Went to a small village in the middle of Bulgaria called Gorna Lipnitsa for an art residency. The place looks like Iowa, but with Eastern European decay and beauty. It was an inspiring trip for me. Here is a recap and photos from my cell (sorry)…
Fast track two days of flights and traveling from NYC. I’m in Sofia, Bulgaria, haven’t slept, confused and nervous as all can be, staring at the train schedule with much perplexity. The Bulgarian language is a tricky one and not very many people speak english. But I was on the right track (literally) when I watched and missed my first four-hour train ride to Pavlikeni. Learning by failing, I caught the next one out and made it to my destination only to see this beautiful coffee machine and local graf…
It was dark. I mimed with a nice truck driver to help call the residency so that they could come and pick me up at the station. They talked on the phone for quite a bit, truck driver hung up, shook my hand and walked away. “What the fuck?” No “you’re all good” head shake or thumbs up? I was tired. I just sat down and hoped for the best. An hour later a small car pulled up and out jumped three Bulgarians, one being a girl. We said our hellos and off we went into the darkness towards my hosting village Gorna Lipnitsa. I was nervous. There wasn’t much conversation (in English) happening and I still didn’t quite know what I was in for. Lana Del Rey was playing on the radio just to make things worst. Ten minutes into the drive, the car pulls over near a cornfield in the middle of nowhere. The two guys in the front jump out of the car, and I bulk up in a tense ready-to-fight beast mode. They switched spots and kept cruising. I eased. Later I found out it was because the other driver in the passenger seat was drunk, but also better at driving around the INSANE number of potholes… which must even out the drunkenness. His dad was also the Mayor, so that helps. For the record, there was an idea in the village that I was going to come and murder someone based off my previous work, so we scared each other, respectively. I met the other artist from all over (Egypt, Mexico, Israel, Japan) and biked off to bed.
Morning ass. The Gorna Lipnitsa village was once a populous area, but today the majority of houses are rundown and abandoned. They would describe it this way though, “fertile soil, abundant spring water, lush oak forests have attracted people since ancient times in this very beautiful region.”
The first day I got a feel for the land and toured the old school I would be working in. I only had three canvases and 8 days to work, but soon discovered the greatest room ever full of old communist ephemera. I was free to take anything…
and started making shit!
Old communist Poets…
The ever colorful Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Fuck that guy.
I really wanted my work to feel me, but be Bulgarian so took the mini day trips as time for inspiration. Here are some mental reference material…
“In wine we trust”
and made this.
plus “paint drying time” work…
Close up…
And after 8 strange days, we had a show.
My favorite review came from a lawyer and psychiatrist, “I feel you were very abused as a child or a strong believer in communism.”
Thanks Bulgaria and everyone in Gorna Lipnitsa for supporting me and sharing your homes, food, entertainment, bikes, transportation, and booze!
My work and the work of the other artists will be on tour around Bulgaria in the months to come so if you visit, check it out!
