The tenth-anniversary edition of Sofia Paper Art Fest was accompanied by the unexpected pandemic that tested the whole world and the cultural life. Nevertheless, the festival managed to fulfill most of the prepared programme. Six exhibitions were inaugurated, accompanied by workshops and the Japan Bowl competition for Japanese Language and Culture.

After a hiatus since 2015, the Biennial for paper Art has returned with its fourth edition presented in three exhibitions: “Impulse and Light”, “The World of IAPMA” and “Impulses from Japan”.

The festival continued to surprise us at the San Stefano Gallery with works from Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art.

Nelly Sand, an award-winning Bulgarian artist of the Amateras 2019 competition, opened the solo exhibition “Let’s Ask Forgiveness from the Trees” at the Regional History Museum – Sofia.

The festival programme ended with an exhibition of Japanese Paper Art at the Triangular Tower of the Regional History Museum – Sofia.

For the 12th consecutive year, the Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art took place – an exhibition bearing the name of the foundation and giving birth to the idea of the festival. The event was held at the San Stefano Gallery, Main Salon and Salon of Contemporary Art, between 30 September and 20 October. 67 artists from 18 countries were selected in the competition!

Jury:
Iliana Kitanova, Bulgaria
Leonardo Gottlieb, Argentina
Todor Todorov, Bulgaria

Awards:
Amateras Grand Prix: Kakuko Ishii;
Prize for Innovation: Nobuko Ueda;
Prize for Bulgarian Artist: Krassimira Drenska;
Certificate for Art on Paper: Kendji Sato;
Certificate for Honorable Mention: Jutta Barth, Karen Leone Trask, Martina Karaivanova;
Certificate for Emerging Artist: Yukiko Maeda.

The selected artists in the 2020 competition:
Argentina: Eva Toker, Leticia Burgos;
Austria: Elmar Peintner;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah;
Bulgaria: Аtanas Michaltchev, Anelia Alexandrova, Anelia Nikolova, Antonia Duende, Eva Handjieva,Iveta Chelebieva, Krassimira Drenska, Krasimira Gugova, Kristina Yakimova, Laura Dimitrova, Maria Zlatanova, Maria Drianovska, Martina Karaivanova, Milena Atanasova, Nikoleta Ivanova, Pavlina Kopano, Simona Vladimirova, Tzveta Petrova, Tatiana Karamalakova, Veselka Nikolova, Tzvetelina Spiridonova, Veska Abad, Zdravka Kostadinova;
Canada: Karen Leone Trask;
France: Marcelle Benhamou, Florence Pinson-Ynden;
Germany: Elke Lückener, Fides Linen, Irene Rammensee, Josephine Tabbert, Jutta Barth, Helene Tschaher, Michael Otto, Marie Shirmaher, Verena Friedrich, Petra Grupp;
Greece: Eleni Kampa;
Israel: Josefa Gal, Laura Behar;
Japan: Atsumi Murata, Kakuko Ishii, Kendji Sato, Haruko Cho, Mitsue Ito, Noriko Amano, Ritsuko Jinnouchi, Sumiko Tasaka, Sumie Matsuura, Yoshioaki Kajikawa, Yukiko Maeda, Yuri Okamoto, Wakako Ishisone;
Lithuania: Jura Vaskeviciute;
Poland: Dominika Korzeniowska, Aleksandra Wiszniewska, Piotr Kulasiewicz;
Romania: Adriana Lucaciu;
Turkey: Sukran Tumer ;
The Netherlands: Els Vaan Baarle;
Norway: Hanne Frey Huso;
UK: Jane Walker.

Exhibitions:
• “Impulse and Light”, National Gallery – Kvadrat 500 (9 July – 20 September);
• “The World of IAPMA”, Triangular Tower of Serdika, Regional History Museum – Sofia (14 July – 30 August);
• “Let’s Ask Forgiveness from the Trees”, solo exhibition of Nelly Sand, Regional History Museum – Sofia (16 July – 30 August);
• “Impulses from Japan”, Triangular Tower of Serdika, Regional History Museum – Sofia (22 October – 11 November);
• Biennial for Paper Art, San Stefano Gallery (30 September – 20 October).

