Our University Is Part of Bulgaria and the Mosaics Exhibition
On the occasion of the 105th Anniversary of UNWE and the International Day for Monuments and Sites - 18 April, we present the art at the UNWE.
In partnership with the State Cultural Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the interior wall mosaic at the UNWE entitled Man and Society by Valentina Dukova, is included in the exhibition Bulgaria and the Mosaics.
The exhibition will be presented at the UNWE in the period 7 to 11 April 2025 in the central lobby.
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The author Valentina Dukova, shares that her aim was for the artwork to evoke associations with space, light, and movement to symbolize the individual and society, the dynamic balance within us, our openness to the world, and the pursuit of harmony through science.
“In the creation of the mosaic, special importance is given to the composition and its forms, rhythm, and asymmetry. Their decorative and spatial expression greatly depends on the choice of materials, the way they are processed and arranged, as well as the colour palette, contrasts, and highlights. Crucial to the overall expression are the roughly hewn stones with irregular edges, some matte, others polished to a shine, protruding or receding into the background. This creates an additional depth and a dynamic spatial development”, explains the author.
The mosaic Man and Society was created under the expert guidance of the renowned Bulgarian artist Prof. Toma Varbanov and was donated to the University.
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The exhibition Bulgaria and the Mosaics was organized by the Balkan Heritage Foundation for the State Cultural Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria in 2023. It was developed in collaboration with Bulgarian museums, non-profit organizations, and experts in the fields of art history and archaeology.
The exhibition aims to showcase the rich and diverse mosaic heritage found in Bulgaria through selected details from ancient, medieval, and contemporary mosaics and to spark public interest in this unique art form. These mosaics were created by various cultures over the past two millennia. The most numerous examples date from Antiquity (2nd–6th century AD) and the 20th century — two periods during which this art form flourished, producing remarkable works across the territory of present-day Bulgaria.
The exhibition consists of two components: a printed and a digital one. The printed part features 26 display panels that have been exhibited in Norway, Hungary, and Tunisia. Nearly every panel includes a QR code linking to a website that represents the digital extension of the exhibition.
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The website contains pages with information about the featured mosaic sites, their locations displayed on a Google map, and the institutions or organizations that made their inclusion in the exhibition possible. It also offers short, accessible texts that explore the history of mosaics, notable examples, challenges, and preservation practices in Bulgaria, as well as the contributions of Bulgarian organizations in this field. The digital component of the exhibition was developed by the Balkan Heritage Foundation as a complement to the printed mobile exhibition created for the State Cultural Institute.
You can see the exhibition HERE.
We proudly join the exhibition’s slogan Let’s Keep Together.
