November 12 – December 21, 2012
Shipka 6 Gallery of the UBA

This exhibition presented paintings, graphic art, drawings and sculptures selected from the General Art Exhibition titled The Land and the People – one of the most significant forums of Bulgarian arts of the 1970ʼs and 1980ʼs.

This project came about as a response to the intention to have a look at certain periods of the 120-year history of art in Bulgaria, specifically the 1970ʼs – a period relatively unknown to younger generations and somewhat distant already to those who were active back then. The works presented in the exhibition were from the 1982 The Land and the People general art exhibition, which took place in the city of Tolbuchin (now Dobrich), and complemented with works from the 1972 and 1977 editions.

The Land and the People general art exhibition presented the most significant processes in Bulgarian art back then and was perhaps the most important art event of recent past. It shed some light on the process of change of thinking which, in the period of time selected, 1972 – 1982, meant the entry of new generations on the art scene. Free, unbiased by political ideologies thinking coexisted with conformism, often objected to it, and sometimes the two communicated with each other. This basic conflict was apparent in the works exhibited and clarifies the drama of the times to a certain extent. The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Dobrich art gallery. The exhibition was initiated on Dimitar Grozdanovʼs idea.

The project was implemented by the financial support and in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the Dobrich Municipality, the Dobrich Art Gallery, the Sofia City Gallery and the Sofia Press Agency.