Bilyana Furnadzhieva‘s solo exhibition AFTER NATURE  / Natural Continuation features 55 artworks (watercolour paintings, photograms, collages), an art book and a sound installation presenting a limited edition vinyl record released under the Crystal Sound project. The compositions were created during her artist residencies at BKN Björkö Konstnod, Sweden and Gamli skóli Arthouse, Iceland. The artist drew great inspiration from the landscapes and lights of the Baltic Sea. She uses gold leaf shaped like a star or a line to reinforce the effect of light, which is of particular importance to the artist.
Bilyana Furnadzhieva received a fellowship under the Aiming for the Stars national fellowship programme for 2023 – 2024. The exhibition is taking place as part of the CULTURAMA festival, a performing arts platform within the framework of the Aiming for the Stars national fellowship programme.
The exhibition is made possible by the Cultural Perspectives Foundation in partnership with the Sofia City Art Gallery and with kind support from the Culture Programme of the Capital City Municipal Authority, Accenture Bulgaria, Ogilvy Group Bulgaria, the Culture Portal, the Bulgarian National Radio.
***
Bilyana Furnadzhieva (born 1992, Sofia) has lived and worked in Paris since 2011. She graduated from École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (2017) and Еnsaama Olivier de Serres (2013) in Paris.
The artist has been building her practice as a visual artist while working simultaneously as an artistic director of the Crystal sound project, a musical ensemble focused on inter-genre collaborations.
Her work has been presented at SuperMarket ArtFair, Stockholm, Yun-Chia-Chia-Ying Visual Art Link, Taiwan, Hangar 9, Geneva, Or blanc, Château de Vincennes, Paris. Bilyana Furnadzhieva was supported by Chaire Innovation et savoir-faire de la Fondation Bettencourt Schueller in two consecutive years. She also had a long-term residency at Cité internationale des arts.
Her regular artist residencies helped her establish relations with BKN Björkö Konstnod in the Stockholm archipelago.  She has also participated in the development of the artist’s book reward Prix Bob Calle du livre d'artiste ever since its launching in 2017.