20.04. - 02.06.1996
Nedko Solakov (BUL): „Desires“
Solo exhibition at Arndt & Partner, Berlin

PRESS RELEASE
NEDKO SOLAKOV „DESIRES“

Longing, demand, wanting, wish, curiosity: very differently colored and variously intense emotions swing to the title of Nedko Solakov´s exhibition- his first in a private gallery in western Europe.
Since his participation at the 3rd International Istanbul Biennial in 1992, where his installation „New Noah´s Ark“ got great attention, Solakov has turned out to be one of the most important bulgarian artists of the international contemporary art world. He took part in Aperto 93, 4th Istanbul Biennial, Sao Paulo Biennial 94. He will participate in „Manifesta I“ - the first European Biennial, Rotterdam, June 96; „Beyond Belief“, ICA Philadelphia, September 96; „Scream“, Arken Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, November 96 and „Enclosures“, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, November 96.

From 1994-95 he worked in Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin by a grant of Philip Morris Foundation and set into scene the very convincing story of a young curator (Mr. Curator, please...) who was asked by a group of “very rich and sentimental“ people to select the world´s best altarpiece and is getting pretty oppressed by the ghosts of the deceased masters during his investigation.
In the gallery Arndt & Partner Nedko Solakov is now dedicated to the many-sided topic of human needs and demands. As divers as the subject are the artists materials that he is using: classical drawings with pencil or ink, oil on canvas, three dimensional objects, video, wall-drawings with chalk or text written directly on the wall. „The media respects the content“, comments Solakov his choice of working materials.

All of the works are assembled under the category of „Desire“, but many of them have second titles or subtitles, the classical drawings „Once upon a time...“ are dedicated to „the desire to change the present, future and past“. The “oil on canvas“ photos of some of his installations speak of the „extreme desire of the avantgarde artist his art to look in a classical way“, but on the other hand there is the „extreme desire of the classical artist his art to look in avantgarde way“ as well.
This kind of „split personality“ also reveals itself through the wall drawing called „Sins“:
white ink drawings on black paper are pinned directly on a black painted wall telling about the“ desire to specify what is good and what is bad“. Extreme opposites, light and darkness,innocence and evil, black and white, seriousness but irony and sarcasm as well determine this work, but Solakov is definetely not trying to postulate moral values, but is trying to get over that thin line that is separating the imagination of the artist from the imagination of the public.

He is posing questions:“ What if? Why not? Do I really want to live like that?“ His answers are not definitiv, but are creating new questions. The discussion does not end, is endless, moves through the room in spirals, reflects and meditates, would be horrifying and overwhelming, if there would not be the „minor sins“ as well, like the curiosity to read a dirty joke, that is covered by a red tissue and could be revealed any time.

Opening: 20.04. , 17.00- 19.00
Duration of the exhibition: 20.04. - 02.06.96
A catalogue will be published.