Studio artMalamat

artMalamat is the atelier of the artists Mariela and Peter Malamat. They create their works emphasising the connection of the decorative arts with the building and the interior, delineating the relationship between contemporary art and the tradition of the schools.

Mariela and Peter are already the second generation of artists and craftsmen. The achievements in the field of fine and monumental arts in Bulgaria between 1960 and 1989 by Ivan B. Ivanov, Mariela’s father, are significant for Bulgarian art history. Peter Manev, Peter’s grandfather, worked as a craftsman in mirrors and glass from 1937.

In the spirit of this tradition — preserving the practices of the past while using the latest technological advances — the studio works across a wide range of techniques: stone mosaic, painting, stained glass, fusing, sculpture in stone, metal and glass, classical painting techniques, pastels, watercolours, miniatures of glass and metal, and jewellery.

Mariela and Peter are based in Sofia, but travel for inspiration and for contact with galleries and clients. Over the past 25 years they have worked in New York, Memphis, London, Copenhagen, Paris, Milan, Rome and Maastricht. Today artMalamat has studios in Sofia, Paris and Rotterdam.

Mariela Ivanova

Painting, stained glass, sculpture, mural painting

Astonishing in the pictures of Mariela Ivanova is the behaviour of the ornaments. Where in many authors ornaments serve to fill the empty spaces of the canvas, Mariela's are part of the composition — they highlight, intensify and support the main conceptual outlook. With their colour and dynamic structure they exalt the accent of the tones and semitones, the shapes and colours of the central figures. — Maxim Cohen

Education

1977–82 — National School of Fine Arts “I. Petrov”, Sofia
1982–88 — National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia — master’s degree in mural painting
2003 — Cité des Arts, Paris — specialisation

Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists (from 1989), Brooklyn Art Association (from 2000), Lions Club (from 2008) and ICOMOS (from 2014).

Selected exhibitions

2021 — “The Yogurt of the Dream”, project for the Bulgarian pavilion, Venice Biennale
2020 — “Close to My Heart”, MOMus Contemporary, Thessaloniki
2019 — “Heavenly Plowmen” and “The Pandora’s Box”, projects for the Bulgarian pavilion, Venice Biennale
2018 — Bulgarian Cultural Center, Prague — glass reliefs; “Garden of Miracles”, Pazardjik
2017 — “And More Love Stories”, Evdokia Art Glass gallery
2015 — Open studio, Cité des Arts, Paris; “52 Love Stories”, Plovdiv Cultural Institute
2014 — “50 Love Stories”, Gallery Impression; Centre International des Arts, Montpellier
2013 — “The Magic Rite”, Hilton Hotel; Gallery Impression, Sofia; BCI, London
2008 — “40 Love Stories”, Gallery Imon, Sofia
2002 — Jewish Cultural Center, Memphis, USA
2000 — Brooklyn Art Center, New York

Her works are held in private collections in Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Japan, the USA, Denmark and Switzerland.

Curatorial projects

2010 — “Gold & Blue”, Lions artists, National Gallery, Sofia
2009 — “Then & Now”, Decorative Arts, National Gallery, Sofia

Research

2020 — “Buzludzha mosaics”, for the Getty Foundation
2019 — “Decorative arts in Bulgaria 1970–1989: issues of synthesis”

Monumental work

2009 — Studio Panderma, interior design, glass reliefs
2004–08 — “The Rainbow”, Protestant church, Sofia
1995 — “The Annunciation”, “Man’s Earthly Pilgrimage”, “The Way to Eternity”, Lozen
1989 — Module mirror wall, disco club Japan
1986 — Mural painting “Childhood”, St. Anna hospital, Sofia
1985 — Mural painting “Cosmos”, A. S. Pushkin school, Sofia
1983 — Mural painting “Carnaval”, school, Vladaya

Peter Malamatenov

Sculpture, glass, mirrors, mural painting

The technology of the sculpture is essential: modern tools combined with ancient skills preserved among the craftsmen of Bulgaria give the work its patina and soft sheen — qualities typical of enduring traditions in art. — Maxim Kohen

Education

1979 — “I. Petrov” College of Arts, Sofia
1988 — National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia — master’s degree in mural painting

Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, Brooklyn Art Association, Sofia City Lions Club and ICOM. Exhibiting in group shows since 1988.

Selected exhibitions

2021 — “Mirrored World”, glass reliefs and mirrors, Krasno Selo Cultural Centre
2020 — “Cupido”, watercolour and glass, Evdokia Art Glass gallery
2019 — Glass reliefs, Evdokia Art Glass; sculpture, Tandra Gallery, Bankya; painting, Plovdiv Cultural Institute
2018 — Sculpture, Tandra Gallery, Bankya; glass reliefs, BCI Prague
2017 — “And More Love Stories”, Evdokia Art Glass; Fourth Festival of Glass, Sofia; PontArte, Maastricht
2015 — Cité des Arts, Paris
2014 — Glass, Centre International des Arts, Montpellier
2013 — “The Magic Rite”, Hilton Hotel; Gallery Arosita and Gallery Impression, Sofia; BCI London
2004 — “43° — New York, Paris, Sofia”, Gallery R. Alexiev, Sofia; Bulgarian Embassy, Copenhagen
2003 — Military Club, Sofia; Cité des Arts, Paris
2001 — Sculpture, Saint Francis College Gallery, Brooklyn, New York

Stained glass

“Nightly Sky” — fashion studio Jana Jekova, Sofia · “Annunciation”, “Earth Life”, “Way to Eternity” — private house, Lozen · “Lighting Column” — private house, Sofia · “Rainbow” — Bulgarian Evangelist Church, Sofia · “Garden” — private house, Dragalevtsi · glass reliefs and interior, Panderma Dermatologic Laser Centre, Sofia

Sculpture

Eight variants of “The Giant Woman”, 120 × 300 × 80 cm, four public spaces in Sofia
Mirrored module wall, Paradise Center, Sofia
“Venus”, glass, waterfall, Dragalevtsi
“Angel”, marble memorial, Sofia
“Rooster”, gilded copper, hotel Tzarsko Selo, Sofia
“Holland Cow”, bronze, Markeli milk factory, Kazanlak
“Pregnant Michio” and “The Baby”, four life-size figures, epoxy resin and acrylic, New York