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	<title>Water Tower Art Manifest &#187; news</title>
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		<title>ПОЗИЦИЯ &#8211; ОТНОСНО искане Оставка на директорката на Националната Галерия/POSITION ON  the request for resignation of the Director of the National Gallery in Bulgaria</title>
		<link>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/position-on-the-request-for-resignation-of-the-director-of-the-national-gallery-in-bulgaria/</link>
		<comments>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/position-on-the-request-for-resignation-of-the-director-of-the-national-gallery-in-bulgaria/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#feministasfuturisticas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#findependentart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#jesuisguerillagirl]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/?p=294</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; English bellow. С малко повече интегритет и достойнство тази криза може да бъде преодоляна – личните нападки няма да улеснят положението. Ние търпяхме 25–30 години вашето арогантно и пренебрежително поведение. Не искаме да ви „унищожаваме“, а просто да замълчите и да видим как с какви средства ще бъдат преодолени вредите, наслагвани с години върху [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Famous-Depictions-of-Greek-Goddess-Nemesis.jpeg"><img class="alignleft size-large wp-image-302" alt="Famous-Depictions-of-Greek-Goddess-Nemesis" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Famous-Depictions-of-Greek-Goddess-Nemesis-724x1024.jpeg" width="710" height="1004" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>English bellow.</p>
<p>С малко повече интегритет и достойнство тази криза може да бъде преодоляна – личните нападки няма да улеснят положението.</p>
<p>Ние търпяхме 25–30 години вашето арогантно и пренебрежително поведение. Не искаме да ви „унищожаваме“, а просто да замълчите и да видим как с какви средства ще бъдат преодолени вредите, наслагвани с години върху българското изкуство и култура.</p>
<p>Вашите фалшиви авторитети не са нашите. Не ви искаме, а арогантното ви поведение през годините намира отзвук днес не в един или двама, а в над 1500 души.</p>
<p>Заличаването на положителни фигури в изкуството в продължение на десетилетия беше продиктувано единствено от протежиране и пренебрежение към всички останали. За да се осигури вашия достъп до финансови инструменти и влияние на високо ниво „консултациии“ бяха предоставяни на хора, които не разбират нищо от изкуство, но на които се натрапваха вашите  идеи за „елитарност“, за да си осигурите ръководни позиции и облаги.</p>
<p>Самопровъзгласилият се „Институт за съвременно изкуство“ наложи присъствието си в консултантски практики, творчески съвети и механизми за разпределяне на средства, диктувайки кой художник заслужава внимание и подкрепа и кой – не. Централизацията на културния живот в България доведе до явни преференции за малка група, самопровъзгласила се за „елит“ на художествения живот.</p>
<p>Заблудата мина всякакви граници – младите хора са отвратени и не искат да имат нищо общо с инсинуации и съмнителни схеми от миналото, нито да взимат страна в тази толкова дълго продължила битка за ресурси и влияние.</p>
<p>Вие не представлявате художествения елит на България и тази лъжа повече не може да продължава!</p>
<p>Вие не представлявате никого, освен себе си, и не желаем нито един от вас на толкова важен пост в Националната галерия. Там очевидно се популяризират псевдоелитарните идеи на малка група художници, които претендират да представляват единственото значимо в българската художествена сцена, като същевременно придават космическа важност на меркантилни и, меко казано, недостатъчно убедителни тенденции, които не заслужават такова влияние.</p>
<p>Домакинството на <em>Guerrilla Girls</em> в Националната галерия се оказа твърде голяма хапка за вас в тази ситуация. Респект към БФЖ за поканата на този толкова значим за феминисткия активизъм колектив – <em>Guerrilla Girls</em> са своеобразни икони на равнопоставеността, демократичните ценности и лобирането за правата на жените в изкуството. Но вашата позиция не издържа на това предизвикателство – съгласете се!</p>
<p>#Je suis Guerilla girl</p>
<p>И тук не става въпрос за броя жени на ръководни позиции в България, нито за исторически прецеденти, а за дълбоки ментални нагласи, които трябва да бъдат разградени. Свободата и равноправието на жените в изкуството не трябва да бъдат ограничавани от цензура, псевдофункции или авторитарен стил на управление.</p>
<p>Свободни  в смисъл – совобдни от ненужните, налагани с години у нас маскировки на свободната жена – самостоятелно решаваща и управляваща своя хабитат, но същевременно сведена до ролята на следваща единствено мъжки принципи за власт и домогване до ресурси.</p>
<p>от Независими артисти в София</p>
<p>*Подписката подписана от повече от 1600 човека, беше свалена от петиция бг с аргументите:</p>
<p>Reason: We are responsible for the content published on our website by our users. While we believe it is important to provide space for citizens to criticize people in high positions, we unfortunately do not have the resources to verify whether the strong accusations in this petition are true.<br />
We apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause and thank you for your understanding.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>With a little more integrity and dignity, this crisis can be overcome—personal attacks will not make the situation any easier.</p>
<p data-start="184" data-end="447">We have endured your arrogant and dismissive behavior for 25–30 years. We do not seek to &#8220;destroy&#8221; you; we simply want you to remain silent so we can see how and with what means the damage inflicted on Bulgarian art and culture over the years will be addressed.</p>
