Last night “Icons from Rhodopes, 16-19th Century” Exhibition was opened at the Sofia-Sv. Aleksandir Nevsli Memorial Temple basement. The activity which was blessed and given permission by Metropolit of Plovdiv Nikolay aroused interest. The exhibition was organized by Kardzhali Region History Museum and Stanka Dimitrova District Art gallery in addition to the Municipality of Kardzhali and took place in Sofia by the incitation of the Ancient Bulgarian Art Department of Sofia-National Fine Arts Museum. The pieces in the exhibition were laid out by Mariela Staykova. The catalog of the pieces is printed. This exhibition is a gift to the Orthodox Christians who are on the eve of Paschal. Many guests, art lovers, experts, art critics, painters and professors from Faculty of Theology took place at the opening of the exhibition.
Deputy Mayor of Kardzhali Vasil Bobekov said that; “This exhibition in Capital is the one of the forthcoming exhibitions. Our aim is to make more people visit our cultural centers, galleries and museums and see high values artistic works.”
Exhibition a few days before the paschal attracted people in the Capital. Head of Kardzhali Regional History Museum Pavel Petkov said; “Some of the icons being exhibited at the basement of the largest cathedral of Bulgaria was exhibited at the Alaca Monastery near Varna in 2008 and was also appreciated then.” Painter Emil Penchev from Stanka Dimitrova District Art gallery said; “This is an amazing collection and gets high rates from the experts. The great interest of the people and of the leading people makes us very happy.”
Among the people who visited the exhibition were parliamentarian Tsveta Karayancheva, governor Ivanka Taushanova and archeology Prof. Nikolay Ovcharov. Repaiman and designer Aleksandir Tenev said; “For me the icons from Rhodopes are discoveries. I worked for the churches and monasteries at Southeastern Bulgaria for years and I do not have much knowledge about the icons and the wall paintings at the Kardzhali, Haskovo and Smolyan Regions. ”
Art critic of the Institute of Cultural Heritage Dimitir Tsvetkov said; “Some of the icons being exhibited are very valuable, I have a good knowledge of the churches in the Ivaylovgrad neighborhood. They are interesting in terms of architectural and wall painting aspects. The wall paintings in Dolno Lukovo Village (1804) can be given as an example to this.” “Icons from Rhodopes” Exhibition will take place until the 21st of May at the Sofia-Sv. Aleksandir Nevsli Memorial Temple basement. The exhibition will be in Kardzhali on the 10th of June. Afterwards it will take place in Haskovo and Smolyan.