site.btaOlesya Dzhuraeva Wins Grand Prize at 23rd International Print Biennial in Varna

Olesya Dzhuraeva from Ukraine is the winner of the Grand Prize of the City of Varna at the 23rd edition of the International Print Biennial. The awards were announced on Thursday evening by the international jury at the official opening of the forum in the City Art Gallery. The event brought together artists, public figures, and many citizens. Among the guests were Regional Governor Andriyana Andreeva and Acting Varna Mayor Pavel Popov.

The international jury gave three equal awards: to Phuthawan Phukomkong from Thailand, Taichi Kodama from Japan, and Vasil Kolev from Bulgaria. The special award went to Jianhui Zheng from China.

For the first time this year, the Union of Bulgarian Artists awarded a prize for a young artist. It was given to Florentyna Cieslak from Poland. The Art Gallery Le Papillon honored Andrea Serafini from Italy, who will have the opportunity to present her solo exhibition in the city.

The International Print Biennial is one of the cultural events that bring authenticity to Varna, said Prof. Valeri Chakalov, director of the Graphic Art Gallery in the city, in his address. According to him, contemporary print art is a lively and dynamic phenomenon that develops and changes, often reflecting social, political, and cultural themes, offering a critical view of the modern world. Artists use their work to address current issues, provoke reflection, and foster dialogue, Chakalov noted. According to him, this engagement with reality gives the works depth and significance beyond purely aesthetic values.

The Varna Biennial is one of the few graphic art forums that steadfastly uphold their tradition of presenting classical techniques over time, said Chakalov. According to him, the forum’s high prestige in the art world is evidenced by the huge interest in participating. This year, over 1,800 graphic works by authors from 63 countries were submitted. The selection jury admitted 515 works from 358 authors. This necessitated exhibiting the works across three locations in the city - in the halls of the City Art Gallery and the Largo and Graffit galleries.

This year, artists from leading graphic schools such as Japan and China are represented, Chakalov added. According to him, the largest numbers of authors come from Thailand and Poland. Artists from Mexico, India, Canada, France, and Italy are also increasingly present in the biennial, Chakalov added. He emphasized that the international jury evaluating the presented graphic works includes distinguished art historians and graphic artists, proven on the world art scene.  Acting Varna Mayor Pavel Popov underscored continuity, as it is especially important for the biennial because it continues an event that has opened windows for the people of Varna and has supported the city's ambition to be a center of the arts.