Demonstration
by Phenix Varbanov

On April 30 at 15:00, a demonstration by Phenix Varbanov took place in the West Foyer of the National Palace of Culture, as one of the highlight events in the program of Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026.

The event attracted exceptionally strong interest from professional artists, curators, as well as enthusiasts of contemporary abstract art, who had the opportunity to closely experience the artist’s creative process.
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Phenix Varbanov is an established contemporary artist living and working in Paris, the son of the world-renowned artists Marin Varbanov and Madame Sun Huai Kui. In his practice, he develops a strongly individual artistic language that transcends boundaries and cultural identity, uniting three cultures – Bulgarian, Chinese, and French.
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His works are characterized by large scale, expressiveness, and a distinct installation-based approach, revealing a unique vision of the vastness of the universe. In his work, he uses Chinese ink and rice paper. Inspired by tradition, he deliberately moves away from the virtuosity of classical calligraphy. He abandons the brush and transforms paper into an experimental field, where the ink moves freely – like the flow of a river – through physical interaction with the surface, creating forms reminiscent of geomorphological structures.

During the demonstration, the audience became acquainted with his artistic philosophy and his approach to material, movement, and space, experiencing the act of creation as a living and dynamic process.
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The event was part of the program of the Paper Art Biennale within Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026.

Sofia Paper Art Fest is realized with the financial support of the Programs: “Visual Arts” of the Ministry of Culture, “Creation and Distribution” of the National Culture Fund, and the Cultural Calendar of Sofia Municipality.