Art Students from Milan Explore Cultural Dialogue at Art Residency in Shiroka Laka

A group of students and visual artists from a university in Milan took part in an art workshop in the village of Shiroka Laka (Southern Bulgaria), Vasil Sharkov, organizer of the Tikla Residency, told BTA on Monday.

The Rhodope village, renowned for preserving its century-old architecture, serves not only as a retreat for practitioners of conceptual art but also as the setting for an art residency aiming to bring together and integrate people from different countries into the cultural life of the village. “The goal is to examine this blend of diverse contexts and to observe how local people respond to contemporary art that extends beyond the boundaries of the traditional,” Sharkov emphasized, adding that the project's concept is to explore the dialogue between different cultures.

“Shiroka Laka is a very interesting place. It is remarkable how vibrant the culture remains here and how important it is to preserve it,” said Kata Madar, a participant from Budapest, who commented that she did not grow up surrounded by such a strong cultural heritage. “I have always been interested in traveling and discovering other cultures,” Madar noted, adding that she is developing an installation project using tree branches.

The artists of the Tikla Residency created their projects amid the beautiful landscapes of the Rhodope Mountains and along the village’s cobblestone streets. Immersion in this new cultural environment included learning about local traditions, crafts, and folklore. Visual artist Marta Manolova emphasized that she felt excited by the nearly forgotten craft of wool felting. Using tools dating back more than a century, Marta started creating a project from felted wool, which she will further decorate and paint.

YuTao Guo, an artist from China, told BTA how he felt inspired by the local legend of the maiden Kana and the rock formation known as “Momata” (“The Maiden”). The painting he began during the art workshop draws on the story of a young woman who prayed to God to turn her into stone in order to be saved from Turkification and forced conversion to Islam during the Ottoman period. 

The works created at the Tikla Residency are expected to be presented as part of installations and conceptual events. The visual artists plan to showcase their creations in public spaces throughout the village, in nature, and in the surrounding forests. “The project was born from the idea of exploring an alternative way of exhibiting art in a rural environment,” Sharkov noted.