Plein airs in fine arts in the city of Elena, Bulgaria and the city of Medgidia, Romania, held within the project “Culture in Eternity”, ROBG-423

The organization and holding of the plein airs in fine arts is part of the activities set in the project ROBG-423.

• Plein air in the town of Elena, 2019:

• Plein air in the town of Medgidia, 2019:

• Plein air in the town of Elena, 2021:

Media coverage of the plein airs:

PLEIN AIR WITH CREATIVE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND PRACTICES WAS HELD IN ELENA

Bulgarian and Romanian artists have created nearly 25 paintings for the new art gallery

An open-air exhibition – in the garden of the Community Center was the final event of a plein air session in fine arts, which was among the activities of the joint project “Culture in Eternity” of the municipalities of Elena and Medgidia, funded by the cross-border cooperation program “Interreg VA Romania – Bulgaria 2014-2020”
Five Romanian and 15 Bulgarian artists took part in it. For three days they had the opportunity to work in the Community Center and outdoors, inspired by the atmosphere and charm of our Revival city. Well-established and talented authors participated in the plein air, and they left nearly 25 paintings for the gallery’s collection. The assessment of the moderators Diana Breshkova and Milcho Bonev, from Elena, is that it was a great event.
The mayor of Elena eng. Dilyan Mlazev awarded the participants with diplomas and small gifts. He thanked them for the accepted invitation and expressed satisfaction with the fact that the idea of the project is filled with content and is becoming more and more meaningful.
The leader of the Romanian group in this plein air again was Mircea Costa, a professional artist from Medgidia.
“I am happy to be here again, in this unique place, with a special appeal and energy. Four of my best students from the creative studio are here with me, and they also like it very much. Last time we did not have the opportunity to see the town, but now we use our free time to feel its atmosphere and get to know the people.
When I saw the beautiful building of the art gallery, I thought that a miracle had happened. Two years ago there were only stones in this place, and today – a spacious gallery full of paintings. Elsewhere they can’t paint it for such a short time, and you already have it. It is like magic – it has been built as if out of nothing.
Elena is a tourist destination and the new gallery will attract Bulgarian and foreign tourists. It will also improve the image of the town in the cultural tourism of the country. I hope that the young people in Elena will continue to support similar projects related to art, and the gallery will become an attractive place for both artists and visitors.
I am grateful that the project has been carried out with such an endeavour by this fantastic team. We do want to come to the opening, but living in a pandemic has taught me not to make promises.”
Mircea Costa’s recommendation as a professional in this field is to find a good art curator who knows the history of the town, the atmosphere and arts, and he/she should be from Elena.
“Pafti” (“belt buckles”) is the name of the painting that the artist painted during the plein air and donated to the gallery. “I saw a lot of photos with objects from Elena’s lifestyle, but it seemed that the belt buckles were the only ones “talking” to me to draw them. They are part of the history and it is worth interpreting it in this way as well. The purpose of my paintings is to make people happy when they look at them. We, the Romanian artists, leave a part of our hearts in Elena with our works “, said Mr Kosta.
The plot of the paintings of the artist Stefan Altakov – professor of Painting and World Studies at Sofia University and his wife Prof Dr Laura Dimitrova – Head of the Department of Visual Arts, are also about Elena.
„Blood is thicker than water“, Prof. Altakov summarised the motives for his family’s participation in the plein air. I am from this region and as a patriot and Orthodox Bulgarian I focused on the Revival theme, and more precisely on Stoyan Mihailovski and the anthem “Go, revived people”. The anthem is based on his poem and we have known it since we were children. This idea of mine, related to his hometown Elena, I realised in a very simple way to make the sign and the symbol clear.
My last visit to Elena was as a student and here I met the great artist Yordan Popov – a very talented artist, a painter, who created brilliant landscapes. I find the city completely changed and European-oriented said the professor, whose family roots are from Konstantin.
Participation in the plein air is a pleasure for his wife as well. Prof. Dimitrova is inspired by the Tree of Life, depicted as a relief on the church “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin”. She recreates the stone relief in a picturesque way so that the tree acts as a continuation of the good.
For Prof. Altakov and the artist Mariana Georgieva, this year’s plein air turned out to be deeply emotional. “Great things happen when people and mountains meet.” The two had not seen each other for 60 years when they painted together as children in Konstantin. She was very impressed by his talent even then and was sure that one day he would become a great artist
Mariana Georgieva’s roots are from the family of Ilarion Makariopolski, from Elena. She also has Macedonian blood in her veins vein from her grandmother Katerina from Konstantin.
“I will leave a wonderful poem by Diana Kremenska, which is thematically related to the plein air. I painted it with love and a message: “Draw me a song about tears and humanity.” My gift to the gallery is a painting with horses – “My Waves”, which bring inspiration. I wish everyone in the city of Elena, regardless of their occupation, to be free and inspired, like my free horses.
Along with the established artists, the youngest artists – Sebahtin Hashimov and Ana Lovetskaya – presented themselves with dignity at the plein air. For the 12-year-old boy, the creative event is a great school, as he has learned a lot, received valuable advice and encouragement in his passion – painting, which he intends to take seriously in the future
Elenska tribuna newspaper, 2021

• Plein air in Medgidia, 2021:

Project „Culture in Eternity“, code: ROBG-423

Project value (ERDF): 1, 199, 667.16 €

It is implemented by Elena Municipality in partnership with Medgidia Municipality, Constanta county, Romania.

Project „Culture in Eternity“ is cofinanced by the European Union through European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg V-A Romania – Bulgaria Programme.

The Culture in Eternity project is directly linked to the principles of sustainable development and actively promotes equal opportunities, non-discrimination and gender equality.