<p data-start="449" data-end="611">Your false authorities are not ours. We do not want you, and your arrogance over the years resonates today not with just one or two people, but with over 1,500.</p>
<p data-start="613" data-end="951">The erasure of positive figures in the arts for decades has been driven solely by favoritism and disregard for everyone else. To secure your access to financial instruments and high-level influence, &#8220;consultations&#8221; were provided to people who had no understanding of art but were indoctrinated with your ideas of &#8220;elitism&#8221; to guarantee you leadership positions and benefits.</p>
<p data-start="953" data-end="1344">The self-proclaimed &#8220;Institute of Contemporary Art&#8221; in Sofia has imposed its presence in consultancy practices, creative councils, and funding distribution mechanisms, dictating which artists deserve attention and support and which do not. The centralization of cultural life in Bulgaria has led to blatant favoritism toward a small group that has declared itself the &#8220;elite&#8221; of the artistic scene.</p>
<p data-start="1346" data-end="1573">This deception has gone too far—young people are disgusted and want nothing to do with the insinuations and dubious schemes of the past, nor do they wish to take sides in this long-standing battle for resources and influence.</p>
<p data-start="1575" data-end="1666">You do not represent the artistic elite of Bulgaria, and this lie can no longer continue!</p>
<p data-start="1668" data-end="2126">You represent no one but yourselves, and we do not want any of you in such an important position within the National Gallery. It is evident that pseudo-elitist ideas are being promoted there by a small group of artists who claim to represent the only relevant aspect of Bulgaria’s artistic scene while at the same time attributing cosmic significance to mercantile and, to say the least, insufficiently convincing trends that do not deserve such influence.</p>
<p data-start="2128" data-end="2533">Hosting <em data-start="2136" data-end="2153">Guerrilla Girls</em> at the National Gallery turned out to be <strong data-start="2195" data-end="2213">too big a bite</strong> for you in this situation. Respect to the <a href="https://bgfundforwomen.org/bg/">BFW</a> for inviting this highly significant collective in the global feminist activism movement—<em data-start="2350" data-end="2367">Guerrilla Girls</em> are iconic figures in the fight for equality, democratic values, and advocacy for women in the arts. But your position could not withstand this challenge—admit it! #Je suis Guerilla girl</p>
<p data-start="2535" data-end="2834">And this is not about the number of women in leadership positions in Bulgaria or historical precedents but about deeply ingrained mentalities that must be dismantled. The freedom and equality of women in the arts must not be restricted by censorship, pseudo-functions, or authoritarian leadership.</p>
<p data-start="2836" data-end="3078">Free in the sense &#8211; free from the unnecessary, imposed for years in our country masquerades of the free woman &#8211; independently deciding and managing her habitat, but at the same time reduced to the role of following only male principles of power and access to resources.<b></b></p>
<p data-start="2836" data-end="3078">/Independent sector in the arts Bulgaria</p>
<p data-start="2836" data-end="3078">*Petition signed by 1600 pepple has been removed by administartors of perticiq.com with the following arguments:</p>
<div id="main">
<p>Reason: We are responsible for the content published on our website by our users. While we believe it is important to provide space for citizens to criticize people in high positions, we unfortunately do not have the resources to verify whether the strong accusations in this petition are true.<br />
We apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause and thank you for your understanding.</p>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION AT WATER TOWER ART RESIDENCY – DECENTRALIZED EDITION VARNA 20 – 30 SEPTEMBER 2021</title>
		<link>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/open-call-for-participation-at-water-tower-art-residency-decentralized-edition-varna-2021-20-30-september-2021/</link>
		<comments>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/open-call-for-participation-at-water-tower-art-residency-decentralized-edition-varna-2021-20-30-september-2021/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2021 11:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[open call]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/?p=267</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION AT WATER TOWER ART RESIDENCY – DECENTRALIZED EDITION VARNA 2021 20 – 30 SEPTEMBER 2021 •ORGANIZED BY  NGO IME Contact: Nia Pushkarova Artist and Organizer/ Curator of Water tower art residency/fest in Varna 2021 and Chairwoman of Ngo Ime http://watertowerartfest.com/en/ watertowerartfest@gmail.com With kind support by Embassy of United States in Sofia [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/123702544_10158944412022188_2417734210551013635_n1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-272" alt="123702544_10158944412022188_2417734210551013635_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/123702544_10158944412022188_2417734210551013635_n1.jpg" width="960" height="721" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION AT WATER TOWER ART RESIDENCY – DECENTRALIZED EDITION VARNA 2021</p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">20 – 30 SEPTEMBER 2021</p>
<p dir="ltr">•ORGANIZED BY  NGO IME</p>
<p dir="ltr">Contact: Nia Pushkarova</p>
<p dir="ltr">Artist and Organizer/ Curator of Water tower art residency/fest in Varna 2021 and Chairwoman of Ngo Ime</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://watertowerartfest.com/en/">http://watertowerartfest.com/en/</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="mailto:watertowerartfest@gmail.com">watertowerartfest@gmail.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">With kind support by Embassy of United States in Sofia</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">• Details on event and curator’s concept</p>
