“IT IS EASIER TO IMAGINE THE END OF THE WORLD THAN TO IMAGINE THE END OF CAPITALISM”.
— FREDERICK JAMIESON
In the context of the presence of political, social, and economic warfare, the world’s instability, we would like to base this year’s edition of SAW to ideas, radical practices, and ways of living, dealing with preservation of life and Peace, as a fundamental part of human existence.
Departing from the movement of the early 1900s up until 1940’s- Monte Verità meeting place for the life-reformers, pacifists, artists, writers, and supporters of various alternative movements. Monte Verità was originally the name of the local “nature healing sanctuary sun sanatorium”. At one point, it was led by Rudolf Steiner, who called for ending of urban living, and left the cities with a group of disciples, going to the mountain to establish the new society. A utopian society, wishing to separate and reconnect to nature and free itself from the social demands and constrains of the growing tension and Nationalist movement in Europe at the time (history repeating a century later), and find autonomous ground for conviviality, sustainability, and holistic practices. After 1940 the place lost its importance.
ART HAS THIS UNIQUE PROPERTY OF CREATING A COMMON FIELD FOR EXPRESSION AND SHARING, WE AS A GROUP OF ARTISTS LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, RECOGNIZE THIS POWER THAT LIES IN OUR COLLECTIVE ACTIONS THROUGH COMBINED EFFORTS AND NURTURE NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, THEY COULD HAVE PROMOTE MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS THE ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE IN HIS OWN UNIQUE WAY.
The diverse program of Sofia Art Week (SAW) Campo Verità 2 will include exhibitions, screenings, talks, performances and workshops, in collaboration with DOZA Gallery and +359 Gallery (Water Tower). Two group exhibitions of the visiting artists from the Icelandic collective Verksmidjan: Gustaf Bolasson, Axel Gustavson and Evar Ugason are planned; additional Reykjavík-based artists: Amanda Rifo, Unur Andrea Einarsdóttir, Josef Marzola and Torbjörg Jónsdóttir along with their Bulgarian colleagues who responded to the open call for entries. The Bulgarian public will have the opportunity to personally meet the visiting artists from Iceland, who will present a selection of projects and talk about their activities.
The seventh consecutive edition of the art week takes place with the support of the Metropolitan Municipality and is part of the Cultural Events Calendar of the Metropolitan Municipality.