The newest project of the Association “Art Today” unites Plovdiv and Timisoara. RE:CONNECT 2023 aims to connect the two cities in an artistic exchange, building on their main connection as European capitals of culture (Timişoara 2023 and Plovdiv 2019). Nine artists from Bulgaria and nine from Romania participate in the residency program.

In August, their joint exhibition, the fruit of their travels and work together, called Urban Mythology, will take place. In the Urban Mythology series, we invite you to meet the artists in the months leading up to the exhibition. The next presenters of the series were Andrej Bukovano (Romania) and Ilie Duca (Romania).

Andrei Bucovano / Andrei Bukovano

Andrei was born in 1996. in Suceava, Romania. His work and artistic vision demand to be experienced dynamically as well as cinematically. They are a pure expression of the artist’s deep desire to nurture his creative sensibilities and origins, which give him the chance to develop his inner child with a fiery heart.

A key element of his practice is experimentalism. A principle that enables him to practice his artistic ideas in their purest form. Ideas that materialize through different media and modes of expression, from performance to audio installations, video and interactive acts.

IIlie Duta / Ilie Duta

Ilie Dutsa received his bachelor’s degree in 2011. at FAD, after which he completed his M.A. and Ph.D. The materials he uses for sculpture are an expression in favor of environmental protection.

During his studies, he worked with ESAL France and ESES Portugal – internships that offered him new opportunities to explore a sensitive subject, slightly utopian – art recycling, an art direction that is slowly becoming an international trend.

It handles a wide range of materials depending on the chromaticity and shape. He uses repeated elements to create decorative sculptural patterns and volumes.

He currently lives and works in Timisoara. Member of artistic groups – KAT, navaC2, T40.

“Using recyclable and non-recyclable, disposable and everyday materials, my visual approach has an ecological component. I collect objects that already exist and give them a different use. Therefore, my work is a dialogue with the material itself, which determines the specifics and characteristics of their new symbolism. As a visual artist, also known as a sculptor in the anthropocentric field, I try to contour meaning from already familiar materials, a position that gives meaning to the aggressive intervention of humans in the natural order.” he shares.

The exhibition “Urban Mythology” will take place in the period from 02.08.23. until 31.08.23 in GHG – Plovdiv, 15 “Knyaz Alexander I-vi” St.

The project is implemented with the financial support of the National Culture Fund under the Program for the Development of Private Cultural Organizations and the Municipality of Plovdiv.

Source: how2plovdiv