Doubles of Ourselves

Credo Bonum Gallery presents:

“Doubles of Ourselves”
A donation of contemporary Bulgarian art to the Centre Pompidou, Paris
Rassim®–Krasimir Krastev, Pravdoliub Ivanov, and Ivan Moudov
May 16 – May 30, 2025
Opening: Friday, May 16, 6:00 PM

The presence of contemporary Bulgarian art in the collections of major international museums has always been a challenging endeavor—not because we lack works of value that can contribute to a deeper understanding of our context, but because achieving this goal has always required support. Deliberate, long-term, institutional backing capable of navigating the demanding path to securing the interest of museums, which themselves operate within complex approval processes and acquisition protocols.Nearly ten years ago, art historian Dessislava Dimova, along with the subsequently established Bulgarian Art and Culture Foundation, undertook the responsibility of pursuing this path.

In recent years, the Foundation has conducted an extensive art historical study in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou. A series of meetings, lectures, publications, and exhibitions were held in Sofia. The project was led by Dessislava Dimova and Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov, chief curator at the Centre Pompidou. He visited Bulgaria in 2018 and 2023, together with Pompidou directors Bernard Blistène and Xavier Rey.
The representatives of the institution became acquainted with the work of over 60 Bulgarian artists. The Foundation provided a substantial archive of artworks and research on Bulgarian art from the 1960s to the present, contributing to a deeper understanding of its development.
Importantly, the project also proposed a model of collaboration that merges the commitment of private donors with institutional standards, opening new pathways for Bulgarian art on the international stage. At the heart of this achievement are several Bulgarian donors who committed their support to the acquisition of the works.

As a result of this process, 40 works by 30 contemporary Bulgarian artists were proposed. Three were approved for donation by the Centre Pompidou and are now being presented to the Bulgarian public:

• Corrections (Short Version), 1996–1998, by Rassim®–Krasimir Krastev, donated by Elena Tsvetkova
• Trouble is Always Double, 1997–2015, by Pravdoliub Ivanov, donated by Vesselina Sarieva, Sarieva Gallery
• Certificate of Authenticity, 2015, by Ivan Moudov, donated by Ilinka Chergarova, L.I.N.K. Gallery

These three installations are emblematic of one of the most dynamic periods in the Bulgarian art scene—namely, the long transition from 1990 to 2015. They engage with key themes such as identity, social transformation, and the value of art. Doubles of Ourselves reflects not only the content of the selected works, but also the era’s characteristic sense of identity caught in a state of perpetual duality—between opposing ideologies and values, inside and outside, belonging and exclusion, self-assurance and constant self-reevalution in relation.
This donation was made possible thanks to the vision and support of three women each with a significant role in shaping the Bulgarian cultural landscape:

Elena Tsvetkova — an economist and photographer by training, engaged in a successful family business. She is the initiator of the My Cans – You Can projects, which connect business with creatives from various fields.
Vesselina Sarieva — a central figure in the Bulgarian art scene for over 20 years as a cultural manager, curator, and founder of Sarieva Gallery and the Open Arts Foundation.
Ilinka Chergarova — one of Bulgaria’s most respected restorers, an art manager, collector, cultural heritage expert, and founder of L.I.N.K. Gallery.
The donation is not only a gesture of recognition for the artists but also opens new horizons for Bulgarian contemporary art on the global stage. These three installations fill a long-standing absence of Bulgarian contemporary presence in the Pompidou’s collection. They now join drawings by Nedko Solakov (donated by the Guerlain Collection, 2012), two videos by Krassimir Terziev (acquired in 2009), and the extensive collection of works by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
The donation is not only a gesture of recognition for the artists but also opens new horizons for Bulgarian contemporary art on the global stage. These three installations fill a long-standing absence of Bulgarian contemporary presence in the Pompidou’s collection. They now join drawings by Nedko Solakov (donated by the Guerlain Collection, 2012), two videos by Krassimir Terziev (acquired in 2009), and the extensive collection of works by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.