Dr. Leah Long: Bulgarian Spirit: A Preview of the Pardew Art Collection
The website, Bulgarian Spirit: A Preview of the Pardew Art Collection, was created as part of the Museum Fundamental II: Museum Exhibits course at A-State during the Spring 2020 semester. This online exhibit previews the personal art collection of James Pardew, an alumnus of A-State, who was the former U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria and key player in the diplomatic and peace efforts in the Balkans during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Mr. Pardew plans to give his collection of art, acquired throughout his career in Europe and the U.S., to the Bradbury Museum of Art. In exploring a selection of contemporary art by Bulgarian artists, key themes of cultural heritage and appropriation, nationalism, and identity emerged as the focal points for student research. Artists who lived through Communist rule and enjoyed a state-supported art scene (including several artists in the collection responsible for Bulgaria’s most visible public monuments) were then forced to reinvent themselves during the country’s transition to democracy. What is clear from the paintings, sculpture, and photography in the Pardew collection is that these artists have developed a unique sense of aesthetics and identity deeply rooted in what it means to be Bulgarian. Under the direction of Dr. Leah Long, Department of Art + Design, students collaborated on all aspects of research, writing and design, and include Marti Jo Boren, Mackenzie Dodds, Laurel Gaither, Avery Hodges, and Sydney Randolph. Originally intended to be an in-person exhibit at the Bradbury Museum of Art, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the class quickly regrouped to build this website.