<p dir="ltr">For the fifth year, Bulgarian and foreign artists will exchange experience. This time the event will be in Varna &#8211; the sea capital of Bulgaria, as an act of decentralization of the cultural life of Sofia for the maximum usage of the potential that arts and culture possess for greater social inclusion.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The tried and true method of the &#8220;mentoring program&#8221; is to combine progressive creative social strategies with their implementation in a local context.  Both online and in person workshops will be initiated in public spaces and in main partner&#8217;s venue ( an old bunker at district Talyana, Varna) leading to resulting in a final exhibition event of residency with especially invited  team members as mentors working and collaborating in different disciplines such as performance art, film and art in public spaces and socially engaged practices.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Water Tower Art Residency is a new, separate chapter, but also a natural extension to the book of the NGO IME and Water Tower Art Fest &#8211; whose original format (international contemporary art festival in abandoned buildings) ended in 2016 with the 10th anniversary of the festival, including more than 80 contemporary art offerings -  painting, sculpture, video and photo projections, installations, performances &#8211; from over 10 European countries, as well as the world.  Based on years of experience and a network of participants and partners, the essence of Creative Water Tower Residence is to continue the set tone and tradition: the artistic development of artists and their audiences, and the creation of works in a specific context at a specific location &#8211; site-specific art.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our partner will be ReBonkers as well as a network of independent artistic initiatives dedicated to the development of Varna . The places we are about to integrate (old bunker and various public spaces-in and outside city center) within our program are going to be the scene for inspiration and a subject of collaborations between guest mentors &#8211; team members and young participants.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Interaction and empathy between people and an inclusive attitude towards different ethnicities and cultures as well as empowering young women are the topics that we will encourage to develop through creative workshops in our residency.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The problem with the elitization of art and culture and the lack of clear access to cultural events of communities on the outskirts of settlements is big, because most people, especially from marginalized communities, are influenced and led only by mass culture, which narrows their horizons.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"> As part of our strategy to integrate such communities and develop their sense of belonging, it is our choice of neglected public places to interact over the years. As some of these places have a certain value for our city from a historical architectural or aesthetic point of view. Touching them is a touch to the geographical memory of a culture, nation, community and by living and socializing them through art, we provide an opportunity to reconsider values ​​related to the spirit and history of the place, as well as to pay attention to our internal neglect and the need for continuity and development through empathy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Selection procedure</p>
<p dir="ltr">We welcome VISUAL ARTISTS working in the sphere of installation/film/video/mural and graffiti/performance/sound design etc. ​</p>
<p dir="ltr">WE PROVIDE THE ARTISTS WITH:</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Free of charge participation to all workshops by especially invited mentors</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Help in developing personal art projects with the help and guidance by residency mentors</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">transfer from the airport to the accommodation area and back,</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">assistance with finding cheap accomodation</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">materials required for their work (arranged prior to arrival)</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">promotion and presentation of the produced artwork,</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">transportation,</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">cultural activities</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Expenses paid by the artist:</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">travel</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">accommodation</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">meals</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">medical insurance</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">personal needs​</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">THE SELECTION COMMITTEE will take into consideration the following criteria:</p>
<p dir="ltr">- Presented project plan submitted by the candidate-artist;</p>
<p dir="ltr">- Its relevance to local and international art standards;</p>
<p dir="ltr">- Its feasibility and how artists from different parts of the world and of different backgrounds, using different mediums, may interact, enriching each other&#8217;s work processes and results.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">START OF RESIDENCY 20 September</p>
<p dir="ltr">20 September arrival and first meeting at The Bookstore</p>
