On November 24, 1896, in Plovdiv, one of the most significant figures in Bulgarian visual arts was born - Tsanko Lavrenov. Alexander-Stefan Ivanov Lavrenov, or Tsanko as he is fondly called, is the protagonist in the second episode of the series.
We stroll through the cobblestone streets of the Old Town - this vibrant mosaic outlining the face of the beloved city under the hills. A city of artists. A city of Tsanko Lavrenov. 💛
🖼️ A delicate thread between the mosaics, architecture, and paintings of Plovdiv will make us see Lavrenov's art as a crossroads between archaeology, history, and writing. And if we have to define this episode with one word, it is... layers. ⛰️ Plovdiv is multilayered in every aspect. Tsanko Lavrenov's art is too. To understand both Plovdiv and Tsanko, we need to look at them vertically. It's like doing archaeological excavations. We dig, explore, swirl in different directions, and the stories seem endless! It is in such unique excavations that we delve into the second episode of Contours.
. . . Whether you've taken this direction or are already engaged in creativity, in Tsanko's story, you'll always find something encouraging. Whatever you take from the episode, we'd love to hear it. Share it with us on Facebook or Instagram at @contours.podcast or write to us at hello@contours.bg. Thank you and enjoy listening!
🙋♀️ Link to the article about Plovdiv Fair (source BNR, 2022): https://shorturl.at/jzDQT
👀 Visual material for the episode can be found here: https://www.contours.bg/en/episodes/002
🙏 You can also support us through the donation platform Patreon. . . . 🙏 Special thanks to Lavren Petrov and the team at "Tsanko Lavrenov" Foundation for their help and all the fascinating visual materials they provided us with. 📙 The mentioned monograph on Tsanko Lavrenov is available in Bulgarian and English, and you can purchase or order editions from "Contrast" Gallery in Sofia or contact the "Tsanko Lavrenov" Foundation team at 📲 +359 888 52 60 22 or 📧 tsankolavrenov@gmail.com.
🙏 Special thanks to Laurel Zmolek-Smith, whose beautiful voice is guiding you through the captivating story of Tsanko Lavrenov, and Maria Kokalanova whose vocal performance adds truly Bulgarian vibes to this story.
All archival sound recordings have been provided by the Archival Fund of Bulgarian National Radio.
The first season of the audio series Contours was realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund under the "Debuts" program and in partnership with ProCasters & Alike.