The content of our program took shape in several forms: through conducted workshops, expert meetings, panels and lectures, discussions, performances, exhibitions, film screenings and roof-top rendezvous.Over the course of two weeks an international group of 23 experts and professionals of the contemporary design and art field came to share their knowledge and expertise with an engaged crowd of 30 international students. The wider audience we grew to approximately 600 visitors, ranging from interested locals to professionals of the arts and design field. Many connections were established, beginnings for partnerships and collaborations between, cultural institutions and independent experts and practitioners.
The entire event took place in several locations around the city: The National Academy of Art hosted our workshops and several workshop presentations. The Sofia History Museum and the Ethnographical Museum generously provided a space for our presentation and exhibition. Our lecture program took place atThe Theater Hall of the Sofia University, the Academia Gallery of the National Academy of Arts and the Goethe-Institute. Lastly, an unforgettable closing party of the event was hosted by art platform Swimming Pool.
Re-Connect, object in context - was the theme of 2016. Material objects and how we can read them as carriers of meaning, pull them apart and re-connect them to new forms and definitions were the centre point. The following objects were investigated during the workshops: old books stemming from the collection of Sofia History Museum, serving as scripts for the workshop 'Inserts on Printed History' by Rene Put and Brigit Gootink. The techniques and patterns found in traditional costumes from the National Ethnographic Museum, were the starting point for explorations of knowledge transfer through craft in Future Roots by Fashion Collective Painted. In a more abstract approach photography images of the present served as capsules for the future in Vesselina Nicolava's Visual Storytelling workshop. Uta Eisenreich proposed found objects as footage to develop new narrative structures based on material starting points in the workshop Show and Tell. A theoretical and analytical framework was provided and discussed in the panel meetings and screenings of our side program, where international fore-runners and practitioners shared their visions and knowledge. The main objective of this second edition was to engage the expertise and the local knowledge-shareholders, that are transferring and preserving cultural values, in a mutual dialogue and find out whether new partnerships and collaborations are possible within the open experimental settings of our program.
Embraced by the summer spirit of Sofia, once again our two-weeks school came to life. Our aim to establish a temporary framework for inspiring dialogue, encounters and exchange between a diverse range of personalities, materials and topics took place. We are extremely grateful for this and look forward for more to come. It was a time of intense learning and doing, sharing and exchanging with participants coming from: Moscow, Pristina, Urbino, Amsterdam, Sofia to name a few. Among them photographers, industrial designers, journalists, illustrators, graphic and fashion designers. Their explorations through our hosting environment took shape in tangible products and presentations. We hope this experience will inspire our 2016 alumni to share forward the knowledge and expertise they found.
We cherish the fact that we could count on the following partners: The National Academy of Art, Sofia Museum of History, the National Ethnographical Museum in Sofia, the Cultural Center of Sofia University, Goethe-Institute Sofia, Introduction to Contemporary Art- educational platform,"Swimming pool projects"-art platform, Studio Komplekt - cultural management collective, Poststudio. We are grateful to the experts and professionals that supported the program through their participation: fashion collective Painted (NL), Studio PutGootink (NL), Vesselina Nikolaeva, Uta Eisenreich, Auriane Preudhomme, Svetla Rakshieva, Christina Borissova, Dr. Iglika Mishkova, Linda van Deursen, Dr. Clementine Deliss, Jurgen Bey, Relja Bobic, Dr. Ganka Mihaylova, Magdalina Toneva, Rumyana Rakovska, Marin Bodakov and Stoyan Tanev. Of course the participants: Anelia Antonova, Anton Antonov, Dana Tileva, Dayana Dineva, Erina Boyanova, Georgi Gikov, Georgi Sharov, Hristina Bareva, Iva Partacheva, Jana Vuksic, Joana Stefanova, Kalina Lukanova, Leonardo De Marchi, Lidya Georgieva, Lilia Galabova, Lilian Shtereva, Lotte van der Woude, Maria Caneva, Maria Kozlitina, Marino Krsta?i? - Furi?, Mariya Valkova, Martina Yordanova, Milena Nenova, Miroslav Jivkov, Nikoleta Nosovska, Omana Katsarska, Rosi Eisor, Rossena Petcova, Rossitsa Bolgurova, Vesselina Lagadinova. A special mention to the Beakers brothers, Ina- Traiding, Ikea, Absolut, Domaine Boyar for kindly supplying us with their amazing products and services. Lastly, but not least, thank you Henk Groenendijk, Theodor Licho & Lotte van Gelder for backing our project with constructive critique and creative advice.
Workshop 'Future Roots" - masterclass with Rumyana Rakovska / master of 'kene'
Visit to the National Ethnographic Museum archive guided by one of the most exceptional expert on Bulgarian traditional costume, and folklore Dr. Ganka Mihaylova.
Introduction to 'kene' masterclass
The lecture of Saskia van Drimmelen & Margreet Sweerts from the fashion collective Painted at the Theater hall of Sofia University.
Margreet Sweerts from the (fashion collective Painted) during the workshop 'Future Roots'
Lecture and city Tour with Lachezar Boyadjiev from "Introduction to Contemporary Art"- educational platform
Visit the Sofia History museum and acquaintance with its collection of old manuscripts by Erina Boyanov
The discussion with all the guests, moderated by Studio Komplect (Adriana Andreeva & Boiana Gjaurova)
Academia Gallery, National Academy of Arts - lecture crowd
Dr. Clementine Deliss at the Know-How Show-How discussion podium
The performance 'Future Roots" at the Sofia History Museum
The lecture of Uta Eisenreich at Goethe-Institute
Excerpt from the exhibition 'Visssual narrative' at the National Academy of Arts
Bilyana Necheva presents the lecture of Vesselina Nikolaeva, 'Listen to your subject' / Academia Gallery.
Excerpt from the exhibition 'An insert on printed history' at the Sofia History Museum
The exhibition 'An insert on printed history' at the Sofia History Museum
Bread from Baker Brothers, home made food and moor
Know How Show How 2016 class at the National Academy of Arts studios Dondukov 56 blvd.
The workshop 'Future Roots" - masterclass 'kene' with Magdalina Toneva
Uta Eisenreich at the workshop 'Show and Tell'
The lecture of Stoyan Tanev at Goethe-Institute
The workshop 'Visual narrative' / National Academy of Arts Bul. 'Dondukov' 56.
Lecture by Christina Borissova, 'The old manuscripts - art or/and craft' at the Academia Gallery.
Linda van Deursen at the KHSH Podium, during her lecture '1, 2, 3 Identities', in the Theater hall of Sofia University
Network event at 'Swimming pool'y
Inspiring conversation with the writer Marin Bodakov during the workshop 'Visual narrative'.
The workshop 'Show and Tell'
The workshop 'Visual narrative' with Vesselina Nikolaeva
The workshop 'Show and Tell'
The workshop 'An insert on printed history'.
Jurgen Bey at the Know-How Show-How Podium, during her lecture 'Facing heritage'
Screening of the short movies, produced during the workshop 'Show and Tell'.
The participants from the working 'An insert on printed history' are working on the catalogue, produced for the exhibition and compiled by their work.
Dr. Iglika Mishkova at the KHSH Podium, during her lecture 'Waiting for the museum revolution!', in the Theater hall of Sofia University
The discussion at the Know-How Show-How podium