|
|
|
|
|
NEW
YEAR ADDRESS
Dear artists, donors, supporters and partners of the Museum
HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE in Gabrovo,
May 2010 be healthful, peaceful
and fruitful! May hard work, spiritual strength and the sense
of humour help us beat the economic crisis!
In 2010 the team of the House
of Humour and Satire will start the preparation work on a
noteworthy event - the 20th edition of the International
Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts - Gabrovo 2011.
Get you ready, too! Your cooperation and participation is
great honour to us!
In May, 2010 Gabrovo - the humour
capital of Bulgaria - will celebrate 150 years since it was
pronounced a town. Feel welcome to join in the celebration!
Good Health and Laughter!
Yours,
Tatyana Tsankova
Director of the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE in Gabrovo
| |
|
CALENDAR
OF THE EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC EVENTS TO BE HELD BY THE MUSEUM
HOUSE OF HUMOURAND SATIRE (MHHS)
in 2010
January
13.01. - UNCLE GANYO -
YESTERDAY AND TODAY: MHHS shows a thematic exhibition of cartoons
and illustrations from the Humour of the Peoples art
collection in the Art Gallery of Svishtov
28.01. - IT WASN'T AGREED
TO MEET - photographs from the archives of Phodar International
Biennial
February
04.02. - METAMORPHOSES
- solo show of drawings by Georgi Rusinov (Bulgaria)
11.02. - CARNIVAL TEMPTATIONS
- documentary photography featuring the collection of Yves
Guignardat (France)
18.02. - BATIK COLLECTION:
MHHS stages a show at Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery in
Burgas
March
04.03. - MARITIME SATIRE
- one-artist cartoon show of Zhivko Tenev (Bulgaria)
18.03. - CURIOSITY - one-woman
satirical sculpture show of Tatyana Dimitrova (Bulgaria)
18.03. - RECOLLECTION
OF THEATRE - exhibition of theatre posters from the Humour
of the Peoples art collection
22.03. - SPRING HAS SPUNG!:
MHHS shows a thematic collection at Bozhentsi Reserve
of Archirecture and History
April
01.04. - 38th
Birthday of MHHS and GABROVO Planet:
- Children's matinee: FUN-LOVING GABROVO (The children of
Gabrovo paint, sing, tell funny stories,dance and laugh together!)
The programme encompasses:
10.00 a.m. - 12.00
- Opening an exhibition of children's art under the heading
Fun-loving Gabrovo; awarding the prize-winners.(The
event is organized in cooperation with Friends of Belgium
Club in Gabrovo.)
- Announcing the results of the competition for artistic telling
of Gabrovo anecdotes and funny stories. The prizewinners perform
before the audience.
- Humorous songs and dances performed by Representative Children's
Folk Ensemble Gabrovche under the guidance of art director
Lachezar Zahariev
- Unveiling a monument to the Gabrovo cat (sculpted by Georgi
Balabanov and donated by Georgi Balabanov and Dr. Todor Shandurkov)
at the MHHS
6.00 - 8.00 p.m.
SOIREE in Gabrovo fashion
- CATS - thematic exhibition of paintings (Italian artist
Sergio Cavallerin's cats meet Bulgarian artist Yordanka Shiyakova's
ones.)
- Variety entertainment
08.04. - CARNIVAL TEMPTATIONS
- documentary photography featuring the collection of Yves
Guignardat (France) on show at Dr. Tota Venkova Multifunctional
Hospital for Active Treatment in Gabrovo
10.04. - SATIRICAL DRAWINGS
from the Humour of the Peoples art collection in the
town of Lukow, Poland
15.04. - THE GABROVO
CONNECTION - selected works by Bulgarian artists Nikola Vinev,
Robert Canev and Tanya Koleva
May
16.05.
- THE DAY OF GABROVO (150 years since Gabrovo was
proclaimed a town)
- Merry-making in front of the MHHS (live music, parade of
Gabrovo humour banners, etc.)