<p dir="ltr">21 September – 10:00 – 14:00 Organized Art tour at Re Bonkers club and public spaces in Varna</p>
<p dir="ltr">15:00 Workshops start</p>
<p dir="ltr">22- 27 September workshop sessions</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mid presentation 25.09 – 18:00 to 22:30</p>
<p dir="ltr">End of Residency 30.09.2021 ; 11:00 Departure</p>
<p dir="ltr">*Program is indicative and may undergo some changes</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">ARTISTS PARTICIPANTS AS MENTORS:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-09.56.18.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-276" alt="Screen Shot 2021-07-25 at 09.56.18" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-09.56.18.jpg" width="1362" height="988" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ruby Cedar</p>
<p dir="ltr">She/her</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ruby studied her undergraduate in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins specialising in their XD (cross disciplinary) pathway where the focus was in how art engages and works with communities as well as being free in adopting different mediums. She went on to exhibit in Berlin, London, Sofia &amp; Chicago where she won &#8216;Best of Show&#8217; at the 21st International Open Exhibition at Woman Made Gallery IL in 2018. In recent years she has continued as a multidisciplinary artist and curator but has focused more on Filmmaking as both visual art and narrative cinema. This summer will conclude her Masters in Filmmaking at the University of the West of Scotland where she will have made 3 short films, two fiction and one documentary. Her film work hopes to build unsettling worlds with dark tones, creepy erotica and fragile characters.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Artist Workshop: Make a Short Film</p>
<p dir="ltr">In this workshop you will each produce a 2 minute film to be exhibited in the final presentation of WTAR. We will follow the process through from idea inception, practice pitching, idea development to filming as well as watching and discussing other short form films. The form the film takes is up to you, it could be documentation of your art work or of a performance. It could be an experimental art piece in itself. It could be a documentary or a narrative fiction film. The only constraint is it&#8217;s length (2 minutes).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you have a camera, sound recorder and/or lights then fantastic but the minimum you&#8217;ll need to have is a decent camera phone. We will be looking at how best to use lighting, sound, framing and general planning/storyboarding in order to produce the best image without necessarily having the most expensive kit. As artists we are resourceful! And with this in mind the workshop is aimed at artists who are interested in adopting film as part of their toolkit.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">The artist leading the workshop will be editing the films (unless you are keen on doing this yourself and have editing software) which is why we have the limit of 2 minutes, to give her time to have the pieces ready for exhibition.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Session on ideas (inception &amp; development) 2 hours</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Screening and discussion of short films (mixture of fiction, documentary, artist documentation forms) 1.5 hours</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Practice pitch: Artists pitch their ideas and receive feedback &amp; questions from the group 3 hours</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Development: Artists develop their ideas and how best to plan for the shoot to minimise post production i.e lighting, sound, framing &amp; storyboarding 4 hours</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Artists film all day</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Specifications:</p>
<p dir="ltr">In order to take part all you need is a decent phone camera, although if you have a better camera or any other equipment for example sound recorder, lights then fantastic.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Chuyia Chia &#8211; <a href="https://chuyia.wordpress.com/">https://chuyia.wordpress.com/</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/times-in-bas-vertical1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-274" alt="times-in-bas-vertical1" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/times-in-bas-vertical1.jpg" width="768" height="1531" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Chuyia Chia moved to Singapore in the late 1990s and is now based in Gothenburg. Her artistic training is originally painting, but her main artistic practice is now within the realm of performance and installation art. Chuyia Chia&#8217;s artistic direction has developed with of her identity as an immigrant in the 1990s, giving her global outlook and concern. Thus in her work she pays particular attention to environmental responsibility and food, focusing on relationships and the communication between people. Her perspective is often how the body can express these contexts and communicate knowledge and emotions to the viewer. Chuyia has participated and have commissioned international exhibitions, festivals and events in more than 32 countries includes China, Poland, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, France, Belgium, Peru, Argentina, Russia, Canada, USA, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Thailand, Italy, Cameroon and so on. Her most recently commission work is the Singapore Biennale 2016.</p>
<p dir="ltr">*Online session</p>
