Дом на културата “Красно село”
Министерство на отбраната (Щаб на отбраната)
The function of monumental art changed after a new political regime was established in 1944. The state no longer invested in expensive, long-lasting monumental decoration, and temporary decoration replaced wall painting. The period between the mid-1940s and 1950s boasts few examples of mosaic art, which did not return to Bulgarian art until the 1960s when it became a popular decorative technique.
Monumental wall art (mosaic and sgraffito) flourished during the ‘60s. Muted colors were typical, and mosaic themes were connected to Bulgarian history from the medieval, revival, and modern periods. Many mosaics were designed to convey to viewers the epic greatness of Bulgaria’s past. Some are very experimental in nature, but others struck a good balance between showing off their architectural settings and standing out on their own right. A new stage in the stylistic and thematic development of mosaic art began towards the end of the 1960s when artists started to depict contemporary events alongside historical ones.
One of the main characteristics of monumental art from the 1960s – 80s is the government’s monopoly over the process of its creation (its commission, design, and realization). This control entailed the creation of special administrative bodies within the Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA) and the Creative fund of the UBA. The special state committee for decorative and monumental arts (active 1976-1992) became responsible for commissioning monumental works of art, approving project designs and execution, and approving final results and payments for the different creative stages. Several workshops were created and managed by the Creative fund of the UBA to carry out commissions for particular kinds of monumental and applied arts. These workshops include: the workshop for monumental art in Sofia, the biggest in the Balkans for monumental sculpture and plastic arts; the workshop for applied arts in Sofia; and the workshop for decorative monumental art in Plovdiv, for mosaics, sgraffito, metal and concrete plastic arts. An artistic council attached to the workshop for decorative monumental art in Plovdiv oversaw and evaluated the realization of monumental art pieces across the city. Meeting minutes are the main sources of information for the activities of the council and the state committee for decorative and monumental arts; these minutes can be accessed in the Central State Archives in Sofia and are echoed in the testimonies of people who participated in the meetings themselves. Between 1980 and 1989, Dechko Dechev was the leading artist and chairman of the artistic council as well as the director of the workshop for decorative monumental art in Plovdiv. The workshop for decorative monumental art in Plovdiv, which was restructured and renamed “Art Center” Ltd. as part of the creative Fund of the UBA, had facilities and a wide range of raw materials and supplies for the creation of mosaics. Almost all mosaics created during between 1980 and 1989 utilized these resources.
The separation of the design and execution processes was most characteristic of this period. Most of the artists who created monumental mosaics limited their participation in the process to delivering the artistic design in scale and/or to making а cardboard model in scale 1:1. The actual installation of the mosaics was carried out mainly by workshop contractors, who were trained to create tesserae from stone material and then assemble the mosaics under the supervision of the artist who created the project design. Few artists carried out their projects themselves.
author: Raina Decheva-Uchkunova
This trend continued into the 1970s when mosaics became more complex in composition and expression. Mosaics commissioned for newly constructed buildings spanned large interior and exterior surfaces. The practice of covering entire walls with mosaics became popular and stemmed from the desire for a wall’s decoration to extend out from its architectural setting. Mosaics were made according to various scales and were often laid on several levels in interior spaces. Compositions also became more complex, sometimes becoming overcrowded with figures and patterns. The first truly abstract motifs appeared during the ‘70s. Mosaic techniques and materials, as well as the architectural spaces that made possible the creation of abstract monumental images, also fit the totalitarian aesthetics of Bulgaria’s socialist period.
The 1980s are a complicated and multifaceted period for mosaics and Bulgarian art in general. Processes that started near the end of the 1970s fully developed in the ‘80s. This is the decade in which most major architectural monuments were built in Bulgaria. Among these are the Pleven panorama (1978), the monument dedicated to the 1300th Anniversary of the Bulgarian State in Shumen (1981), the memorial house of the Bulgarian communist party on Buzludzha peak (1976-1981), the National palace of culture (1981), and other festival and city centers. All these newly built monuments naturally raised the demand for decorative art. Mosaics were well-suited to the ostentatious, bright color esthetic popular at the time and became the norm for interior and exterior decorative accents. Mixed media art became ever more popular, as did the inclusion of sculptural elements in wall decoration, which allowed for greater experimentation. The compositions included more and more layers of images and patterns.
