Gergana Kurukyuvlieva graduated in Photography from the National Academy of Arts and is happy to do what she loves. She is proud of her friends and the wonderful people she has in her life. She says she is the beloved child of the universe and is infinitely grateful for the gifts it sends her. She tries to pay off because she considers balance important. Gergana won first prize in the "Photography" category of the "Civil Alarm Clock 2021" competition.

 

What is art to you?

I like to quote Oscar Wilde, who says, "Life imitates art much more than art imitates life." Art is a mirror that reflects those who look at it, and accordingly, we reflect backwards, but not completely. Maybe like the rays of light we partially absorb it and partially reflect it, but undoubtedly something in us changes, even without realizing it. And when we change, and when we enrich the corners of our soul, we change our perception of "reality". If you change your ideas and thoughts, you change your actions and habits that can help change the world. I believe that art should not limit us, nor be limited, and among all the conditions, barriers and prejudices that divide us, the purpose of art is to connect us.

 

Bound together, do we understand and assert our rights?

I do not think that we are well enough aware of our rights to understand them - there is certainly something to be desired in terms of education at the school level. A cursory mention and enumeration in an Ethics and Law class do not lead to knowledge and awareness of our rights. We talk about them, but we don't understand them, we defend them in words, but we rarely defend them with actions. We are not familiar with them because we do not usually give them the necessary importance. We are too easily ready to give up the battle for them, and this is partly because sometimes we do not know what are the ways to protect them. Speaking openly and boldly about the things that excite you and are important to you is an important step in that direction. The increasing number of protests in Bulgaria, although small, is still a cause for optimism that people are taking action to defend their beliefs.

Does the digital world hinder or help in this direction?

Certainly, the digital world in which we live offers many opportunities, implies the freedom to discuss publicly and intensively issues that we did not even suspect existed before. Digital media is a tool that can be used for good, to express ourselves and express our opinion, as well as to instil ideologies, misuse our data and the information we share. For me, social networks are the perfect platform for provocation to continue the discussion, in which everyone can gain some clarity on important topics that affect us all. With their help, we can make sense of our position as a social individuals, and how to function as a whole in civil society. Even as a double-edged sword, the digital environment has a clear advantage, as it supports, facilitates dialogue and keeps us engaged.

 

How did the “Civic Alarm Clock” contest capture your attention?

I often take part in photography competitions because I need to be inspired, explore my possibilities and look for creative, ingenious ways to visually recreate the idea. But this competition is different from all that I have participated in so far. It was a challenge to try to attack such complex and topical issues, making it even harder to visualize the painful feeling of limitations and hopelessness that real people face when they do not respect their rights. I am very glad that my photos were awarded and have achieved their goal of influencing people. I would not have succeeded without the help of my model and friend Chin, who is also my inspiration for the series, as she social individualsis a really brave and civic activist who openly expresses her disapproval of the reality around us. I know that words and pictures can change the world, and I strongly believe that they should remind us of compassion, humanity, and the courage to express ourselves.

What events do your photos remind us of?

With my series of photos, I emphasized the violation of the right to freedom of expression and the right to protest in an event that we should not forget. 32 years after the bloody suppression of the June 4, 1989 protests in Tiananmen Square, all information continues to be censored. On this date, the Chinese army staged a peaceful student protest. Thousands of unmarried students and citizens are being killed, and the bodies of many of them have been destroyed to protect the consequences of the events. Witnesses say tanks were crushed by unarmed people. Beijing has not announced the death toll. June 4 does not exist there, it is forbidden to mention this date, instead, they use May 35.

Also very often, covering the protest, the media focus on the number, the mass of people who took to the streets, turning them into invisible protesters. To them, they are just a figure, depersonalized, and in fact, everyone is an infinitely brave person who stands with his face in defence of individuals of our rights. Lack of transparency and corruption are the main threats to freedom of expression around the world. There is the other extreme as a ripe problem - unfree, persecuted journalists who have been victims of violence or military conflict.

 

Are you satisfied after participating in the competition?

It brought me a lot of joy to participate and win in such a significant competition for socially engaged art, and the feeling of being on the same stage with my girlfriend and being honoured together was incomparable. Many thanks to the organizers of the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law for the wonderful competition - I am glad that I was part of such an event, and it is wonderful that there are so many successful initiatives to help develop civil society! I decided to invest the award in my education and used it for the semester fee for a postgraduate qualification in Montessori pedagogy at Sofia University.

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The material was prepared with the financial support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation and the Sofia Municipality under the SP "Culture" for 2021.