Artists Irina Gardeva and Kremena Nikolova ask themselves the question "Is red alarming?" in their joint exhibition, which opens on May 14, 2024 (Tuesday) at the Plovdiv Gallery at 6:00 p.m.

Irina Gardeva is known to the Plovdiv public for her participation in numerous joint and general exhibitions. She works in the field of painting and drawing. She graduated with a master's degree in painting from AMTII Plovdiv in 2007. She won an award for "Young Author" at the National Academy of Fine Arts Plovdiv and an award for painting at the National Student Competition at the "Atanas Krastev" Foundation. There are 7 solo exhibitions and over 50 general, group and joint appearances at the regional and national level; Curator of performances at the PPH Plovdiv: "Non/Formal", "The Drawing"; joint curatorial projects: "Contemporary graphics", "Women invite 2024". From 2009 to now: Participation in the annual exhibitions of BPH Plovdiv; BMF Pleven; "Art of the miniature" - ГХГ Ruse; "Spring Salon" - Gabrovo; NI Sliven and others. Member of the SBH, section "PAINTING" and from November 2023 – a member of the Board of Directors of BPH Plovdiv.

Kremena Nikolova is from Varna and as a designer she has diverse pursuits in painting, drawing and installation. She studied painting for 1 year at AMTII Plovdiv, graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree, majoring in "Spatial Design" at "Chernorizets Hrabar" VSU and fine arts at the "Dobri Hristov" National School of Arts, Varna in 1999. She received a design award in a national exhibition to SBH Sofia, nomination in a competition for 3D design of a fantastic riding animal, "Grafila" Sofia and an award for achievements in painting from the first private gallery for modern art "Ted" - Varna. She participated in 19 joint and joint exhibitions at the regional and national level. 1 curatorial project "Rediscovery" from 2019, 2 joint projects and 1 plein air in the city of Varna. Participation in the annual exhibition "St. Luke" at the Varna Art Gallery. "Spring Salon" - Gabrovo, "Format 30x30" - Astri Gallery, Sofia, "NON/FORMAL" - Plovdiv. Member of the Association of Varna Artists - SHV since 2001. Her first solo exhibition is coming up in August this year in Balchik.

What happens when the artist immerses himself in a certain color, medium or method? Does the chosen color matter, and does the work still express the state of the artist? Color is usually chosen intuitively while the work is being constructed. The challenge in this exhibition is that here it is used purposefully and there is necessarily a presence. Why red? A reflection from the surroundings, a spontaneous decision, an eye-catching color?

"We live in extremely stressful times. Filled with a lot of information, global news, advertisements, propaganda and politics. In our daily lives, we are confronted with so much reinforced visual information that it is no longer certain whether our primal emotions are not dulled to some extent. In this meaning the color red used everywhere, does it lose its power of impact, does red rub off!? Is it an alarming color, a color of passion, or maybe it is just a color like all the others that people pass by in their daily life.. . Is the deep psychic symbolism of blood color preserved in man in spite of everything?!"

These are just some of the questions that the two artists ask their audience in their works. Whether they give a clear answer depends on how their works affect people. The two artists have been acquaintances since their student years, and this is their first project together.

The exhibition will be open until June 4.