The second year in Sofia: how St. Petersburg curator is integrated into the Bulgarian art environment and learns to accept and not rush life

For many years, “Paper” published the stories of foreigners in St. Petersburg. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many Petersburgers became expansion to Ukraine. In this section, we talk with them about the new cultural experience, emigration lessons and longing for St. Petersburg.

Nastya Skvortsova developed educational programs for the Hermitage and made art exhibitions. Due to the beginning of a full-scale war in Ukraine, she moved to Sofia, where, together with her friend, she not only integrates into the Bulgarian art environment, but also develops it: girls open their institution of art and architecture and organized art residence.

In an interview with “Paper”, Nastya told how Bulgaria taught her not to control her every step, which impresses the mixing of architectural eras and where in the Balkans to look for peace and inspiration.

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• A genus of activities: curator
• Age: 36 years
• Not in Russia: 1.5 years

- I worked in the youth center of the Hermitage. This is a division of the educational department of the museum. There I did not take a curatorial position, but invented and implemented educational programs.

For example, we made a school of art media (museum practice, which involves the active involvement of visitors to the exhibition) with our colleagues, with which we went to Tyumen. I did a similar project in the Center "Lighting" in Apatites: I told for an unprepared audience how to talk about art and how to understand it. I also made intensively for young artists from the Foundation "About Arte" on how to develop a personal exhibition.

The last exhibition that I oversee opened on February 24, 2022. We showed the work of street artist Sergei Heato in the 3120 gallery, which closed on Petrogradka. Prior to this, the Anna Nova gallery was the feminist project “Smile off and Sing” two artists, Olga Shapovalova and Lada Partyeva, who are not in Russia now. I sorted out the pictures from her and realized that now this exhibition would not be allowed: words laid out of barbed wire would cause an inadequate and painful perception.

The last year in Russia, after the announcement of a full -scale invasion of Ukraine, I no longer supervised the exhibitions and completely switched to education.

What I need to leave, I realized right away. I thought to go to study in Europe or America, but I did not have moral strength to choose and pass exams for language certificates, and it was too late to be submitted to some educational programs. I did not stop working: as a very empathic person, I seriously perceived the constant resistance of the environment.

In 2019, I was in art resident in Bulgaria, spent six weeks there. Then I started several acquaintances, including with my future husband, the war de war (art-pseudonym-approx. "Paper"). From the beginning of the war, he suggested that I come to Bulgaria. Then we again met in the summer of 2022 at the opening of the Biennale "Manifesto" in Kosovo. Then we met with my friend Snezhana Krasteva, who has citizenship of Bulgaria. She said she would move home.

My close friend and future husband offered me to move and said that they would help. For me it was a very important factor, so I agreed and went.

Who and what played an important role for you?

- Community, environment and human support. I relied on my support group and do not regret it. Snezhana and Wars of the War help me stay here.

My husband forms a art environment here. He has his own space æTher Art Space Sofia/Haga. He himself is an artist and curator: he organizes great activity among contemporary art, performance and music. Wars of the War and Snezhanna began to be guides into this world, so it was originally easier for me to integrate, passing the non -standard path of the emigrant.

All 2023 I just came to my senses. I switched to the study of the environment and what is happening around me, for example, went here to the Balkans. She worked a little, but focused on recovering itself in a professional and personal plan. I reduced activity and for some time blamed myself in this, but then I realized that this is normal. When you are leaving not because of a specific offer for work, but re-build everything, it takes time.

Now I am negotiating about exhibitions of two artists in Sofia, I am developing a concept. And in parallel, Snezhana and I create our institution Eastern Balkan Institute of Art and Architecture. This is an international organization, in which five more international colleagues are involved.

We plan to make a residence in our house (it is already partially functioning), educational programs, publications and exhibitions on the field of intersection of contemporary art and research of the architectural environment. For example, we are going to make installations in abandoned buildings, not only in Bulgaria, but in general in the Balkans and neighboring countries. We are also interested in immigrants from these countries who live around the world.

What did Bulgaria teach you?

- All Bulgaria and Sofia in particular are a feeling of constant chill. It's very calm here. Sofia is a rather small city. You do not feel that two million people live here due to the distribution of human masses.

My rhythm of life has changed a lot, I became noticeably slower. The climate also has this: in the summer it is generally impossible to work due to the fact that it is very hot! For me, this is a completely different way of life. There is a saying here, which in translation means: "Well, as it is, it is." Bulgaria taught me how to accept everything that happens around. This does not mean that you do not need to control life, but you can submit some points to submit and not follow your every step.

Here my quality of life has grown. There is good air, good foods and a non -toxic environment. Sometimes I want some kind of race out of habit, but so far I don’t even have the strength for it. No more than ten projects at the same time: I began to move towards quality, not quantity.

In Sofia, it is felt that the country was part of the Soviet bloc, there are a lot of appropriate architecture. I do not feel that I have changed the environment very much, unlike those who live in Argentina and Western Europe. It resembles a lot here, so I have no big difficulties with adaptation.

Although you need to learn the language, I am still at the basic level. I can go to the store, but I still can’t work on it. Still, in any country where Russian and English are not the main one, we must enter into a closer relationship with the language.

Five finds in Sofia

• Openness of people. It is easier to get closer to people than in Western Europe. A friend may appear in two evenings of close conversations. It is clear that everywhere my own characteristics of communication, into which I have not yet delved. However, in most bureaucratic instances, people have an intention to help you. Unusual even first.
• Nature. I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, so I really lack ponds. But the city is surrounded by mountains. Here you can drive from the center in half an hour and go to the highlighting at any time of the year, because the climate allows. I am differently discovering the city existence due to the fact that there is more nature.
• Mysticism. Bulgaria is a very healing land. Locals love mysticism: from Baba Wanga to other clairvoyants. People go to them seriously, and I like it.
• Mineral springs. There are a lot of them here. You can always go to mineral baths that are in any village.
• Food. I love Bulgarian cuisine. I like that cheese is added here everywhere. A lot of vegetables in the kitchen, meat. She is satisfied with healthy. Something between Serbian and Turkish, but more vegetables. And I really loved the Banitz - baking of puff dough, it is made with cheese, spinach and sometimes with meat. The local artist IVO Dimchev even dedicated the clip of the Banitz. I eat her for breakfast with Ayran. There is also a Balkan breakfast of coffee and cigarettes, but I do not smoke.

What would you like to transfer from Sofia to St. Petersburg?

-Weather, climate, as well as graffiti and street art. Sofia has a very bright and active environment. I wildly like this as a researcher of the city and a person who works with public art. This creates a more free mood. We also have an active scene in St. Petersburg and Moscow, but here it is much better visible.

And in St. Petersburg there is no feeling of layering of meanings and a change of eras. Our city is very young compared to Sofia. For example, I have a favorite place in the city, it is located in the very center. You go in the subway, and above you rises the building of the parliament in the style of the Stalinist Empire, which seemed to be pulled out of Moscow or Warsaw. And at the station itself there is a transparent dome, from which the ruins of the Roman city are visible. This is a completely new sensation.

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