The major artists who designed mosaics from the end of the 1960s until 1989 are Mito Ganovski (1925-2022), Dimo Zaimov (1930-2016), Ilia Iliev (1931), Iordan Markov, Ioan Leviev (1934-1994), Dimitar Kirov (1935-2008), Hristo Stefanov (1931-2013), Atanas Yaranov (1940-1988), Iordan Spirov (1944-2013), Ivan Kirkov (1932-2010), Alexander Terziev (1953), Toma Vurbanov (1943), Stoyan Koyumdzhiev (1944), Ivan Kozhuharov, Grigor Spiridonov (1930-2000), Georgi Trifonov (1947-2013), Valchan Petrov (1947), Nikola Shamanov (1942), Rujko Chelebiev (1948), and Bozhidar Ionov (1942).
1878-1944
В началото на ХХ век в България доминира главно храмовата мозаечна декорация и не може да се говори за развитие на мозайката като за регулярна художествена практика. След 1878 г. до началото на ХХ век образци на светска мозайка на практика не са познати. Мозайката като разновидност на монументалната живопис плахо навлиза в художествения живот на страната чрез европейския художествен опит, опосредстван от водещи културни центрове.
Най-ранните примери за мозаечни образци са от зората на ХХ век. В тяхната специфика е налице приемственост от пластичния изказ на живописта. С други думи, мозайките приличат на картини – с меки, плавно нюансирани преходи, светлосянъчно изграждане и стремеж към пространствена дълбочина.
Тенденциите, свързани с търсенето на национална идентичност, са знакови за епохата. Те рефлектират и върху творчеството на архитекти и художници, които се обръщат към формите на българската средновековна архитектура, към българския орнамент и стилизация. Формите на фасадната украса обикновено са третирани живописно, с ярък, свеж и динамичен колорит. В сградите се появяват многоцветни фризове, керамична декорация и по-рядко мозаечни пана. Въпреки че през 20-те години на ХХ век българските художници работят в различни области, мозайката не е сред предпочитаните и обичайни техники за стенно-монументална декорация. Това се дължи на липсата на финансова подкрепа от страна на държавата, която компенсира загубите си след Първата световна война, както и на липсата на приемственост в тази художествена дейност. Постепенно, в хода на последвалото обществено-икономическо развитие, паралелно със замогване на част от населението и с навлизането на австрийски и немски влияния зачестява създаването на стенописи и мозайки и в частни интериорни пространства. Видни интелектуалци поръчват в домовете си мозайки, стенописи или керамични пана. През 20-те години на ХХ век в цялостния облик на мозайката се наблюдава увлечение по плоскостно-декоративното начало, закономерно произтичащо от пиетета към родното и от европейските художествени влияния у нас.
В края на 20-те години обстановката в художествения живот се променя. Настъпва постепенно уталожване на острата реакция от преживяното през войните. През 30-те години държавата инвестира много средства в строеж на големи обществени сгради. Изкуството се превръща в инструмент за изграждане на институционална мощ. През 30-те години украсата е изпълнена от скъпи и трайни материали. Мозайките са все по-често поръчвани от държавата.
Като знакови автори в областта на мозайката от периода 1878 – 1944 г. могат да се посочат Антон Митов, Харалампи Тачев, Иван Пенков, Дечко Узунов, Иван Кожухаров, Иван Ненов.
1944-1989
След 1989
“Mosaic Tour Sofia” is a project of the Balkan Heritage Foundation funded by Sofia Municipality under the program “Culture – 2022-2023”, section “Cultural Heritage and Socialization”.