- HOW GABROVO TURNED INTO A HUMOUR CAPITAL photo exhibition
(Citizens of Gabrovo and notables from the photography archive
of the MHHS)
- THE GABROVO CONTRIBUTION - group exhibition of art works
by Gabrovo artists housed in the Humour of the Peoples
art collection
- ESKISEHIR GREETS GABROVO - Turkish cartoons from the Museum
of Cartoon Art to the Anadolu University
June
19.06. - BULGARIAN SATIRE
- MHHS shows a cartoon collection from the International Biennial
of Humour and Satire in the Arts in Art Gallery, Legnica,
Poland
24.06. - BURGAS NIGHT:
Burgas Photographers' Association shows a group photography
exhibition
24.06. - ONE MAY NOT BE
A RIGHTEOUS MAN, BUT ONE MAY JUDGE FAIRLY! - exhibition of
cartoons from the Humour of the Peoples art collection
24.06. - LET'S LAUGH TOGETHER,
NOT AT EACH OTHER - humorous photographs by four members of
the Mashhad Photo Club, Iran. The exhibition is part of the
museum programme dedicated to the International Year for
the Rapprochement of Cultures - 2010.
25.06. - EUROSAPIENS -
MHHS shows a thematic exhibition of cartoons from the Humour
of the Peoples art collection at the European Cartoon
Centre in Kruishoutem, Belguim
30.06. - Exhibition of
works from the Children's Art School headed by Ema Verterova
September
02.09. - HEIDELBERG SMILES:
3 Heidelberg artists stage a group exhibition/performance.
The exhibition is part of the museum programme dedicated to
the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures
- 2010.
02.09. - SIZE MATTERS
- exhibition of large-size drawings and sculpture from the
Humour of the Peoples art collection
08.09. - DRAWINGS OF GABROVO
- solo show of arch. Spiridon Ganev
09.09. - THE GREAT RETURN
- solo cartoon show of Hristo Velchev (Bulgaria)
09.09. - - EXHIBITION
OF POSTERS BY PETER POCS, HUNGARY - the show is staged by
the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Sofia
16.09. - LAID BARE, MY
SOUL IS DANCING AND SINGING - solo show of paintings by Stayo
Garnoev (Bulgaria)
23.09. - CARICATOURISTS
- MHHS shows a thematic cartoon exhibition at Uzana
Visitor and Information Centre (within the framework of
Uzana 2010 National Eco Initiative)
October
07.10. - MY WORLD - one-woman
show of paintings by Antoniya Barakova (Bulgaria)
07.10. - TO THE MAYOR
OF THUN, MR.HANS-UELI VON ALLMEN, WITH LOVE: Gabrovo photographers
stage a group exhibition
07.10. - CARTOONS BY THE CLASSICS OF BULGARIAN ANIMATION - ancillary exhibition to the Comedy Film Fest
November
04.09. -
CHOPIN IN CARTOONS: the National Cartoon Museum in
Warsaw, Poland is showing a cartoon exhibition to mark the
200th anniversary of the birth of the composer
11.11. - Opening of the
carnival season
- CARNIVAL MASKS - exhibition of Venician masks by Daniela
Docheva - Knizevic
- VERSICOLOURED CARNIVAL - exhibition of works from the Humour
of the Peoples art collection
25.11. - APOSTOPHE
ART CLUB (Gabrovo) AND FRIENDS - group exhibition
December
09.12.
- Children's Art Christmas Exhibition
16.12.
- IT IS HOLIDAY TIME! - exhibition of cartoons by Iliyan
Savkov, winner of the Prize of the House of Humour and Satire
at the 35th National Cartoon Exhibition in Sofia,
2010
|
SAD NEWS
ON AUGUST 9th, 2010 DIED THE OUSTANDING BULGARIAN ARTIST AND LONG-STANDING SUPPORTER OF THE HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE EMAUIL POPGENCHEV
(1942 - 2010). THE MAN IS GONE, BUT HIS SINGULAR ART AND THE MEMORY OF A BIG HEART REMAIN. REFLECTED IN HIS RADIANT EYES WERE BOTH THE SILKY BLUE OF THE BLACK SEA AND THE VELVETY GREEN OF THE BALKAN MOUNTAINS. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE!
|
SAD NEWS
THE TEAM OF THE HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE SAID ITS LAST FAREWELL TO THE MUSEUM FIRST DIRECTOR STEFAN FURTUNOV (1926 - 2010). EVEN IF A MAN LIVES A GOOD LIFE, HE DIES AND ANOTHER ONE COMES AFTER HIM. WHAT REMAINS IS WHAT HE HAS CREATED AND LEFT BEHIND. MAY THE SOUL OF THE FOUNDER OF THE HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE AND HONOURABLE CITIZEN OF GABROVO REST IN PEACE!
| |
THE EXHIBITION EUROSAPIENS ON A SECOND TOUR TO THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM
Following the sucessful debut of the exhibition Eurosapiens in the building of the European Parliament on April 1st, 2009, the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE was invited to show this topical collection at the European Cartoon Center in the town of Kruishoutem, Belgium. The invitation was personally extended by the Center director Rudy Gheysens with reference to Belgium's taking over the EU Council Presidency on July 1st, 2010.
