HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE Gabrovo, BULGARIA


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 20^th 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. - 38^th Birthday of MHHS and GABROVO Planet: - Children's matinee: FUN-LOVING GABROVO (The children of Gabrovo paint, sing and tell funny stories.) 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 Emsemble Gabrovche - Unveiling a monument to the Gabrovo cat 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 15.04. - THE BEST OF NIKOLA VINEV - solo show of Bulgarian sculptor Nikola Vinev 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 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 member 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. 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 09.09. - THE GREAT RETURN - solo cartoon show of Hristo Velchev (Bulgaria) 09.09. - IN A DREAM, AND INDEED - exhibition of posters and photographs from the Humour of the Peoples art collection 09.09. - CHOPIN IN CARTOONS: the Polish Institute in Sofia stages an exhibition to mark the 200^th anniversary of the birth of the composer 16.09. - THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, THE DEVIL AND THE NURSING MUSE - 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 14.10. - MY WORLD - one-woman show of paintings by Antoniya Barakova (Bulgaria) 14.10. - TO THE MAYOR OF THUN, MR.HANS-UELI VON ALLMEN, WITH LOVE: Gabrovo photographers stage a group exhibition November 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 paintings by Elena and Nikolay Stoev and works from the Humour of the Peoples art collection
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 1^st, 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 18^th, 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 30^th 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 17^th 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 35^th 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 10^th, 2010. An exhibition of the best artistic achievements will open on April 1^stin 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 147^th 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 12^th, 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 21^st 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 13^th 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 15^th, 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 20^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 50^thanniversary 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 the 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 30^th to October 3^rd 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 SENSE OF HUMOUR BEATS EVEN DEATH The latest attraction at the Museum HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE comprises replicas of two crosses from the Mirthful Cemetery in the village of Sapinta, Maramures district, northwest Romania. In 1979 the museum commissioned woodcarver Pop Dumitru to make them. The Mirthful Cemetery is the work of Stan Ioan Patras, a carpenter from Sapinta. His is the idea, the execution of the crosses, the selection of the cheerful life scenes, as well as the amusing epitaphs being rhymed confessions made by the deceased in the first person singular. Master woodcarver Stan Ioan Patras carved the first cross in 1935; by 1960 he had made about 800. On UNESCO World Heritage List the cemetery in Sapinta figures as the first mortuary monument in Europe, and second in the world after the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
*THE MUSEUM HOUSE OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE* IS ACCESSIBLE TO DISABLED PEOPLE** On June 12^th, 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!