Credo Box: The Sage

Credo Bonum Gallery presents:

Credo Box: The Sage // Anna Maria Ivanova
June 19 – July 19, 2025
Opening: June 19, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Credo Bonum Gallery, 2 Slavyanska St., entrance from Benkovski St.

Anna Maria Ivanova was born on January 20, 2001, in Dobrich (she’s an Aquarius – not a Capricorn – born at 8:30 PM, for those who care). She graduated from Aprilov High School and went on to study Art Education at AMTII – Plovdiv.

Her creative process is intuitive and emotional, beginning not with a concept, but with materials – clay, fabric, straw, paint. The form emerges in the moment, led by the movement of her hands. For her, art is like a visual diary — each piece a spontaneous reflection of a feeling or state of mind.

As a child, it was a slightly “quirky” teacher who first introduced her to experimenting and the power of imagination. Since then, she has created without chasing symbols or complex ideas, simply following what comes from within. That honesty is what makes her work feel alive.

This project highlights her openness to unpredictability. Anna Maria loves being surprised by the process. That’s why she chooses ceramics – one of the most unpredictable mediums. Glazes never turn out as expected, shapes crack or change. She doesn’t seek control, but surprise. Her works don’t give answers; they pose questions: “Who is this person? What is their story?”

The sculpture shown at Credo Box is a ceramic male head, glazed in deep blue with a rough surface. The eyes are missing – just dark, hollow sockets. A bird’s nest is built into his hair, and a small bird perches behind his right ear. The nest is made of twigs and straw, coated with diluted clay slip, creating a natural, tactile contrast to the smoother face.

Anna Maria draws inspiration from Dadaists, Surrealists, and any artist who creates despite life’s challenges. For her, art is rest, freedom, play. It’s not an object to own, but something to share. She often gives her works away — they’re not meant to be kept, but to be released into the world.

This exhibition isn’t about giving answers, but about creating space — for looking, feeling, and interpreting freely. Next to the sculpture, there will be headphones where visitors can hear a conversation between the curator and Anna Maria, talking about her views on life, creativity, and why sometimes you just have to let the art happen.

@anna.maria.furia

Credo BOX is a small exhibition space, part of the Credo Bonum Gallery, with its own independent program. Located at the entrance to the main gallery, the small BOX is a bright niche dedicated to showing intimate, focused projects. It’s a space for a single artwork, a drawing, a photograph, an audio or video piece — a place for a small but concentrated artistic gesture, for words and messages.