The collection of 51 cartoons on European subject matter resulted
from the same-named National Cartoon Competition held by the
House of Humour and Satire in 2009 and funded by the then MEP
and current Minister of Foreign Affairs Nickolay Mladenov. The
exhibition features the works of 18 Bulgarian cartoonists, and
can be enjoyed by the Belgian general public until September
26th, 2010.
|

MAY FESTIVAL
EVENTS - GABROVO 2010
GABROVO CARNIVAL 2010
PROGRAMME
May 9th
10:30 a.m. - National fancy-dress show and competition for
the most beautiful live cat (venue: Orlovets Sports
Hall )
May 10th
- 15th
BEER LAND - Gabrovo 2010 (venue: Vazrazhdane Sq.)
May 15th - THE DAY OF GABROVO
8:30 a.m. - Public prayer for the welfare of Gabrovo (venue:
Church of the Assumprion of Our Lady)
9:00 a.m. - Raising the town standard (venue: Vazrazhdane
Sq.)
9:30 a.m. - Formal meeting of the Gabrovo Town Council (venue: Municipal Ceremony Hall)
10:00 a.m. - National Children's Festival (venue: Emanuil
Manolov House of Culture) 10:30 a.m. - Fun and music in front of the Museum House of Humour and Satire
11:00 a.m. - Opening of the exhibitions: HOW GABROVO TURNED INTO A HUMOUR CAPITAL, THE GABROVO CONTRIBUTION and ESKISEHIR GREETS GABROVO (venue: Museum House of Humour and Satire
2:00 p.m. - Children's Mini Carnival (venue: Small stage,
Vazrazhdane Sq.)
2:00 p.m. - Brass Bands Parade (venue: Gabrovo main street)
6:00 p.m. - CARNIVAL STREET PROCESSION (venue: Gabrovo downtown)
8:00 p.m. - Festival concert (venue: Vazrazhdane Sq.)
| |
MONUMENT TO THE GABROVO CAT
The latest acquisition and attraction at the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE is a bronze composition honouring the symbol of the town of Gabrovo - the cat with a cut-off tail, sheltering between its four legs images of the town hallmarked sights. The Monument to the Gabrovo Cat, sculpted by local artist Georgi Balabanov, was donated to the town and the House by two big-hearted local patriots: Dr. Todor Shandurkov (one of the script-writers of the Gabrovo carnival procession) and sculptor Georgi Balabanov. The generous donation celebrates the 38th birthday of the House of Humour and Satire and the 150 years since Gabrovo was proclaimed a town.
It is not the one and only cat monument that decorates the museum
interior, for standing guard over the top floor of the House
is the new-born cat's "mother" - a cat figure scupted by Bulgarian
artist Mihail Benchev in 1979 out of 300 kg of nails and wire
- in perfect harmony with the Gabrovo principle "to make
something out of nothing".
Visitors to the House of Humour and Satire should bear in mind
that in addition to being a metaphoric image of Gabrovo economy
and energy efficiency, imposed by the current times, the Gabrovo
cat has also got a magic power: it fulfills every whispered
wish, and upon hearing the sweet jingle of a coin, it is willing
to make people's happy days manyfold. Would a visitor ever miss
that?!
| |
BOZHENTSI RESERVE OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY WELCOMES THE STORKS IN THE COMANY OF ADAM AND EVE
Traditionally, on the first day of spring, the House of Humour
and Satire puts on a thematic
show of works from its Humour of the Peoples art collection
at BOZHENTSI museum village. This year the subject matter
is biblical, and the exhibition comprising 45 cartoons by 37
master artists from the world over and entiled simply ADAM
AND EVE can be enjoyed by the visitors to the picturesque
village from March 19th through May 31st.