<p dir="ltr">Haruka Tomatsu &#8211; <a href="https://kailih.wixsite.com/artwork">https://kailih.wixsite.com/artwork</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/72313501_2705165216184605_1722332828303097856_n.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-268" alt="72313501_2705165216184605_1722332828303097856_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/72313501_2705165216184605_1722332828303097856_n.jpg" width="2048" height="1365" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">She studied Butoh techniques with Setsuko Yamada, Toru Iwashita, and Theater Theory with Shogo Ota. After graduating in 2007-2008 she joined the Glorious Future Dance Company (Director: Kim Ito). 2008 she also started her career as a freelance dancer and performer.</p>
<p dir="ltr">She participated in various performances in Japan as well as internationally.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Since 2013 she has created her own work as a choreographer, dancer and performer.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Therefore she focuses on the relation between existence and absence with a strong approach to space, objects and body in everyday life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Wotrkshop Concept and Information vol.1</p>
<p dir="ltr">Feel and observe the city of Varna on your body</p>
<p dir="ltr">Masks, disinfection, social distance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It&#8217;s been a year and a half since we started living with Covid-19.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The shape of people&#8217;s lives has changed rapidly.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And the distance and relationships between people have changed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Isn&#8217;t the sensation that our bodies feel also changed as a result since</p>
<p dir="ltr">the lifestyle is changing by Covid-19?</p>
<p dir="ltr">In this project,I would like to objectively observe the space in which we</p>
<p dir="ltr">are by using the five senses to feel and output what kind of space we</p>
<p dir="ltr">live in with such a changed body.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Feeling of the body: Not only seeing, but also walking around Varna city</p>
<p dir="ltr">while making maximum use of touch, smell, taste, and hearing, and</p>
<p dir="ltr">expressing the feeling there through installation and performance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These feelings as the installation are stored in Bunker and shared with</p>
<p dir="ltr">people.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ginny Sykes- <a href="https://ginnysykes.com/about">https://ginnysykes.com/about</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/joe-mazza-brave-lux-chicago.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-273" alt="joe-mazza-brave-lux-chicago" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/joe-mazza-brave-lux-chicago.jpg" width="1500" height="1072" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">EXPERTISE:  Over a 40 year practice, I have made art to tell stories of personal and historical merit informed by feminism’s resistance to prescriptive or institutional ideas of a universalized female experience. Centering women’s stories is in itself a critique of patriarchal codes that have occupied and over-determined artistic content over millennia of arts production; codes that valorize certain values at the expense of others, lead to dangerous levels of ecological imbalance, wreak havoc on women’s lives, and foster cultures of violence. Within this framework across all the genres of my work, but especially in performance and video, I address subjects of individuation, aging, loss, resiliency. Jung’s theories on alchemy and dreams inspire me to explore ideas of individual and collective unconscious. I use myth and ritual in layered imagery to create symbolic meaning, to unearth the shadow side of a story, and suggest the transforming potential of art to heal the splits within us all.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ginny Sykes is an interdisciplinary artist inspired by mythology, Jungian psychology, ancient monuments, and dreams. She employs a poetic, layered aesthetic across all genres of her practice, to invite a consideration of the transforming and healing potential of art, and to encourage access to one’s inner world. Selected recent exhibitions in the US and internationally include Legler Regional Library and Woodson Regional Public Library, Chicago Art Source, Woman Made Gallery, and Loyola University Art Museum, Chicago, IL; LACE, Los Angeles, CA; Art Performing Festival, Naples, Italy and Forte Marghera, Venice, Italy; Dryphoto Arte Contemporanea, Prato, Italy; Water Tower Art Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria; top Schillerpalais, Berlin, Germany; Saltillo Contemporary, Saltillo, Mexico; Pinacoteca Communale de Arte Contemporanea, Gaeta, Italy; and Can Gelabert Casal de Cultura, Mallorca, Spain. Sykes taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and in many community based art programs, where she loved working with teenagers. She has created over 40 public art projects, including On the Wings of Water at O’Hare Airport. Sykes holds an MA in Women Studies and Gender Studies from Loyola University, Chicago, IL, a BFA from Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, and studied painting and art history at Studio Cecil Graves in Florence, Italy. When not living in Chicago, she lives in Naples, Italy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I propose to do a short performance work that will start with my physical body and that transforms into a ritual art object of contemplation that others can interact with.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Daisuke Takeya – <a href="https://daisuketakeya.com/">https://daisuketakeya.com/</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/75580238_514245749425056_8297867710541332480_n.