BULGARIA // Then + Now

Spanning almost twenty years a creative and cultural exchange between Bulgarian and American artists made possible through the Griffis Foundation of New London, CT and the Orpheus Foundation of Sofia, Bulgaria. Through this exchange program artists and writers were given the opportunity to seek the unknown through a new world of experiences. The history of the group in the words of Levchev reads "like a ship's log – a logbook of voyagers". Throughout the years here in New London we have seen glimpses of the exchange artists at the Griffis Art Center and the Alexey Von Schlippe Gallery. This month at Hygienic Art the exhibition Bulgaria // Then + Now will bring together this band of voyagers. A selection of paintings, drawings, film, photography, sculpture + poetry reflecting the artists' experience during their residency exchange + their most recent endeavors as well as a look into some of the history and friendship created.


Participating American + Bulgarian artists + writers + contributors: Anne Seelbach, Ariel Mitchell, Brad Guarino, Charles Chu, Cathy Doocy, Chris Zhang, Claudia Dinep, Debi Pendell, Donna Martell, Greg Bowerman, Gretchen Hatfield, Julia Pavone, Kat Murphy, Karen Rand Mitchell, Sharon Tripp Griffis, Lyubomir Levchev, Leda Startcheva, Dora Boneva, Marta Levcheva, Mark Mckee, Mark Dixon, Mark Patnode, Ron Crusan, Ted Efremoff, Valentin Krustev, William Meredith, Richard Harteis, Zdravko Palazov, Todor Shopov, Valentin Startchev, Phred Mileski, Sandy Taylor, Julia Malinova, Svilen Blajev, Hughes Griffis, Dora Yankova, Hugh Kenneth Hill, Kristin Patrashkova,