Student of the National Academy of Art presents her artistic project Behind the Red Curtain in Sofia

2020.12.15

Opening on 18 December 2020 (Friday), 07:00 pm, New Theatre - National Palace of Culture

Behind the Red Curtain is the title of Izabela Manolova’s exhibition which examines the trend "Backstage Photography". The exhibition is financially supported by the Culture National Fund and approved by the European Month of Photography 2020. Official project partners are Lovech Drama Theatre, Vratsa Drama and Puppet Theatre, New Theatre - National Palace of Culture, DA LAB Foundation, International Portrait Film Festival, Power Food, Creative House GROZARDE, Integrated Artists, Bobby Design, Martin Christoph Jewellery.

Izabela Manolova graduated from the National Academy of Art with a BA degree in Woodcarving; she also studied Painting in Granada, Spain. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree programme in Scenography for Cinema and TV at the Department of Scenography. She works for Lovech Drama Theatre as a photographer and graphic designer. Izabela’s interests in the fine and applied arts and her permanent employment are complemented by music activities in her spare time.

More on the project:

"The photo project Behind the Red Curtain will take you onto the other side. On the other side of the stage, of life, of perceptions. You will meet your favourite screen actors; you will also meet some new ones. But the important thing about this photo exhibition is not to show how things happen; rather, to show why. This particular question can reveal the real process and the secret of magic. Monochrome documentary photography is present in the world as a means of presenting the truth - the truth related to the ups and downs of our society, which somehow manages to encapsulate in itself the emotion and the extremeness of perceptions. Working with light between white and black is very similar to drawing with a pencil, but here we paint with our eyes. Everything exists. We just need to see it,” wrote Izabela Manolova, author of the project.

The photo project of the harmoniously developing artist arrives on stage in full power. The exhibition will give all viewers the opportunity to get ‘involved’ in the creation of works significant for Bulgarian culture, such as the theatrical adaptation of The Goat Horn directed by Kristiana Boyadzhieva (Lovech Drama Theatre), About the Light That Was directed by Prof. Margarita Mladenova (Vratsa Dramа and Puppet Theatre), The Bird Which Says Coo by Ivan Yurukov, the musical performance The Unforgettable by Ralitsa Bezhan and others.

The so-named "backstage photography" emerged in the 1970s in the form of documenting the hippie movement in England and the USA, with one of the main figures in the movement being Annie Leibovitz. It is with her photos of the Rolling Stones' tours that she shows the truth behind the facade. A truth that continues to inspire the world. You will encounter such truth in the photo exhibition Behind the Red Curtain.

In its essence the project is holding of exhibitions in different cities round Bulgaria, starting in Sofia and then in Lovech and Vratsa. The viewers can enjoy two types of exhibitions – ones that present black-and-white photographs of the backstage process of creating various theatrical productions; and ones that aesthetically present collage images based on the use of various digital collage techniques.

Internet viewings at https://www.behind-the-red-curtain.online/

Official FB page of Behind the Red Curtain https://www.facebook.com/backstagephotograhy

A digital medium will also be available.

Notice: The exhibitions will take place in strict observance of all the anti-epidemic measures imposed in the country.

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