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-269" alt="75580238_514245749425056_8297867710541332480_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/75580238_514245749425056_8297867710541332480_n.jpg" width="640" height="960" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Born and raised in Japan, Daisuke Takeya obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Graduate School of Figurative Art at the New York Academy of Art and received Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. As a live performance artist Daisuke has collaborated with artists from various genres, including classical musicians such as cellist Vernon Regehr, violinist Lynn Kuo, Music in the Barns Chamber Ensemble, Les AMIS Ensemble, and deVah Quartet. Daisuke’s interest has been extended to vitalization of communities via art. He has co-directed and performed at Ashita: Artists for Japan, a Tsunami Relief Fundraiser in March, 2011, which featured the visual, music, dance, performance, and literary art communities of Toronto. Daisuke is also a past programming director and board member of Gendai Gallery, an artist and ambassador of ARTBOUND and an organizing committee member of Onagawa Art Season, an art festival at the most devastated town of 2011 Tsunami in Japan. He is currently a co-director of DAICHI Projects, the representative and curator of Field Trip Project, Field Trip Project Asia, and POWER TO THE PEOPLE initiative. He is the executive director of Responding: International Performance Art Festival and Meeting erected in 2018.</p>
<p dir="ltr">*Online session</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ana Vujic</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ana-vujic_foto.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-277" alt="ana vujic_foto" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ana-vujic_foto.jpg" width="740" height="417" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ana Vujić (*1981/Serbia), lives and works in Basel    <a href="http://www.anavujic.ch">www.anavujic.ch</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">For years I have been realising large-format drawings with charcoal or ink that focus on the constantly changing conditions of human life. The works often address situations of transformation, the fragility of the social construct and question our role as individuals. In doing so, I am less interested in retracing real images that have already been seen. Rather, the works are about inner pictorial worlds that also tell of opposing emotional worlds through an abstraction of content.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As an artist, I also consciously place my drawings on public city walls or so-called &#8220;non-places&#8221;. For me, art and everyday life are inseparable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ana is invited to do a specially developed project with wall murals in public space as a socially engaged artwork in collaboration with local and other artists.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ivelina Ivanova <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/krivi">www.vimeo.com/krivi</a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/127909412_10218735885049553_7689034607535938068_n.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-271" alt="127909412_10218735885049553_7689034607535938068_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/127909412_10218735885049553_7689034607535938068_n.jpg" width="2047" height="1360" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr"> is a multidisciplinary artist based in Sofia. From 2014 to 2017 he studied and lived in London, where he started experimental animation and created several short films, recognized by a number of international festivals. Currently, her main creative activity is in the field of 3D animation, video mapping and interactive installation. Ivelina&#8217;s works are with mixed media: painted animation, 2D and 3D digital animation, film and sound collage.Ivelina&#8217;s works are with mixed media: painted animation, 2D and 3D digital animation, film and sound collage. From 2020 he holds a Master&#8217;s degree in Digital Arts from the National Academy of Arts.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The participants in the residency will be introduced to various techniques for analog and digital animation, digital video image processing and transmedia collage. The ultimate goal of the lessons is to make a collective experimental animated video.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Nina Foltynowicz- sound artist, DJ &#8211; https://soundcloud.com/ninchetoo</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Nina-Foltynowicz-CV-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-275" alt="Nina Foltynowicz - CV (1)" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Nina-Foltynowicz-CV-1.jpg" width="531" height="531" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Nina is a DJ from Silesia, mining area of Poland. When she was 6, she said she doesn&#8217;t need to learn how to read, cause she loves music and that&#8217;s enough. Her all life is connected with sounds, beats and instruments. If you could use her eyes for a moment, you would see tons of instruments everywhere. Her mixes are a vibbing journeys through many genres, but house and disco are the most perceptible ones.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Malwina Hanna Kleszcz</p>
<p dir="ltr">Highly-creative Visual Media Artist with an extraordinary experience of innovative digital projects, 3D modeling and animation using the best available technical programs. https://www.artstation.com/malware83</p>
<p dir="ltr">https://www.instagram.com/malvine_gaye/</p>
<p dir="ltr">Nina and Malwina are going to give workshop together of visual and sound short animation</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>The Social Function of the Arts  by Vivi Kieffer</title>
