site.btaArtist Elena Videnova: Ceramic Art Is Boundless Universe

Dr. Elena Videnova, artist, ceramicist, and secretary of the Ceramics section of the Union of Bulgarian Artists (UBA), said in an interview with BTA that ceramics is only beginning to develop. "I believe that we are yet to experience new and ever-evolving forms of ceramic art - it truly is a boundless universe," she added.

Videnova is the main driving force behind the Festival of Contemporary Bulgarian Ceramics, which has been a travelling exhibition since 2024.

Dr. Videnova told BTA's Preslava Ivanova that, unfortunately, Bulgarian ceramicists, due to the lack of patrons, are deprived of the opportunity to showcase their talents abroad. "Every individual is extremely important and significant for ceramic art and for shaping the collective artistic scene we are part of. Every artist who maintains a high professional level has their audience and admirers, and in some way contributes to the broader landscape," she emphasized.

"The path of ceramics is not easy - it is difficult. In Bulgaria, people who have both the affinity for and the means to purchase art are few. In addition to the lack of enough patrons for ceramic art, we also lack educational programmes such as Art Management that are focused on selling art. Ceramic artists face the incredibly hard journey of working without anyone valuing their labor, which is tragic," said Dr. Videnova.

According to her, the Bulgarian public lacks sufficient interest in and understanding of ceramics as an art form. "We are constantly seeking sponsors of all kinds - major companies that are willing to support Bulgarian art and ceramics, who want to preserve the national stage for this art form," she explained. "I often say that if Gaudi hadn’t had a sponsor, the Sagrada Familia would never have existed. Artists cannot create without patrons," the artist added.

"The State cannot abdicate from the arts and then expect that tomorrow there will be a number of people actively working in the field. No, there will not be, and we will be importing everything from China," she argued. "Across the world, throughout Europe, crafts and the arts are sustained - and for them to exist, State support is essential," she added.

"Thousands of young people graduate from the National Academy of Arts, yet they are so crushed by the lack of resources that they do not remain artists - and that is the sad reality of today," Videnova noted. "It is extremely difficult for a young person to rent a studio, equip it, buy a kiln (which costs between BGN 5,000 and 20,000), and start working, especially when the chances of earning an income are minimal," she explained. It is necessary to support young, emerging artists and create conditions for their development. Otherwise, their education becomes meaningless. According to her, this is one of the reasons why ever fewer people are choosing to pursue ceramics academically.

Bulgaria is perhaps the only European country without a Museum of Contemporary Applied Arts, Dr. Videnova said further. She added that another pressing issue requiring the State's intervention is the Museum of Folk Art Crafts and Applied Arts in Troyan - a building must be provided so that the extensive collection of applied arts gathered over the years can be presented to the public.

"I support all types of crafts, including ceramics, because without craft there is no art," she said. "For me, it is unthinkable to separate craft from art. An artist cannot fully realize their potential without knowing and understanding the craft. Craft is what gives the artist the broadest spectrum to feel the material and its possibilities, and through that, to unlock their own creative potential to produce high art," she further explained.

"In Bulgaria, arts are somewhat wrongly divided into applied and fine arts, because an applied art piece can be just as exquisite as a painting," said Dr. Videnova. She gave the example of Greek vases and Italian majolica displayed in many museums, describing them as pinnacles of graphic and painterly expression in ceramics.

"In Bulgaria, we have our own tradition that we must preserve – we must safeguard the Busintsi and Troyan ceramics," she underscored. Not coincidentally, the Troyan Master competition featured both artisan works from masters who have perfected the signature Troyan drop technique, as well as a factory display of a collection from the 1980s, added Dr. Videnova, who served as jury chair of the competition.

"My main goal - and I am happy to see it has become a shared goal among my colleagues - is to present ceramic art in all its diversity," she said.
"I very much hope the Festival of Contemporary Bulgarian Ceramics will become truly international and attract numerous artists," Videnova told BTA.

"I am often criticized for accepting artists of various tastes and styles into the festival, but I believe that people evolve throughout their lives. If today someone’s art is not at the desired level, tomorrow they might surprise everyone in an incredible way. That is why I cannot exclude artists - every person is a universe, and from every small seed something incredible might grow, a remarkable creator might emerge," she argued. Dr. Videnova gave the example of world-renowned ceramicist Ivan Kanchev, with whom she shared a studio during their student years. "At the time, no one expected him to reach the heights he is at today," she recalled.

"Clay has its own technology and specifics. The kiln is a defining instrument – nothing that hasn’t gone through fire can be considered a finished artwork," she stressed. "In installations, performances, and happenings, anything can happen, but when it comes to professionally created works, the process must be mastered from start to finish," she said.

In the Ceramics section of the UBA, works must meet both aesthetic and technological standards in order to be recognized as ceramic art. Otherwise, we venture into a different domain that may fall under "art" generally, but cannot be classified as ceramics, the section’s Secretary pointed out.

According to Dr. Videnova, international trends in ceramics are extremely diverse, and thanks to the Internet’s vast access to information, many phenomenal ideas can now be observed around the world.

"One must not give up but continue to pursue their dream. I appeal to everyone involved in art to persevere, to keep creating, and to express themselves through clay. I wish every artist to never stop exploring and discovering the boundless world of clay and ceramics. My message to young artists embarking on the path of ceramics is: do not lose heart, do not give up, do not surrender," said Dr. Videnova.