Capturing moments of creativity

Rosina Pencheva is a photographer, based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, focused on documenting the arts and culture sector. Parallel to this, she has covered cultural events and processes of national and international importance for Gabrovo and Plovdiv. Rosina’s passion for her lens and capturing unique portraits takes her far and wide in search of theatre directors, actors and actresses, youngsters mastering old crafts in hidden away corners of Bulgaria, and into artists’ studios, to freeze in time moments of creativity. The art of capturing a transitional and unstable space – when an artist is in the midst of creation – requires eternal patience, an instinct for the right moment, and wide open eyes. Her documentary projects put the spotlight on the working versions, drafts, creative searching for form, and expression.

I’m pleased to be able to give visibility to various artisans' creative processes – from the nearly extinct to the newest generation of crafts, and to leave a visual archive of their work. I attend conferences, seminars and workshops to help expand my vision on art, crafts and culture.

For more than four years I worked for one of the most recognizable craft preservers in Bulgaria – Etar Open Air Museum in Gabrovo, where I’ve met numerous craftsmen and have documented their crafting process. I still continue documenting artisans’ work.

While doing my research on a particular artisan, I realised that we’d had two of his artworks hanging on the wall at my family home for about 15 years... I was so used to them and had taken them for granted, and now I really saw them. It was Dimitar Nikolaev’s work.

Striving for self-improvement, powerful curiosity and the courage to express oneself despite the various struggles one meets.