		<link>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/the-social-function-of-the-arts-by-vivi-kieffer/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 22 May 2016 09:29:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[The article was submitted after the open call for our 10th anniversary of Water Tower Art Fest in 2016 &#160; By Vivi Kieffer http://www.vivikieffer.com/ http://www.aletheia-art.com/ Art sublimes emotions and allows the artist to live in another world, with less boundaries, more freedom and more beauty. Victor Hugo, the well-known  French author of the 19th century, [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The article was submitted after the open call for our 10th anniversary of Water Tower Art Fest in 2016</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>By Vivi Kieffer</p>
<p>http://www.vivikieffer.com/</p>
<p>http://www.aletheia-art.com/</p>
<p>Art sublimes emotions and allows the artist to live in another world, with less boundaries, more freedom and more beauty. Victor Hugo, the well-known  French author of the 19th century, felt that opening schools would result in closing prisons, and nowadays many government programs are based on the understanding that opening artistic programs result directly in a diminution of delinquency.</p>
<p>This is an accepted point of view; allow me to add another one. For me, the main social function of the arts is rediscovering a country&#8217;s identity, sometime lost or forgotten.</p>
<p>A little personal history to illuminate the subject&#8230;I left my home country France, to discover new and unknown horizons. When I arrived in Peru, I was nine&#8230; Back then Peru was slowly waking up from the somber times of Sendero Luminoso, The Shining Path. And when I speak about waking up, I speak about its culture, its roots. Cuzco of course was always a very touristic citadel, even in those times, but indigenous Nazca signs and Inca symbology were not often referenced or artistically presented as they are now more than two decades later.</p>
<p>Was it political stability that drove culture and its subsequent tourism to what it is today ? Or on the reverse, is it culture, that over time, and through determined authors, that helped the country to heal from its political injuries? Is there any causality to be seen, or just the mere chance of timing ?</p>
<p>Let me then take another example, one that is closer to my artwork and to the mission I feel that is given to me as an artist. I have been living in a world touristic destination, a safe haven, called the Dominican Republic. Whenever I speak those two words, I see all my interlocutors picturing themselves in a hammock swaying in front of the beautiful turquoise sea&#8230; This scene could be a real one, but it&#8217;s not the only.</p>
<p>Dominican Republic was also the first interface between Europe and the pre-Hispanic culture, the first point of encounter, historically dating back to 1492.</p>
<p>However when you visit the so-called DR, you really have to be a willing and motivated tourist to discover more than traces of Spanish footprints. How many of the almost 6 million tourists annually try to go to the places of the conquest or seek to see the pre-Hispanic legacy? Well, not as many as I would want&#8230; And, of course, it is not surprising, because the country&#8217;s  nationals themselves are still not inspired by its legends.</p>
<p>Some years ago when I was told about the Taino woman warrior called  Anacaona, I was mesmerized by her and the myths surrounding her. This woman, coming from a pretty horizontal culture (with no hierarchy) is said to be the first one of the Caciques to oppose herself to Spanish colonization. It was only after Columbus&#8217; second arrival to the island that the Spanish succeeded in taking complete control.</p>
<p>I envisioned Anacaona (also called Flor de Oro or Golden Flower) as a golden amber, three dimensional flower resting over calm waters at sunset, and therefore built a volumetrical abstraction,  as I call my artwork trend. Then I created  “Genesis”, the video-art I am very happy to show at WTAF this year. “Genesis” is a fusion of images from the Dominican Republic &#8211; its Spanish history, its wonderful and incredible landscapes and my volumetrically abstracted structure “Anacaona”.</p>
<p>This artwork inspired Lilian Carrasco Art Critic for El Caribe newspaper to write:</p>
<p>“It seems that the artist [Vivi Kieffer] has found a way to project over time the legacy of the queen of the Jaragua&#8217;s chiefdom [Anacaona] so that future generations do not lose track of their</p>
<p>indigenous past and the wealth that inhabit their traditions.”</p>
<p>And to tell the truth I do not know what I am more proud of, the aesthetic value of the video-art work “Genesis” itself, or making a bridge between generations and offering, through art, a way of rediscovering one&#8217;s cultural roots.</p>
<p>By any means, for me art&#8217;s main social function will always be to help people build an identity and rediscover long forgotten roots.</p>
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		<title>The Bulgarians are coming</title>
		<link>http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/en/the-bulgarians-are-coming/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Feb 2014 10:55:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Article in The Bite Magazine – Autumn Winter 2013. “THE BULGARIANS ARE COMING” Bulgarian Cultural Institute 21 – 28 October 2013, 19:00 h. Working hours for period 22-28.10.2013, 10:00 – 18:30 Address: 188 Queen’s Gate South Kensington London SW7 5HL www.bcilondon.co.uk +44 (0) 207 591 0179 Standpoint Gallery 24th October – one day presentation 18:30 [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe title="The Bite Magazine - Autumn Winter 2013" src="http://www.thebitemag.com/issue9/index.html#/148/" height="480" width="640" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>Article in The Bite Magazine – Autumn Winter 2013.</p>
<p>“THE BULGARIANS ARE COMING”</p>
<p><strong>Bulgarian Cultural Institute</strong><br />
21 – 28 October 2013, 19:00 h.<br />
<em>Working hours for period 22-28.10.2013, 10:00 – 18:30</em></p>
