Art Today Association
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv
The Ancient Bath


XV WEEK OF CONTEMPORARY ART
4 September – 2 October 2009
AFTER EGO
Curator: Svetlana Kuyumdzhieva

Opening – 4 September 2009 (Friday), 6.30 p.m.

Performance of Venelin Shurelov TABULA RASA (Wunderkabinet) - 4 September 2009 (Friday), 6.00 p.m.

Seventeen artists from Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia participate in the exhibition:
Svetozara Alexandrova, Jelena Boki?, Ana Vilenica, Stanimir Genov, Lulzim Zeqiri, Fitore Isufi-Koja, Prodan Markov, Nikoleta Markovi?, Vladimir Mitrev, Ivan Moudov, Alban Muja, Danilo Prnjat, Kamen Stoyanov, Nata?a Teofilovi?, Jakup Ferri, Driton Hajredini, Venelin Shurelov.

The selection of the participants is realized in active collaboration and thanks to Ana Vilenica for the Serbian participants and Alban Muja for the artists from Kosovo.

The Week of Contemporary Art in Plovdiv celebrates its anniversary this year. During the last 15 years it has strengthened its position as one of the most important art events in the country. It has already become an annual tradition to have different curatorial concepts and authors from all over the world in the Center for Contemporary Art “The Ancient Bath”.

The project AFTER EGO materializes the idea of the end of the egocentric era in art. We cannot destroy borders, dethrone identities, transform outdated values and leave the Ego untouched. It is the force that has been fighting for independence and sovereignty for centuries and is never fully content with the achievements. Predatory and self-sufficient, the Ego allows no interest in anything else but itself. This stops the communication with the social environment and the adequate presence in it.

Already 8 years ago, in her concept for the 7th Istanbul Biennale Yuko Hasegawa announced the end of the age of individualism and created the term “egofugalism” to express the aspiration towards an intentional rejection of the ego as a defining factor in the relationship between man and the world. This opening of personality was formulated by her as a new survival strategy.

Precisely this strategy and the idea for the already cultivated new Ego bring together the authors in this exhibition. They participate themselves in their art as a direct communicator. The body and the image of the artist are the most powerful mediator in his/her contact with the environment. Almost like the classical Alter Ego, but charged with much more important functions. This avatar of the artist is completely free and almighty, but it works actively mainly for overcoming the Ego and removing all conventions in communication. Namely this is the new image – AFTER EGO.

The exhibition presents videos, installations, performances and photographs where the artists have already become material, media, object, and the direct bearer of their own messages. The participation of the artistic AFTER EGO gives a new meaning to these artworks. Just as the portrait of Dorian Grey, it reveals most often the real self of the character-author and his position towards a world unhindered by scruples.

This position is even more significant when it comes to artists from the new generation, who can not be defined as solely Balkan or East European, because their AFTER EGO seeks after the most engaging way to overcome the local problems and complexes.

The authors presented in the exhibition have substantial biographies, awards and participations in prestigious international forums. The Bulgarian public has the opportunity to see the art of many of them for the first time.

The exhibition is realized with the kind support of the Municipality of Plovdiv and Robert Bosch Stiftung, with the assistance of Jacob Racek.

Art Today Association
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv
The Ancient Bath


presents

Marta Dimitrova and Sofia Hristozova
WATER - THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT
July 25 – August 8, 2009

Opening – July 25, 2009 (Saturday), 7 p.m.
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv, The Ancient Bath

Gallery hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00-18:30

Art Today Association
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv
The Ancient Bath

presents

Nikolay Minchev
INSIDE IT
July 2 – July 20, 2009

Opening – July 2, 2009 (Thursday), 6 p.m.
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv, The Ancient Bath

Gallery hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-18:00

Art Today Association
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv
The Ancient Bath

presents

Konstantin Bojanov
PLATONIC OBJECTS
May 29 – June 30, 2009

curator: Svetlana Kuyumdzhieva

Opening – May 29, 2009 (Friday), 6 p.m.
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv, The Ancient Bath

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Sunday 13:00-18:00

Art Today Association
Center for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv
The Ancient Bath

ART POSITIVE-2009 "SWEET"
10.04 - 25.05. 2009

Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 14.00-18.00
Entrance: 1 BGN (discounts for pupils, students and pensioners)

On 17 May /Sunday/ the exhibition will not be open - performance of the play „PRE–V–KLYUCHENIA„ after the play „The two adventures of Lemuel Gulliver” by Jezhi Broshkevic, „А`part” Theater - Plovdiv