After a highly acclaimed first showing in Romania (2004) followed
by a visit to Surgut, Russia (2007), the collection ADAM
AND EVE continues to excite humour lovers with the comic
intepretation of the eternal matters set in the Eternal Book;
to impart Bible wisdom in a cheerful and energy-charged manner.
All works on display were shown in various editions of the International
Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts held non-stop by the
House of Humour and Satire since 1973 on.
| |
PROTEST LETTER
In a formal letter addressed to Mr. Radoslaw Sikorski (Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland), Ms. Aleksandra
Piatkowska (Director of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Dept
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland),
Mr. Andrzej Papierz (Amabassador of the Republic of Poland to
Sofia) and Ms. Anna Pahla (Director of the Polish Institute
in Sofia) the team of the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE
has expressed its protest against the closing-down of the Polish
Institute in Sofia. In its 38-year history the House has worked
in partnership with the Polish Institute on a number of projects
promoting Polish masters of the cartoon and the satirical drawing,
international cartoon salons in Poland, as well as the House
of Humour and Satire and the International Biennial of Humour
and Satire in the Arts among Polish artists and authors.
"We can hardly imagine that contacts of more than half a
century between the cultures of our two countries could be so
easily brushed aside. Even if the cause were dictated by the
current global economic crisis, the harm that the closing of
the institute would incur, would be irreparable. We need bridges
today, mediators between good partners who work for the mutual
benefit of all institutions. This is what the Polish Institute
in Sofia and its highly professional and big-hearted staff can
and has been doing. Please do not deprive them of this right
and vocation."
| |
PROUD TO BE CALLED
A GABROVIAN 2010
- A COMPETITION FOR YOUNG JOKE- AND COMIC STORY-TELLERS
The new initiative of the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE
is addressed to the young silver-tongued joke- and comic story-tellers
of Gabrovo, i.e., the children in all kindergardens and schools
on the territory of Gabrovo Municipality. The competition aims to further
the telling of Gabrovo anecdotes, comic stories about folklore
character Hitar Petar and other funny stories, as well as to
stimulate and direct the interest of the children from an early
age on towards comic Bulgarian folklore. The idea is that on
April 1st, every year the House should give floor
to young Gabrovians to manifest their storytelling talent and
sense of humour. The best of them will be invited to perform
at BLAGOLAZH National Meeting of Story- and Joke-Tellers.
The competition is held in partnership with Education
Dpt at Gabrovo Municipality, Municipal School Board - Gabrovo
Society and GABROVO Planet Society.
The complete conditions of entry can be found at http://www.humorhouse.bg/bg/events.html
The House of Humour and Satire dedicates the first edition of PROUD TO BE CALLED A GABROVIAN to the 150 years since Gabrovo was proclaimed a town.
| |
COLLECTION BATIK ON SHOW IN BURGAS (BULGARIA)

On February 18th, 2010 the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR
AND SATIRE is putting on display its outstanding collection
of 31 batik drawings at Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery
in Burgas. The drawings were created by 28 young artists at
the Children's
Batik School in Burgas applying the ancient method of working
designs. Headed by Zlatka Bobeva, the Burgas batik school has
its first show at the House nearly 30 years ago; in 1989 art
teacher Bobeva donated the collection to the Humour of the
Peoples art collection.
The young Burgas artists were not older than 10-12-13 years
when they painted those radiant works, but their subsequent
entries in national and international festivals and exhibitions,
as well as solo shows in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Russia,
Zimbabwe, Macedonia, Austria, Japan, Slovenia, Greece and Turkey
bespeak a perseverance and hard work under the vocational guidance
of an ardent teacher.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Children's
Batik School in Burgas, the presentation of the BATIK
collection is made possible in cooperation with Burgas Municipality
and Asen Zlatarov Community Centre.
| |
SATIRICAL DRAWINGS IN SLAWNO, POLAND

In February 2010 the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE is showing
the exhibition Satirical Drawings from the Humour
of the Peoples art collection in the Polish town of Slawno.
The exhibition comprises 35 cartoons by eminent masters of satirical
depiction from the world over. It was suggested by Polish graphic
artist Kazimierz Babkiewicz who in 2005 won the Prize for graphic
work and drawing of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of R.
Bulgaria at the 17th International Biennial of Humour
and Satire in the Arts and then staged a solo show at the House
of Humour and Satire in 2006.
