DOCTORAL RESEARCH
THE ABSTRACT PAINTING OF ATANAS PARUSHEV
SUMMARY:
The article examines the abstract painting of Atanas Parushev – from his first attempts in the sphere of the non-figurative during his studies (1980–1985) as a student from the first graduating class in Painting under Prof. Ivan Kirkov at the Academy of Arts to his most mature achievements–the works from the Verticals series, on which the artist continues to work to this day. Differentiated by theme, genre, and style, the individual periods, painting series, and cycles, with their specific characteristics and interrelationships, are examined and analysed inseparably from the leading motives and approaches behind their creation. They are entirely subordinate to the philosophy and creative worldview of the artist, for whom sincerity in art is the highest value, placed on a pedestal. This position is expressed in his way of working and his powerful, even religious attitude towards painting. The included fragments of conversations and unpublished artist’s archive reveal a respectful attitude and dedication to art in order to achieve the desired effect, which is to be achieved through an encounter with his distinctly psychological abstract painting.
And if these paintings provoke excitement, reflection or sympathy, they will fulfil the artist’s desire to awaken COMPASSION – the supreme morality, the lack of egoism, complacency and intolerance.
Keywords: Atanas Parushev, abstract art, painting, Verticals, contemporary Bulgarian art
VISUAL IMAGES AND COMPOSITIONAL SOLUTIONS IN THE PACKAGING OF BULGARIAN NATURAL PRODUCTS
SUMMARY:
The article examines post-production in photography as a complex process combining technical, aesthetic and philosophical aspects. Post-production is defined as a key stage in the creation of a photographic work, involving the processing, retouching and transformation of images after they have been captured. Various techniques are analysed, ranging from the classic methods of manual The article explores the role of visual images and compositional solutions in the packaging of Bulgarian natural food products, considering them as an independent visual form, which goes beyond their utilitarian function. The analysis traces how images–photographic and illustrative–shape the first impression of the quality, origin and nature of the product. The interaction between images, typography and colour solutions that build an overall visual identity is briefly examined. Examples are presented, through which the variety of aesthetic approaches is traced –from minimalist geometry to stylisations with folklore motifs and illustrations with a narrative nature. The role of the visual narrative in building trust and an emotional connection between the product and the consumer is emphasised, especially in the context of the increasingly mechanised and technological visual world. The Bulgarian natural foods market is developing its own visual language, in which composition, colour, and image function as carriers of identity and values, turning packaging into a kind of visual narrative about origin, care, and quality.
Keywords: packaging design, visual images, food products, product labels, Bulgarian product packaging
CLICHÉS AT THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ARTS: DOES PHOTOGRAPHY LIBERATE PAINTING ON THE PATH TO ABSTRACTION?
SUMMARY:
Theoretical clichés function as slogans in art theory–they are crafted with the intent to provide straightforward, clear, and seemingly logical explanations for complex and often long-term processes that have led to pivotal changes in art history. When it comes to delineating the boundaries between the arts and analysing their intersections, the mutual influence of photography and painting remains one of the most frequently discussed topics in contemporary theory. This prominence likely stems from their shared principles of two-dimensional compression and, to some extent, their intertwined historical trajectories.
The dynamics of the boundary between painting and photography have catalysed many innovative approaches in art from the mid-19th century to the present. Since the processes of transmission are multidirectional and nuanced, the conclusions drawn from this intricate sequence of interactions are the result of both rigorous scholarly investigation and the prevalence of certain popularised clichés.
Keywords: art boundaries, art world, theoretical clichés, photography, painting, avant-garde
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLE AS IMPORTANT MEANS OR NECESSARY CULTURAL CODES AND AESTHETIC TOOLS IN THE MODERN FORMS OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION
SUMMARY:
Looking at makeup and hair beyond their routine use reveals a complex visual ecosystem in which cultural, social, political, and technological processes are intertwined. Practices that have long been underestimated by academic circles as “petty” or secondary elements of fashion turn out to be central to understanding the way in which contemporary society organises visibility and constructs identity.
An interdisciplinary perspective shows that makeup and hair are not simply aesthetic gestures, but mechanisms for the production of meaning. The modern digital environment further enhances this dynamic, transforming the face into a media interface through which the individual enters into relationships with algorithms and audiences.
The construction of such an analytical model shows that makeup and hair function simultaneously on four interconnected levels: aesthetic, social, semiotic, and political. This multidimensionality requires a new language of description and definition that takes into account the hybrid nature of visual practice.
The scientific contribution of such research is twofold. On the one hand, it formulates a framework that allows for the analysis of visual practices as cultural systems. On the other hand, it indicates the place of makeup and hairstyle in the broader processes of transformation of visuality, construction of identity, and social interaction in the digital age.
Understanding these processes is key to the study of contemporary culture, which is increasingly developing in the direction of visual communication. Makeup and hairstyle, although seemingly everyday and peripheral, turn out to be some of the most significant elements in this transformation – not only because they shape the face, but because they set the framework within which the face becomes visible, as well as a face with a strategically planned, dominant personal presence.
Keywords: fashion makeup, concept, function, essence, trends
VARIATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE AND ITS ROLE IN THE INDUSTRIAL THEMED PAINTING IN BULGARIA FROM THE 1930S TO THE 1980S
SUMMARY:
The article explores the human figure development in the context of the industrial theme in Bulgarian painting in the 1930s–1980s period, which allows a more comprehensive tracing of the figure in various social, political and artistic contexts. The different semiotic roles of the figure are traced – from a social symbol through an ideological instrument to an existential sign. Considered are the social engagement and the role of art in the struggle for social justice in the 1930s, as well as the propaganda and heroic functions of the figurative compositions, which are ideological and narrative during the period of dogmatic socialist realism (1947–1956). Reviewed are examples of frontal, associative-metaphorical, decorative, monumental types of compositions, which developed in the 1960s and the 1970s after the April Plenum of 1956 (of the Bulgarian Communist Party). The text ends with a review of the 1980s new interpretation of the figure, which is reduced to an existential sign. The article focuses on paintings by artists such as Mara Tsoncheva, Stoyan Sotirov, Petar Dochev, Stefan Gatsev, Ivaylo Mirchev.
Keywords: industrial theme, Bulgarian painting, human figure, socialist realism, frontal composition, monumentalisation, 1960s–1970s