The Sofianer is a collaborative art project featuring artists from Bulgaria and beyond who create covers for the fictional magazine, The Sofianer, inspired by the renowned covers of The New Yorker. This project celebrates Sofia by showcasing its unique, humorous, and absurd facets, offering poetic and unexpected views of the present, envisioning the future, and initiating public discussions about the city's current and desired state.
In 2024, I submitted to The Sofianer open call for the first time. My submission was accepted as one of the 27 covers that was featured in a local exhibition as well as presented on national tv and on the national radio.
My idea for the artwork came from my love for summer evenings with friends in Sofia. I have always been inspired by the hidden spaces on the rooftops of the city. When I moved back to Bulgaria, I discovered a place called "The Swimming Pool". I fell in love with the view from its rooftop, the scent of the linden trees up there, and the sense of freedom that comes from being 'in the heart of the city'.
In 2025, I submitted two new pieces that draw from Sofia’s rich street music culture and the everyday lives of its people. They portray the kinds of characters you often cross paths with in the city—unmistakably Sofianer. Result on those two submissions is still pending.
