“The Universe on Paper” – Contemporary Paper Art International Exchange Exhibition between Bulgaria and China
23 September 2025 News
On September 16, 2025, the Bulgarian-Chinese exhibition “The Universe on Paper” was inaugurated in Wuhu City, Anhui Province. The event is part of a bilateral cultural exchange project, the first phase of which was the Bulgarian-Chinese exhibition held in Levski Municipality from June 7 to July 13, 2025 and included a visit by Chinese artists to Bulgaria. The organizers of “The Universe on Paper” (September 16-25, 2025) from Chinese side are the Beijing International Cultural Trade Promotion Association and the Wuhu Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. The initiative was supported by the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Shanghai.
The Bulgarian and European artists featured in the exhibition include: sculptors Snejana Simeonova and Todor Todorov; Daniela Todorova – paper art; visual artist Stefan Gadzhovski; photographer Violetta Apostolova; visual artist Stoyan Todorov; and contemporary artists Phenix Varbanov and Bruno Georges David. The former Deputy Minister of Culture Vessela Kondakova was also present. Participating from Chinese side are: Xiao Huang, President of the International Culture & Art Committee of Beijing Association for Cultural Trade; Wu Xiaoming, Chairman of the Wuhu Artists Association; Prof. Jiang Zhuqing (Tsinghua University); representatives from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing) – Prof. Tang Chenghua, Prof. Zhou Jirong, and Li Qiang; Yang Hong (China Cultural Development Promotion Association); Prof. Li Hongbo (Jilin Normal University); Zhang Wei (Shanxi Artists Association); Hu Yi, Director of the Jiujiang Art Museum; and artists Tian Wei and Zhang Hongbin.
In his address to the attendees, Consul General Vladislav Spasov praised the exhibition as an excellent opportunity for artistic, intellectual, and spiritual dialogue between creators from Bulgaria and China. He also noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the European Union and China, and that the participation of internationally renowned artists from Bulgaria, France, and China in “The Universe on Paper” commemorates the artistic dialogue between our country, as an EU Member State, and China.
Holding the “The Universe on Paper” exhibition in Anhui Province carries profound significance due to the province’s millennia-old connection with the production and artistry of Xuan paper, also known as rice paper. During their visit, the Bulgarian artists also visited The Yellow Mountain (Huangshan), a site inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List (1990). It gives its name to the Huangshan Painting School, which flourished in the 17th century. The encounter with the unique landscapes and the opportunity to participate in a practical art workshop in the mountain provided the Bulgarian guests with a deeper aesthetic understanding of Chinese culture.
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