The collection Satirical Drawings has been personally selected by Mr. Babkiewicz and will undoubtedly popularize the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE, the International Biennial and the town of Gabrovo in that distant northern corner of Poland. The event is yet another step towards the mutual acquaintance and the cultural dialogue between the peoples through the language of humour.
| |
ILIYAN SAVKOV WON THE PRIZE OF THE HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE AT THE 35th NATIONAL CARTOON EXHIBITION IN SOFIA

For the eighth time now the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE
has distinguished one from among the myriad of Bulgarian cartoonists
who annually show their freshest "produce" at the National Cartoon
Exhibition at the Union of Bulgarian artists - an event eagerly
anticipated by both cartoonists and the objects of their satire.
This year's winner is cartoonist ILIYAN SAVKOV, while the prize
itself includes a plaque, a certificated and a solo show at
the Gabrovo museum.
The name of Iliyan Savkov has been associated with numerous caricatures and cartoons on topical issues appearing on the pages of a lot of Bulgarian dailies, and, especially, on the pages of Standart newspaper over the last years. Savkov works in the field of painting, cartoon and collage. He has entered cartoon salons in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Bulgaria, England, Poland, Serbia and Japan, and has won more than 30 cartoon prizes and mentions. The talent to be the fastest caricaturist in the world has won him a deserved entry in The Guinness Book of Records.
Iliyan Savkov has been a participant in the International Biennial of Humour and Satire since 1993. He has donated over 15 works to the Humour of the Peoples art collection. His cartoons and paintings can be found in public and private collections in the U.S.A., Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Iran, Turkey and Bulgaria.
| |
FUN-LOVING GABROVO - MUNICIPAL EXHIBITION/COMPETITION FOR CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS
The competition is held under a joint project implemented by
the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE, the Friends of Belgium
Club and Foundation Marcel De Bisschop:Aalst-Gabrovo
VZW in Belgium, and is addressed to the Gabrovo schoolchildren
from the first to the twelfth grade, as well as to the children's
art schools in the town. The event celebrates 150 years since
Gabrovo was proclaimed a town; it aims to stir the children's
imagination and inspiration on two topics:: FUN-LOVING GABROVO
and CLEAN HANDS=GOOD HEALTH. The deadline for submitting
entries is March 10th, 2010. An exhibition of the
best artistic achievements will open on April 1st in
the exhibition rooms of the House of Humour and Satire; after
June, 2010 the exhibition will be shown in the Belgian towns
of Kruishoutem and Aalst.
The complete conditions of entry are published at на www.humorhouse.bg/bg/events.html.
| |
ALEKO AND HIS CHARACTER
Joining the celebrations to mark the 147th anniversary of the birth of the great Bulgarian satirist Aleko Konstantinov, the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE is staging an exhibition of 44 cartoons by the masters of satirical representation Boris Angelushev, Tenyu Pindarev and Todor Tsonev in Aleko's native town of Svishtov. The exhibition opens on January 12th, 2010 at Nikolay Pavlovich Art Gallery in Svishtov.
The subject matter of the collection of cartoons, housed in
the Humour of the Peoples art collection, is UNCLE GANYO
- Aleko Konstantinov's undying character identified in Bulgarian
society by generations of Bulgarians even today. He is the type
who never steps down and is always in power even at the time
of 'socialist' Bulgaria; who criss-crossed Europe long before
Bulgaria became a rightful member of the EC only to return with
heavy cases and bags brimming with European commodities; who
holds elections and never fails to win them; who is both a candidate
for patriach and a self-serving intellectual; who even clones
himself upon visiting his creator in order to do the ultimate
evil.
The satirical drawings and cartoons created by the unrivalled master artists Boris Angelushev, Tenyu Pindarev and Todor Tsonev call on the fragile civil society in Bulgaria today to be watchful and to identify the multi-sided Uncle Ganyo of the 21st century on time in order to quickly thwart his wise guy's tricks and effrontery.
| |
BOOK SIX OF BLAGOLAZH
IS ON THE WAY TO ITS "AUTHORS"

The publication, compiled by Veneta Georgieva-Kozareva and Research
Associate Tatyana Tsankova, comprises selected material from
the 13th BLAGOLAZH National Meeting of Story-and-Joke
Tellers held in May, 2009 under the heading TO RIDICULE VICES.
