BH projects 2008
“FRESCOES-HUNTING” PHOTO EXPEDITION TO MEDIEVAL CHURCHES
OF WESTERN BULGARIA (NISHAVA AND KRAISHTE REGIONS).

Project type: field school (expedition)
THE PROJECT IS SUITABLE FOR VOLUNTEERS, SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE!
Site/s: 4 to 10 medieval Orthodox chapels and small churches (10-17 century)
Location: Sofia West border regions of Nishava and Kraishte, Bulgaria
Period(s) of occupation: Medieval period: Bulgarian, Byzantine and Serbian (10-14 century A.D.) and Late Medieval period: Ottoman (15-17 century)
Nearest air terminal: Sofia. All participants will be given a lift from and to Sofia airport terminals in the arrival and departure days.
Description:
This project aims to document medieval frescoes preserved in abandoned churches and chapels in remote areas of Western Bulgaria. Their number has permanently decreased due to the lack of effort to preserve them from weather damage. The task is to document the remaining frescoes and their condition with a view to publication of a ‘Corpus of Medieval Frescoes from Western Bulgaria’. The project will include three modules: fieldwork; educational course (lectures, workshops and training); and excursions. Fieldwork will entail database recording, sketching, measuring, and making a photographic record. Specialized lectures, workshops and training in South East European medieval history, Orthodox iconography and fresco restoration and guided tours of Sofia and Rila monastery will be provided. Participants will be accommodated in Sofia – the Bulgarian capital (1,5 million inhabitants) where also main educational activities will take place. Every-day fieldwork is connected with travel to the church sites (app. 60-70 km away from Sofia/transport is arranged by the BH fieldschool). Participation in a further publication may be negotiated.
Participants will receive a Balkan Heritage Field School Certificate specifying fieldwork hours, educational modules and sites visited. Academic credits available from the National Academy of Arts – Bulgaria (Ask for details!).
Archaeological and historical context: Bulgarian and foreign notables from Bulgarian and Byzantine empires as well as Serbian kingdom ( in AD 10-14 century A.D.) and local Bulgarian communities under Ottoman rule (in AD 15-17 century) built the churches and chapels to be visited and studied. The region was for certain times deep in the territory of Bulgarian (AD 9-11 and 12-13 centuries) and Byzantine empires (11-12 century) but in 14 centuries it became border area among them and the fast emerging Serbian state. It is one of the few where the traditions of all major Balkan medieval art schools (these in Constantinople, Ochrid, Thessalonica and Veliko Tarnovo) met. What we see today from the flourishing medieval Orthodox art in the area are just small chapels and churches that survived the “disastrous” Ottoman invasion in 14-15 century. Many of these monuments characterized by a humble architecture hide often behind their unattractive exterior exquisite frescoes. Most of them had been abandoned long time ago. Their visible damages are due to both hostile acts of Muslims (in the period of Ottoman domination 15-19 century) and/or weather conditions ruining them after abandonment.
Affiliation: National academy of arts-Sofia, Bulgaria
Project Director: Nikolai Koliazov. Associated professor in National academy of arts-Sofia. BH field school affiliate.
Season dates: 11-25 May 2008
Session dates: 11-25 May 2008
Application Deadline: 1 April 2008
Minimum length of stay for participants: 15 days
Minimum age: 21
Number of field school places available: Maximum 10
Language: English
Special requirements: Sketching/Drawing skills and basic knowledge in documental photography as well as relevant academic education (at least 3 years) in Orthodox iconography, Fine arts, Art history, Archeology , Restoration or Architecture. In rare exceptions - some candidacies will be considered just upon individual's capacities and motivation without considering of study’s subject. Up to your professional profile, you could be asked to bring some personal staff like a camera etc.

FIELD SCHOOL AGENDA:

Room and Board arrangements: Accommodation will be provided in a cosy city-centre hotel flats, with breakfast taken in the flat, lunch at the sites and dinner in bistros or restaurants. Transport to the sites and back will be arranged by BH. Requests for vegetarian food can also be accepted.

Free time: Although expedition’s agenda is pretty intensive, those who will find their private time or just decide to come before or stay after the expedition may use all contemporary connections, services and entertainments offered by the Bulgarian capital. For more info look at: www.programata.bg – the Sofia weekly guide for culture and entertainments! There is also an opportunity to join an extra excursion before or after the fieldschool.

Admission fee: 899 EUR (app. $1170 but check current exchange rates! ) includes all educational and fieldwork activities, travel to and from the fieldwork venue, board and meals, excursions, sightseeing tours and entrance fees, transfer from and to Sofia airport, medical insurance and administrative costs. 15% discount from the admission fee available in case of:
1. Early registration (before 10 January 2008)
2. Participation in more than 1 BH project/project session.
NOTE – 7% OF EVERY ADMISSION FEE SUPPORT DIRECTLY BALKAN HERITAGE PROTECTION FUND’S ACTIVITIES!

*2 scholarships covering up to 60% of the admission fee is available for citizens of South East European countries (i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey). Please, ask for details!

APPLY ONLINE FOR PARTICIPATION IN “FRESCOES-HUNTING” PHOTO EXPEDITION TO MEDIEVAL CHURCHES OF WESTERN BULGARIA