180° Circle Issue 6 | 180° - Laboratory for Innovative Art

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The project is developed with the financial support of the National Culture Fund.

180° Circle

Issue 6 I June 2023

Dear Friends,

Welcome to 180° Circle, the vibrant hub of 180° – Laboratory for Innovative Art. We are on the edge of a significant juncture – our 10th anniversary edition, which will come to live from July 21-28, 2023.

In these challenging times, the worldwide arts sector is grappling with shifting economic landscapes. Yet, even in the face of financial constraints, our conviction in the profound value of art remains strong. We witness the power of art in widening perspectives, bridging divides, and fostering a sense of shared understanding that is so crucial for our collective progress.

Soon, we will be unveiling the complete program of this much-anticipated event, brimming with exciting opportunities for students and art practitioners. It’s a celebration of creativity, a platform for artistic growth, and we invite you to be a part of it.

In the meantime, we are excited to showcase our new visual identity, a tribute to the exceptional talent of Yasen Zgurovski. His creation is a vivid representation of 180°’s ongoing commitment to fostering avant-garde artistic expression and continuous innovation.

Join us as we collectively cast a shimmering light of creativity and ingenuity that spans across the globe.

With warmth and gratitude,

Yours,
Alex Hadjiev
/Director of 180°/

Meet

Yasen Zgurovski

Could you briefly introduce yourself and your journey in the art world up to now?

I’m Yasen, an artist who has been actively involved in painting for the past 20 years. I began by designing club flyers, posters, and illustrations for print media. Over the years, I have had numerous exhibitions and have participated in various social initiatives. Twelve years ago, I also started working with music under the pseudonym Juliet Intergalactica.

What motivated you to join this year’s edition of 180°?

I accepted the invitation as a challenge. It feels rewarding to support meaningful projects.

Could you share your experience from your latest interdisciplinary collaboration and the
process behind it?

From 2017 to 2020, I was part of the team organizing the White Rabbit street festival, a two-day event featuring a program of music and artistic performances by independent artists. Such events involve multiple individuals, each with their unique qualities, experience, personality, and character. My role was to act as a mediator, fostering balance among the various team members and managing the abundance of emotions throughout the process.

What was the craziest art project you expirienced?

In 2021, I collaborated with the artist Boryana Rossa on a project called “History of Disguise,” which explores the history of drag performance in Bulgaria. This project involved conducting video interviews with drag queens, compiling photo archives, organizing discussions, curating an exhibition, and producing a catalogue. I consider it one of my more “craziest” projects due to the extensive travel, numerous meetings, engaging conversations, and captivating stories involved.

Could you provide some insight into your upcoming projects or what you are currently working on?

I’m currently riding the wave of creating graphics and drawings, purely for fun.

When and where can your work be seen or experienced?

Follow me on social media, where I regularly announce my upcoming events:

Facebook: @yasenzz
Instagram: @julieta_intergalactica

About Yasen: Yasen Zgurovski is an artist working in the areas of illustration, poster design and painting. He has made illustrations for various editions of FAME Cards, the magazines Edno, Egoist, Insight, Capital, The Sofia Echo, club flyers, comixes, posters for the Fine Acts initiatives and Plakat Kombinat. He has 12 individual exhibitions and multiple participations in group shows locally and internationally, and his works have been shown in galleries such as Art Center Hugo Voeten, Belgium; Vaska Emanouilova Fllery, Sofia; Academia Gallery, Sofia; Chelsea Bow Tie Cinemas, Manhattan; Haus Wittgenstein, Vienna; Galerie BKL, Prague; Marx-Halle, Vienna; Institute for Performance and Theory, Sofia; National Art Gallery, Sofia; Casa del Cinema, Roma; Sofia City Art Gallery, Sofia; European Commission, Brussels; Space SSee, Daejeon, South Korea; MBC, Daejeon, South Korea; the fridge, Sofia; Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Arts, Sofia; Rayko Alexiev Gallery, Sofia; National Gallery, Warsaw; Union of Bulgarian Artists, Sofia; Red Bull Space, NYC; Goethe Institute, Sofia; Museum Gallery of Modern Art, Sofia; Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art, Tbilisi, Georgia; One Stand Night Gallery, Sofia.