Public Republic

Only a few days remain until December 31st, 2012 – the deadline of the essay contest “PORTALS” created by the artist ​​ViKtor Mazhlekov . This intriguing challenge is part of an even larger project of the same name which combines Mazhlekov’s exhibition of 13 paintings, an animated film inspired by them, and the contest itself.

“Every situation is a kind of a portal,” the author of the project says and sets as a goal of the essay contest the self-discovery of each participant who, through the expression of his/her thoughts and perceptions about a painting by Mazhlekov of his/her own choice, will inevitably discover many unexpected sides to his/her own artistry and thinking.

The competition puts absolutely no limits on the age or professional interests of the participants. The only requirement is that they be themselves. Here is a little more technical information:

• Pick out one of the paintings from the Portals Exhibition and write an essay about it.
• The essay must be no longer than two A4 pages and typed in at least 12 pt font.
• Deadline: 31 Dec 2012.
• All files must be submitted in one of the following formats: ODT, DOC or PDF.
• Both the title of the email and the name of the file must contain your name and that of the painting which your essay is based on, ex. Galya Ivanova – “Toys”.
• The essay can be written either in Bulgarian or in English.
• The winner will be announced on 14 Jan 2013 on our site.
• The award ceremony will take place in Jan 2013 in Sofia (more info will be available by the end of the year)

The jury in the face of several young Bulgarian artists will evaluate each work based on its imaginative power, the general effect and the strength of its ideas, and the essay with the most points will receive an original painting with a wish and an autograph, plus a voucher for the value of 200 EUR good for Amazon or the Bulgarian “Helicon” bookstores, an author’s T-shirt, a set of glasses and postcards, all made by the author of the competition.

Mazhlekov’s idea that portals are a symbol of the transience of our life, and that every choice we make takes us down a new path and through a new door, is reflected not only in the personal creativity of the artist where each painting is created using the principle of multilayered painting, but also in the “multidirectionness”of the “Portals”.

The exhibition of the same name includes 13 paintings the artist has created over the course of two years. With all its multilayered canvas each painting is a kind of a portal in its own right, through the depth of which the eye of the viewer can pass. Apart from that, the pictures as a whole, taken together, form a series of portals – a journey of choices and meanings.

This travel, both outward, into the mysteries of the world, and inward, to the core of each one of us, culminates in the animated film “Portals,” based on the paintings of Mazhlekov. The film will be finished in the spring of 2013, thanks to the Chaos Group and Studio Sokerov, and will participate in the world’s most famous animated film festivals.

Become a part of this journey and walk through the portals of your own self by putting into words the impact of Victor’s paintings on you. We are convinced that this challenge will take you to unexpected spaces and open up new horizons in yourself and in the eyes with which you view the world outside.