Presentation of the work of the artists inspired by Lake Atanasovsko and a party for all guests to "symBiotic".
Ten artists from Bulgaria and around the world have been creating art for 10 days on the salt pans of Lake Atanasovsko, inspired by the place, the colours and the salty air around the lake.
The international art residency is organized by the "IME" Association and is the successor of the eponymous festival Water Tower Art Fest.
For several years, the organizers have been making efforts to decentralize cultural life and visit places outside the central parts of cities, unleashing their potential through research in contemporary art. This year, on August 20 (Saturday) at 6:30 pm, near the space "symBiotic" will open the exhibition - the result of the artists' stay at Lake Atanasovsko. The artists themselves cleaned up the white café on the bike trail, abandoned for several years, but today turned into their residence. This is where the paintings made on site by Juan Valencia from Spain, paintings by two of the young participants, installations and performances by the artists working in collaboration with each other and under the mentorship of Mariko Hori from Japan will be presented. There will also be a music program with DJ Ge Ra and more surprises!
From the 10th to the 20th of August, symBiotic, the space of Lake Atanasovsko of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and the territory of the salt lakes became a field for research and open workshops, in the new decentralized edition of the creative residency Water Tower, a project of the Association IME. The exploration of the surroundings of Lake Atanasovsko and the unique biodiversity and atmosphere are at the heart of this year's residency, a project continuing the tradition of the previous 5 editions to explore little-known or abandoned places.
The 10 participating artists worked on projects related to the connection between ecology and the arts, and that promote the maintenance of human-lake symbiosis based on artistic explorations of salt lake interactions. The residency aimed to explore possible conservation solutions through creative techniques and methods.
Especially guest mentors assisted the participants in the realization of their projects and will present to the audience their proposals on the theme: Mariko Hori, multidisciplinary artist and Juan Valencia, artist and curator.
As part of the residency, Mariko Hori organized an open workshop in which, through a methodology developed by the artist on-site, participants practised "appreciating" everyday things, renewing their relationship with their senses, and developing skills for a more active sensory experience.
The initiator of the residency is Nia Pushkarova - artist and creative director of the festival!
Partner is the Lagoon of Life / Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF). BBF has been working for wetland conservation for more than 25 years, with the most serious efforts being made for the coastal lagoon Atanasovsko Lake near Burgas - the wealthiest place for birds and the only place where sea salt is mined. Currently, BBF is implementing the LIFE project "The Lagoon of Life".
The residency takes place on the territory and with the assistance of "Chernomorski Solnitsi" AD, partners in the project "The Lagoon of Life".
*WTAR #6 is realized with the financial support of the US Embassy in Sofia - Small Grant Scheme.
