THIRD SPACE VI

… was held in Sofia (Bulgaria). Quite a new experience for me not to be able to read anything…

At the Cultural
Centre in Sofia — At the entrance of the the Cultural
Centre in Sofia

My lace artist friend Bistra Pisancheva, to whom I owe the invitation to exhibit at the Municipal Cultural Institute of Sofia, and her husband Nicolas, hosted me generously in their home during my stay in Bulgaria. Bistra insisted to take a photograph of me next to the poster which was displayed at the entrance of the centre.

The mosaics of massive natural stone served as an excellent backdrop to the delicate pieces of Third Space (below left to right: Bistra Pisancheva y Galina Ruleva).

Mosaics at the foyer of the Cultural Institute of Socia

The installation of Third Space VI in Sofia was yet again very different to any of the previous installations. It was displayed at the foyer of the Krasno Selo cultural centre in Sofia from 1st to 15th March 2026. Given the layout of the grand space, we decided to arrange the pieces on two separate sides.

What would I have done without the help of my wonderful friends! Bistra climbed to the heights of the foyer like a bird, while her husband Nicolas and friend Galina helped me up on the balcony to spread the individual pieces.

Thanks to Bistra’s ingenuitiy and temerity, in the end Third Space VI was ready for the inauguration.

With Director of the Cultural Centre, Ivelina Kyutchoukova, at the inauguration

I was quite relieved that the hanging had gone so well! And very happy to show Third Space yet again to a totally different group of viewers. I was very thankful to Ivelina Kyutchoukova, the Cultural Director, for letting me have that grand exhibition space and arranging slide talks for the viewers’ information.

Some visitors to the first slide talk about Third space at the Cultural Centre

I gave two slide talks and both times there was a very interested audience. I was so grateful for Bistra’s help again in acting as my Bulgarian voice.

Slide talk about Third space at the Cultural Centre

Another invitation followed; this time to hold a talk at the Academy of Applied Arts. It was lovely to share my expertise with young people and afterwards to visit their workshop (below left) to see some of the works in progress (below right). Sitting with teachers made me sad because despite all their dedication, they had complaints about the lack of finances, which reflected similar worries I had heard about in other places.

Workshop at the Academy of Applied Arts in Spfia — Workshop at the Academy of Applied Arts in Sofia

Student at the Academy of Applied Arts, Sofia — Workshop at the Academy of Applied Arts in Sofia

Sedyankata – the gathering – Bistra’s lacemaking group

At Bistra's cosy bobbin lacemaking workshop — At Bistra’s cosy bobbin lace workshop

Bistra´s alumnas full of questions — At Bistra’s cosy bobbin lace workshop

I felt very accepted in Bulgaria by so many friendly people who went out of their way to find a common language to communicate. The best language is, of course, the art itself. The response of the many viewers who I had the privilege to talk to was major. It has given me lots of encouragement for the exhibitions to come in the near future.

A big thank you to you all!