Opening of the Brazilian-Bulgarian exhibition "Beyond the Surface", part of Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026 by Amateras Foundation
The opening of the Brazilian-Bulgarian exhibition “Beyond the Surface” took place on 15 June at the “Mission” Gallery to the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The exhibition is a joint project between Bulgaria and Brazil and is part of this year’s edition of Sofia Paper Art Fest by Amateras Foundation.
The exhibition presents contemporary artistic practices from Brazil that explore the themes of memory, identity, cultural layers, and the invisible connections between humans, nature, and society. The exhibition focuses on the processes that remain hidden beneath the visible - the accumulation of personal and collective memory, the transformations of matter, and art’s ability to reveal deeper layers of human experience. The project offers an opportunity for encounters between different creative traditions, artistic practices and interpretations of the contemporary world.
In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Yavor Koynakov, a.i. Director of the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, thanked the organizers for their collaboration and congratulated the attending artists, and especially Ms. Daniela Todorova, for their ability "to transform a material as delicate and ephemeral as paper into a message and a form of communication capable of overcoming borders and language barriers." The opening was also attended by the Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Republic of Bulgaria H.E. Paulo Roberto Campos Tarrisse da Fontoura. In his welcome speech, he emphasized the significance of memory as a subject of creative exploration and of collective engagement. “The current exhibition allows us to discover stories, identities, memories, and emotions that often remain hidden from us,” he said. In turn, Ms. Daniela Todorova from Amateras Foundation and Ms. Angela Barbour, curators of the exhibition, expressed their joy in collaborating on themes relevant to both Brazil and Bulgaria, and to contemporary society as a whole.
A special highlight of the opening was Andrea Barbour’s performance “Corpo Presente” (Present Body). In it, the artist explored the relationships between the body, the environment, and other forms of life, viewing the skin not as a boundary but as a space for exchange between matter, energy, and memory. Following the performance, an additional installation was added to the gallery, composed of images, organic materials, and fragments collected during the performance, which will function as a material trace of the ephemeral act.
“Beyond the Surface” is part of a long-standing cultural exchange program between Bulgaria and Brazil, developed since 2016 on the initiative of Amateras Foundation, Elora Studio, and partner organizations from both countries. After a temporary break during the pandemic, the project was resumed in 2025 with events in São Paulo and continues to evolve through exhibitions, artist residencies, educational programs, and professional exchanges.
The exhibition is curated by Daniela Todorova from the Amateras Foundation, Angela Barbour, and Eliana Ankhina. Participating in the exhibition are Andrea Barbour, Angela Barbour, Katarina Suleiman, Sildo Oliveira, Eliana Ankhina, Jacqueline Aronis, Luciane Kunde, Mario Fiore, and Ninetas Rabner.
The exhibition is open until 31st August, weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.