More than 30 smooth-tongued Bulgarians from all corners of the
country entered this national verbal competition.
The sixth booklet of BLAGOLAZH series features also photographs
of the event that best convey the festive atmosphere of Room
8 in the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE. The collection includes
reproductions of the prize-winning works in the National Schoolchildren's
Competition Are You Modern or Do You Smoke? held under
a project implemented jointly by the House of Humour and Satire
and the Ministry of Health.
BLAGOLAZH 2009 book was published with the support of Directorate
Public Health Protection to the Ministry of Health and
of the Ministry of Culture. The illustrations were drawn by
artist Yordanka Shiyakova from the House of Humour and Satire.
The 'debut' of Book 6 of BLAGOLAZH series will take place on
December 3, 2009 in the town of Troyan. The opening night will
be kindly hosted by the Society of Troyan Jokers and Characters
to Nauka Community Centre.
| |
|
| |
GET READY!CARNIVAL 2010 IS COMING!
For the eleventh consecutive time the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR
AND SATIRE kindly hosted the formal start of the Fifth Season
in Gabrovo - the carnival one. On the eleventh day of the eleventh
month of the year, exactly at 11h11', the Mayor of Gabrovo,
Mr. Tomislav Donchev, "untied" the hands of a big carnival clock
and called upon the enthusiastic audience "to hone the needles,
to draw the threads and to sharpen the pens because the preparations
for the next carnival on May 15th, 2010 are about
to begin." It is true, neither subject matter nor logo of
the next carnival was announced, but competitions for them were
under way.
The museum room LONG LIVE THE CARNIVAL beamed with the colourful costumes of young and old carnivalists, organizers of various carnival events and excited citizens of Gabrovo who take a genuine pride in the local carnival. Music and dances were performed by majorettes' groups, children from kindergardens and children's educational centres. The Gabrovo carnival hymn was sung by Prince and Princess Carnival supported by the 4-year-old singer Inez.
The merry celebration was honoured by visitors from the partner
town of Aalst (Belgium), from Sweden, Spain, Italy and Greece.
| |
HUMOUR IS A PEACE
ZONE - EUROPEAN CARTOONS ON SHOW IN TOKYO IN NOVEMBER

The thematic exhibition of cartoons selected from the Humour
of the Peoples art collection presents each of the 27 member-countries
of the EU, and is dedicated to the 20th anniversary
of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 50th anniversary
of the resumption of the diplomatic relations between Japan
and Bulgaria. It came true on the initiative of the House of
Humour and Satire, the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in
Tokyo and th e German
Cultural Centre Goethe Institut in Tokyo that hosts the
exhibition on its premises.
Eminent European cartoonists express their view on war and peace,
on the never-ending human striving for freedom and peaceful
life, for tolerance between the peoples, mutual respect for
sovereignty and guaranteed freedom for the people. The artists
are irreconcilable on issues like armament, terrorism, militaty
occupation and the nuclear threat to mankind.
Humour Is a Peace Zone is a symbolic contribution of
the House of Humour and Satire to the grand celebrations in
the German capital of Berlin marking the historic changes that
swept across Europe.
| |
Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE REPRESENTS BULGARIA AT A MEETING OF DIRECTORS OF CARTOON MUSEUMS AND SALONS in Eskisehir, Turkey

From September 30th to October 3rd the
Anadolu University in the Turkish city of Eskisehir played host
to an international meeting of directors of cartoon museums
from the world over. The event was held by the Research Centre
for Cartoon Art to the university headed by Turkish cartoonist
Prof. Atila Ozer. Personal invitations to attend the meeting
were extended to representatives of cartoon museums, centres
and salons in Japan, Iran, Indonesia, Luxemburg, Belgium, Poland,
Serbia, Azerbaidjan, Turkey and Bulgaria. Bulgaria was reprsenented
by Research Associate Tatyana Tsankova, Director of the Museum
HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE, and Bulgarian artist Yordanka Shiyakova,
head of Fine Arts, Exhibitions and Art Collections Dept.
at the House.

The Eskisehir meeting aimed at promoting and
popularizing cartoon museums; improving communication and interaction
among them; seeking new opportunities for professional exchange
and joint projects in the field of humour art.
