The National Academy of Art participated in the Art Research World Expo (ARWE)
2026.06.11
Turin, Italy | 23–27 May 2026
The National Academy of Art took part in the Art Research World Expo (ARWE) in Turin, Italy. The prestigious international forum was attended by students from the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design of the National Academy of Art, pursuing programmes in Painting, Printmaking and Textile – Art and Design, as well as doctoral students under the doctoral programme in Art History and Fine Arts.
The participation in the World Expo provided the Academy’s students with the opportunity to present their creative and research pursuits on an international scene, alongside representatives of art academies and universities from Europe, Asia and Africa. The event transformed into a space for exchange of ideas, cultural dialogue and meeting between different artistic practices and perspectives.
The official representatives of the National Academy of Art were the Vice-Rector for Artistic Creative Activities and Career Development Prof. Zdravka Vassileva, PhD, the Head of the Gallery and Exhibition Activities Assoc. Prof. Vassil Kolev, PhD, and the Head of the Department of Textile – Art and Design Prof. Verzhiniya Markarova, PhD.
On 25 May, they took part in a press conference organised at Albertina Academy, where they met with lecturers, researchers and representatives of the academic community. The meeting created conditions for professional exchange and discussion of opportunities for expanding international cooperation through joint creative projects, scientific initiatives and academic partnerships.
The exhibition was officially opened in the hall of the Massimo Cinema Theatre in the centre of Turin. During the ceremony, the President of Albertina Academy Prof. Giovanni Quaglia and its Director Prof. Salvatore Bitonti welcomed the participants and sent a message about the power of art as a means of building intercultural bridges, promoting dialogue and creating a more humane world – an idea, which underlies the philosophy of the ARWE festival.
As part of the opening, the guests also attended the ceremony for presenting the Albertina Prize to one of the most significant representatives of contemporary international art – Michelangelo Pistoletto. All the participants had the opportunity to get to know his artworks and contribution to the development of the world art scene more closely.
After the official ceremony, the representatives of the National Academy of Art visited the exhibition spaces, where the works of the students and doctoral students from the National Academy of Art were presented. Participation in ARWE placed their works in an international context, alongside works by artists from various art academies and universities. For the young artists, this was an important professional experience and an encounter with a wide range of contemporary artistic practices, ideas and research approaches.
The exhibition featured works by:
1. Ivan Stefanov, PhD student – Reporter (2022)
2. Ivan Todorov, PhD student – Our Siblings (2025)
3. Ralitsa Kondakova, BA programme, Department of Painting – New Kukeri (2025)
4. Svetoslav Ninov, BA programme, Department of Printmaking – Projection of a Memory (2024)
5. Aleksandar Georgiev, BA programme, Department of Textile – Art and Design – Falling Masks (2025)
6. Nikol Vladimirova, BA programme, Department of Textile – Art and Design – A Living Thread (2025)
7. Simona Vladimirova, BA programme, Department of Textile – Art and Design – Experiments (2025)
8. Denitsa Georgieva, BA programme, Department of Textile – Art and Design – Marks of Nature (2025)
9. Vassilena Ivanova, BA programme, Department of Textile – Art and Design – We Can't Catch Time (2025)