Joanna Spassova-Dikova
Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 9, 2022, No. 1
Media art in open urban environment.
Mnemonic traces and new challenges
Joanna Spassova-Dikova
Abstract. The proposed paper is in the frame of the discussion about the new challenges, provoked by the so-called media art in open urban environment for the citizens during the last decades. The main objective is to analyse the processes of interweaving of city culture, everyday life and new technologies in the digital era. The approach is interdisciplinary, complemented by the methods and scientific apparatuses of the key humanities and social sciences, media studies, communication theory, cybernetics, etc. Some outstanding artists and works are put in focus as well as the project One Person of the Bulgarian artist Venelin Shurelov from 2020, which is given as an example of high-tech installation challenging the mnemonic problems of the past and the current city life. It was temporary situated in the centre of Sofia at the place of the demolished Georgi Dimitrov’s Mausoleum in 1999.
Keywords: digimodernism, digital person, digital mummy, city culture, media art, mnemonic traces
Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 7, 2020, No. 1
Cultural state policies: Support for performing arts forums
Joanna Spassova-Dikova
Abstract. The study is a part of a larger project, which aims to examine national cultural policies related to the support of different cultural forums, and in particular various performing arts festivals in Bulgaria. The main emphasis is on theatrical international and national festivals and reviews in our country of the productions of professional state, municipal and private formations as a platform for presenting contemporary Bulgarian theatre art in local and global context, as well as for outlining strategies for its future development. One of the main questions discussed is why art must be supported by the state and viewed as an object of national identity and pride. Some ideas for optimizing state policies in the field of supporting festivals of the performing arts are given.
Keywords: cultural policies, Cultural Strategy, intangible cultural heritage, performance/performative/performing/stage arts festivals in Bulgaria
Papers of BAS Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 4, 2017, No 2
On comedy, values and "bears" in Bulgaria
Joanna Spassova-Dikova
Abstract. The text is part of a larger study of different aspects of the development of the comic theatre art in Bulgaria viewed in European context. The focus is put on the mass culture influence on the genre of comedy in contemporary theatre when come- dians go out under the spotlights, not only in theatres but also in shows, in movies, on television, in front of their audiences, before the eyes of loudly applauding and laughing spectators. In the devilish struggle for the soul of the spectator at any price that is imma- nently embedded in the very nature of the actor, many of the comedians, no matter how talented, are misled by the loudly applauding laughing audiences that do not emit, but absorb. The actors sink into the black hole of uncritically consuming masses that desire them and expect their portion of fun, eagerly absorbing every word, smile, gesture. The artists forget their mission of spiritual leaders, who have to scourge the vices of society. On focus are the contemporary problems with the comedians who often begin over- playing. The latter ruins the so-called “bears”, which in most cases are wonderful and talented actors. The paper discusses the public attitudes and aesthetic values and tastes of our time. The many TV shows like “The Comedians” or a series of similar ones, unfortu- nately worldwide create audiences that are looking for cheap entertainments, audiences who paradoxically turn into “silent majorities”, as Baudrillard called them.
Keywords: cultural values, aesthetical tastes, “silent majorities”, comedians, thea- tre “bears”