Accompanying Events:
• Japan Bowl, competition for Japanese language and culture, organised together with the Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria and JSEEBA, San Stefano Gallery;
• “Eastern Patterns” workshop by Sukran Tumer, San Stefano Gallery;
• Workshop for children and presentation of the book “The Great Adventure of the Little Whale Sunny” by Tsvetelina Spiridonova. ]Presentations and lecture:

Presentations and lecture:
• “Georgievi Brothers: Evlogi and Hristo”, Triangular Tower of Serdika, Regional History Museum – Sofia
• Japanese Paper Art, digital formats;
• Archives, online presentations of SPAF 2011 – 2020.

Amateras Foundation thanks to all participants who played a role in the Sofia Paper Art Fest 2020!

94 artists from 20 countries participated in “Impulse and Light”, SPAF 2020:
Argentina: Eva Toker, Leticia Burgos, Leonardo Gottlieb;
Austria: Elmar Peintner;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah;
Bulgaria: Anna Boyadjieva, Аtanas Michaltchev, Anelia Alexandrova, Anelia Nikolova, Antonia Duende, Daniela Todorova, Galina Dokova, Eva Handjieva, Iveta Chelebieva, Krassimira Drenska, Krasimira Gugova, Kristina Yakimova, Laura Dimitrova, Maria Zlatanova, Maria Drianovska, Martina Karaivanova, Mila Stoeva, Manya Vapsarova, Milena Atanasova, Nelly Sand, Nikoleta Ivanova, Pavlina Kopano, Simona Vladimirova, Snejana Simeonova, Simeon Panayotov, Tsveta Petrova, Tatiana Karamalakova, Veselka Nikolova, Tsvetelina Spiridonova, Veska Abad, Zdravka Kostadinova;
Canada: Karen Leone Trask;
Denmark: Ulla Enevoldsen;
France: Marcelle Benhamou, Florence Pinson-Ynden, Bruno David;
Germany: Elke Lückener, Fides Linen, Irene Rammensee, Josephine Tabbert, Joachim Tschacher, Jutta Barth, Helene Tschacher, Michael Otto, Marie Schiermacher, Verena Friedrich, Petra Grupp, Siegrid Mueller-Holz;
Greece: Eleni Kampa;
Israel: Josefa Gal, Laura Behar;
Japan: Kakuko Ishii, Mitsuru Kuroki, Tori Kurita, Kenji Sato, Atsumi Murata, Haruko Cho, Mitsue Ito, Mitsue Ito, Mayumi Tsukuda, Nobuko Ueda, Noriko Amano, Ritsuko Jinnouchi, Sumiko Tasaka, Sumie Matsuura, Yoshioaki Kajikawa, Yukiko Maeda, Yuri Okamoto, Wakako Ishisone, Iyonaga Takahiro;
Lithuania: Jura Vaskeviciute;
Poland: Agneszka Jankowska, Katarszyna Szotowicz, Dominika Korzeniowska, Aleksandra Wiszniewska, Piotr Kulasiewicz, Magda Sobon;
Romania: Adriana Lucaciu;
Slovenia: Metka Pepelnak;
South Korea: Jeong Moon;
Turkey: Sukran Tumer, Berna Aydin;
The Netherlands: Els Vaan Baarle;
Norway: Hanne Frey Huso, Vibeke Damgaard;
UK: Jane Walker, Josephine Coy.

Over 130 artists participated in the Biennial for Paper Art, the Paper Art Academy, Exchange and Guest Exhibitions, Art in Urban Environment, Theatre and Film, Green Architecture and Accompanying Events sections.

Amateras Foundation is sincerely grateful to all institutions, sponsors, spaces and media partners who supported Sofia Paper Art Fest 2020!

Institutions:
Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria
National Culture Fund, Bulgaria
Sofia Municipality
Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria
Japanese Foundation
Museums and Galleries:
Regional History Museum – Sofia
National Gallery – Kvadrat 500
San Stefano Gallery

Associations:
IAPMA – US
NEXUS – Japan
Bulgarian Festivals Association
JSEEBA – Japanese-Southwest Business Association

Schools:
18th SOU William Gladstone
138th Prof. Georgi Zlatarski School
SU Vassil Levski, Rousse

Private Companies:
Mazda
Number ONE

Media Partners:
Bulgarian News Agency
Bulgarian National Television
BTV
TV1
Bulgarian National Radio
Jazz FM
Darik Radio
BG Radiotecture and Accompanying Events sections.