site.btaArt Expert Maria Vassileva: 2025 Holds Hope for Global Recognition of Bulgarian Art

In 2025, there is a hope for increased global recognition of Bulgarian art and for policies that value the role of culture in representing the country, art historian, critic, and curator Maria Vassileva told BTA’s Vanya Suharova on Tuesday.

Vassileva described 2024 as an exciting year for art, noting Bulgaria's participation in the Venice Biennale and the first Sofia Art Fair as key events. She also mentioned the diverse major exhibitions at the National Gallery, the Forum for Contemporary Visual and Interdisciplinary Arts in Varna – BUNA, the opening of a new exhibition at the Kazanlak Art Gallery and the extensive Hunger exhibition, displayed across multiple venues throughout Kazanlak.

"The inclusion of a painting by Georges Papazoff in the permanent exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris is of great significance to our entire society," Vassileva added.

When asked about art trends in 2024, Vassileva stated, "Art is a limitless ocean. What fascinates me is its ability to keep society from falling into apathy, to provoke thought and raise questions—both through aesthetic challenges and the themes it explores. I keep an eye on these trends, and fortunately, they stand out."

Vassileva observed that in 2024, art was missing critical reviews and in-depth theoretical analysis to bring attention to artists and trends.

Maria Vassileva is a curator, critic, and art historian. She has organized numerous exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad and has participated in various international projects. Her writings appear in both Bulgarian and international journals and catalogues. She founded the Structura Gallery in Sofia, which opened in December 2017.