Fifteen unique tapestries will be presented by HEMUS Ltd. at an exhibition under the patronage of Mr. Rossen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria, on Wednesday November 26th at 3:30 p.m. in the Sofia Municipality Cultural Institute “Museum of Sofia History” at 27 Ekzarh Yosif (formerly known as the Central Bath.) All tapestries are woven by specially trained weavers and represent paintings from the art collection “Balkan Fairytale Realism” by artist Robert Barumov.
The weavers that produced the textile compositions were part of a project supported by the Trust for Social Achievement (TSA), which provided specialized training for women from disadvantaged communities. TSA’s mission is to create opportunities to break the poverty cycle among economically vulnerable communities and to increase their self-sufficiency, so that all of society can develop and prosper.
The exhibition is the first of its kind in Europe’s modern history of weaving. The very production of the masterpieces was a complex job encompassing color and weaving techniques. Some of the tapestries contain more than 150 colors, and the number of knots in all fifteen expositions varies from 480,000 to 780,000. Each work is uniquely hand-crafted and carries a piece of the artist Barumov’s individuality.
The aim of this exhibition of masterpieces is to promote innovation and to prove that economic prosperity is possible in each region of Bulgaria where a synergy is fostered between tradition and culture. The exhibition has received institutional support, namely from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Sofia municipality, which serves as a confirmation that support for small business provides a foundation for the broader action plan to create jobs and develop creative industries in the Rhodopi region.
The current exhibition of works also demonstrates the strong track record that HEMUS Ltd. has in transferring centuries old Bulgarian applied traditions to some of the courts of the most elite European aristocracy where their carpets may be found, including Prince Charles, Queen Beatrix, Albert Museum, and many others. The items on display are for sale and the money will be used to establish a fund for vocational training, sustainable employment, and the integration of minority groups.