibition.
A catalogue containing the artists’ works is issued alongside the exhibition.
2017 EDITION
In the first edition of the National Triennial in 2017 there were 61 participants and 99 artworks.
The awards and the award-winners were the following:
The Gabrovo Municipality Award – 1000 BGN, a certificate and the right to an independent exhibition at Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery – went to Kosta Donchev for his work “All Souls’Day”
The Ministry of Culture Award – 1000 BGN and a certificate – went to Tsvetan Kolev for his work “Lights”
The Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery Award – 800 BGN and a certificate – went to Donka Hedelcheva for her work “Subjects”
The Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery Award for young artists (under 35) – 500 BGN and a certificate – went to Yavor Kostadinov for his work “The Danube Bridge I and II. Variant VII”.
The Regional Governor of Gabrovo’s Award – a plaque – went to Ema Verterova for her work “Butterfly”
The board of directors of the Central Balkan National Park’s Award went to Todor Zahariev for his work “Silent Land”
The Union of Bulgarian Artists Award went to Rumen Deshev for his works “Composition I” and “Composition II”
2021 EDITION
On July 2nd 2021 the official opening of the second edition of the National “Bridges” Painting Triennial was held at Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery. The gallery received works by 117 artists. The jury was presided over by Lyuben Genov, president of the Union of Bulgarian Artists. Its other members were Desislava Dikova, chief expert at the Cultural Heritage, Museums and Fine Arts department at the Ministry of Cuture; Ivan Hristov, chief expert at the Culture and Tourism department of Gabrovo Municipality; Lyudmil Veselinov, who has a PhD in Art Criticism and Fine Arts; Momchil Georgiev, member of the management of the Painting department at the Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA); Evgeni Nedev, head of Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery and Mariana Maneva, member of the management of UBA in Gabrovo. The jury permitted 92 artists with 139 works to participate in the event.
The nominees were the following:
Anton Goshev,
Vasil Tenev,
Velin Dinev,
Vladimir Avramov,
Georgi Popov,
Doncho Zahariev,
Evgeni Nedev,
Zlati Zlatev,
Ivan Velchev – Yovo,
Krasimir Rusev,
Nikolay Todorov,
Plamen Kirilov,
Sevda Poturlyan,
Stiliyana Uzunova
The award-winners were:
The Gabrovo Municipality Award went to Plamen Kirilov for his works “Somewhere in Time VI” and “Somewhere in Time VII”.
The Ministry of Culture Award went to Ivan Velchev – Yovo for his work “Gorge I”.
The Union of Bulgarian Artists Award went to Stilyana Uzunova for her work “Life”
The Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery Award went to Zlati Zlatev for his work “Forgotten Bridges II”
The Regional Governor of Gabrovo’s Award went to Nikolay Todorov for his work „Sacrament – Initial Signs II”
The “Ciela Norma” Awards went to Sevda Poturlyan for her work “Stolen View” and to Georgi Popov for his work “Spring Sun”
The nominees in the “Young Artist” category were the following:
Gergana Balabanova;
Deyan Boev;
Mariana Stoyanova;
Mehmed Okan;
Petra Dimitrova.
Petra Dimitrova received the Hristo Tsokev Art Gallery Award for a young artist for her work “The Asparuhov Bridge II”
Mariana Stoyanova was given second place in this category for her works “Landscape #5” and “Landscape #6” from the “Nature” series.
Dr. Nelly Nedeva
Translation by Gabriela Hristova