Exhibition “Bulgaria and Mosaics”

The “Bulgaria and Mosaics” exhibition, commissioned by the State Institute for Culture - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, was created in 2023 by the Balkan Heritage Foundation in collaboration with several Bulgarian museums, non-profit organizations, and experts in the fields of art history and archaeology. The exhibition aims to present the rich and diverse mosaic heritage in Bulgaria, and to spark interest by showcasing details of ancient, medieval, and contemporary mosaics. It also demonstrates Bulgaria's role in the preservation, research, and communication of the mosaic heritage of Southeast Europe as a whole.

These mosaics were created by different civilizations over the last two millennia. Most of them trace their origins back to Antiquity (2nd–6th centuries) or the 20th century, pivotal epochs during which mosaic art thrived, giving rise to remarkable examples that have survived on the territory of modern-day Bulgaria.

The exhibition consists of a physical print exhibition, created for the State Institute of Culture, and a digital component developed by the Balkan Heritage Foundation to complement it. The traveling print exhibition features 26 panels, most of which have a QR code linking to the exhibition's website. The website contains information about the featured mosaics, their specific locations, and the institutions and organizations that made the exhibition possible. It also includes brief articles about the history, practice, and current problems of mosaic art conservation in Bulgaria, as well as the contributions of Bulgarian organizations to the field.

All of the photographed objects included in the exhibition are located in public spaces as defined by Bulgarian Law.

The Balkan Heritage Foundation would like to thank all of the institutions and organizations that provided photographic images or access/permission to take photos of the objects: Museum of Mosaics - Devnya, Regional Archaeological Museum – Plovdiv, Ancient Plovdiv Municipal Institute, Regional Museum of History - Stara Zagora, National Archaeological Institute with Museum - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Appellate Court - Sofia, The National Palace of Culture - Congress Centre Sofia LtD., National Museum of History, Buzludzha Project Foundation, and the Faculty of Physics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

The Exhibition Team:
Concept: Ivan Vasilev
Design: Anton Chalakov, Ivan Vasilev
Photos: Anton Chalakov, Alexander Manev, Aron Tyler, Ivan Vasilev, Miglena Raykovska, Mishko Tutkovski, Tome Filov, Tsvetan Chetashki
Original texts: Daniela Chulova-Markova, Elena Kantareva-Decheva, Ivan Vasilev, Lyuba Manoilova, Maria Kamisheva, Vanya Popova
Editing: Ivan Vasilev, Lyuba Manoilova
Web design: Anton Chalakov
Bulgarian editor: Boryana Darakchieva
English translation: Boris Deliradev
English editing: Liz Meshel, Rachel Harrison