Research Associate Tsankova's exhaustive presentation acquainted
the conference participants with the varied activities and the
art collection of the House of Humour and Satire, as well as
the museum's many-yeared experience in holding international
cartoon competitions and events. A focal point of the meeting
was the opening of the exhibition Modern Bulgarian Cartoons
featuring works from the Humour of the Peoples art
collection.
| |
CARICATOURISTS TRAVELING EXHIBITION
IS HEADING FOR THE NEAR EAST
 
Following its successful 2008 guest-performance, at the invitation
and with the assistance of the State Institute for Culture to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Bulgarian embassies
and cultural centres in Athens, Geneva, Shanghai, Novosibirsk,
Ankara and Warsaw, the exhibition continues its world tour in
2009. It was shown in Madrid and Getafe (Spain) and Washington
(USA) in April and May this year. In September the CARICATOURISTS
is heading east to fascinate the public of Antakya (Turkey),
Beirut (Lebanon), Damascus (Syria), Aman (Jordan) and Tutis
(Tunisia) until the turn of 2009.
The crucial issue of protecting and preserving Nature is the
focal point of all the 79 cartoons from the Humour of the
Peoples art collection built in the course of 35 years.
The exhibition features 65 cartoonists from 21 countries on
4 continents while the initiative to stage it is the result
of the professional cooperation between the Musem HOUSE OF HUMOUR
AND SATIRE and the Directorate of CENTRAL BALKAN National Park
and their campaign to heighten the public awareness under the
heading Art Is the Park's Envoy .
|
THE MUSEUM HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE IS ACCESSIBLE TO DISABLED PEOPLE

On June 12th, 2008 the House of Humour and Satire
offically opened an exterior lift and wheelchair ramps ensuring
access to all exhibition rooms and museum attractions. The new
facilities came true under the project Humour and Art - Accessible
to Everyone developed by the House and funded by the Agency
for Disabled People under the programme to provide access and
adaptation of cultural, historic and sports sites of international,
national and regional importance and with the support of Gabrovo
Municipality co-funding the project and exercising investor's
supervision.

The museum's new acquisition facilitates not only people with
locomotor handicaps, but also elderly visitors and families
with little children providing easier access to art, participation
in the town cultural life, overcoming of social isolation as
to cultural activities, entertainment and education, as well
as better integration into society.
The implementation of the project is in line with present-day
requirements for equal opportunities and entirely complies with
the good European practices concerning the accessibility of
the architectural environment to diabled and handicapped people.
Guest of honour at the opening of the facilities was Mr. Mincho
Koralski, Director of the Agency for Disabled People in Bulgaria.
|
IN THE BOOK OF HONOURABLE GUESTS
|
Dear cartoonists,
We are delighted to make the announcement that a branch of the Federation of European Cartoonists' Organizations (FECO) has been recently set up in Bulgaria. It is chaired by Ivailo Tsvetkov; Roumen Dragostinov is under-chair. For the time being the organization is 12 strong, but membership is open to all Bulgarian cartoonists. For further details on membership and other news, please contact: ivailotsvetkov@abv.bg
|
In
the early autumn of 2003 the southwestern facade of the building
of the House of Humour and Satire, grey and dull until very
recently, shone with a bright, multi-coloured mural painting.
It was designed and executed by the Gabrovo-born artist Emanouil
Popgenchev, regular entrant in and prizewinner of the International
Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts. Graduating in mural
painting from the Fine Arts Academy in Sofia, Popgenchev has
left decorative wall paintings in about ten Bulgarian cities,
but to bequeath a piece of his art to the city he holds dear
and its citizens has been a dream of his. 'The House of Humour
and Satire is known the world over, and it becomes the institution
to have a more eye-catching building suggestive of the wealth
housed in it,' says the artists who lives and works in Varna,
but whose local patriotism's turned a beautiful idea into an
even more beautiful reality.
Popgenchev's bright and cheerful mural painting synthesizes some Gabrovo
symbols, local customs and masquerade practices; suggests the nature of
some of the permanent shows at the House; sets off, in the centre of this
intricate composition, the House's emblem - a stylized globe of the world
complemented with the eyes and years of the Gabrovo cat.
Thank you, Emanouil, for all the warmth, vigorousness and optimism that
stream out of your impressive monumental work!
|
|
|
|
|
|