<p>Address:<br />
188 Queen’s Gate<br />
South Kensington<br />
London<br />
SW7 5HL<br />
<a href="http://www.bcilondon.co.uk/">www.bcilondon.co.uk</a><br />
+44 (0) 207 591 0179</p>
<p><strong>Standpoint Gallery</strong><br />
24th October – one day presentation<br />
18:30 – 21:00</p>
<p>Address:<br />
45 Coronet Street<br />
London N1 6HD<br />
<a href="http://www.standpointlondon.co.uk">www.standpointlondon.co.uk</a><br />
+44 207 739 4921</p>
<p>A show dedicated to free exchange of ideas and collaborations between artists form different nations.<br />
The idea behind this show is provoked by the last UK press prediction of mass immigration in 2014 by Bulgarians and Romanians with allowed work permit.</p>
<p>The artworks to be shown are of UK based artists and Bulgarian artists, all participants of the Water tower art fest &#8211; an artist run initiative.</p>
<p>Water tower art fest is the biggest event with its 7 years history in the development of contemporary arts in alternative spaces with socially engaged artworks from national and international artist’s participants in Bulgaria.<br />
The UK based artists participation is the most prominent one. On that basis we have decided to extend the festival presentation in collaboration and support by them artists in London and show the positive act of communicating through the arts, beyond the limits of national and European politics of the day.</p>
<p>The festival has proved to be the most respectable event in the contemporary art scene in Bulgaria with its international artist’s profile. Throughout the years we have established the free way of communication between artists, institutions and audience by using abandoned buildings as a place for our exhibitions, involving artists from all around the world(last edition included – 900 artists participated so far).<br />
Starting from a small scale initiative with mind liked people around abandoned water tower in Sofia, thus placing the right motivation and act of being socially engaged through the arts has proved to be the most successful event in the history of contemporary arts in Bulgaria. The collaborations made during the festival have extended themselves outside Europe, making an independent network for artistic exchange and communication.</p>
<p><a href="http://watertowerartfest.com">www.watertowerartfest.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/watertowerartfest">www.facebook.com/watertowerartfest</a></p>
<p><em>Nia Pushkarova – Festival Director and curator, artist living in Sofia, Bulgaria. Graduated at Reading University – Fine arts, 1995.</em></p>
<p>Artists:<br />
Alexandra McGllynn (UK) – “He said that I am the way” voices landscape presentation<br />
Andrey Vrabchev (BG) – object #1<br />
Andy Broadey (UK) – “Still” 2013 a presentation at Standpoint Gallery and “Sight Seeing – Photography “2012<br />
Anna Simeonoff (BG) – print series: “Idioms- Anatomists”<br />
Arran Poole and Mark Summers (UK) an improvised music concert<br />
Caitlin and Andrew Webb – Ellis (UK/Canada) – video<br />
Claire Halpin (UK) – “Micro-aviary 1” drawing<br />
Emil Mirazchiev (BG) – video film: “Marlene”<br />
Galya Yotova (BG) – photography installation<br />
Gareth Bell Jones (UK)<br />
Herve Constant (UK) video films<br />
Hitomi Kammai (JP/UK) – sculpture “Roses”<br />
John O’Hare (UK) – installation<br />
Juan DelGado (UK) photography “The Wounded Image” (2002),<br />
Kenneth G. Hay and Seetha A – Moorland Productions (UK) – installation<br />
Marieta Tsenova (BG)<br />
Nia Pushkarova (BG) – title of work: Paintings series of “I am your balance” and video film: “The Expulsion of Adam and Eve”<br />
Remi Merchant (UK) photography<br />
Vessela Mihailova and Tiago Martins (BG &amp;Portugal) – interactive sound installation</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-149" alt="" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1378557_651577538210060_1635552591_n.jpg" width="960" height="643" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-151" alt="1394473_649217268446087_1603304430_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1394473_649217268446087_1603304430_n.jpg" width="960" height="540" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-154" alt="1379341_649217485112732_1096622966_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1379341_649217485112732_1096622966_n.jpg" width="960" height="540" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-152" alt="1374182_649217405112740_559589956_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1374182_649217405112740_559589956_n.jpg" width="960" height="540" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-155" alt="1469863_658544884179992_1558604079_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1469863_658544884179992_1558604079_n.jpg" width="960" height="640" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156" alt="536920_653351321366015_358164464_n" src="http://manifest.watertowerartfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/536920_653351321366015_358164464_n.jpg" width="960" height="643" /></p>
<p>Wonderful photos from the event <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.649217228446091.1073741846.111065985594554&amp;type=1">here</a> thanks to <a href="http://andfotography.com/">Paul</a>.</p>
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		<title>Bulletin 2013</title>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jul 2013 20:38:59 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[Graphic design by Denitsa Toneva Post photo credit: Courtesy of the festival]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe src="http://e.issuu.com/embed.html#2122359/3554186" height="600" width="600" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
Graphic design by <a href="http://denitsatoneva.net/">Denitsa Toneva</a></p>
<p>Post photo credit: Courtesy of the festival</p>
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