Studio artMalamat
artMalamat est l’atelier des artistes Mariela et Peter Malamat. Ils créent leurs œuvres en soulignant le lien entre les arts décoratifs, le bâtiment et l’intérieur, et en traçant la relation entre l’art contemporain et la tradition des écoles.
Mariela et Peter sont déjà la deuxième génération d’artistes et d’artisans. Les réalisations d’Ivan B. Ivanov, le père de Mariela, dans les arts plastiques et monumentaux en Bulgarie entre 1960 et 1989, comptent dans l’histoire de l’art bulgare. Peter Manev, le grand-père de Peter, exerçait le métier de miroitier et de verrier depuis 1937.
Dans l’esprit de cette tradition — préserver les pratiques du passé tout en recourant aux avancées techniques les plus récentes — l’atelier travaille un large éventail de techniques : mosaïque de pierre, peinture, vitrail, fusion de verre, sculpture sur pierre, métal et verre, techniques picturales classiques, pastels, aquarelles, miniatures de verre et de métal, et bijoux.
Mariela et Peter vivent à Sofia, mais voyagent pour trouver l’inspiration et rencontrer galeries et clients. Ces vingt-cinq dernières années, ils ont travaillé à New York, Memphis, Londres, Copenhague, Paris, Milan, Rome et Maastricht. Aujourd’hui, artMalamat dispose d’ateliers à Sofia, Paris et Rotterdam.
Mariela Ivanova
Peinture, vitrail, sculpture, peinture murale
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, verre, miroirs, peinture murale
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
© artMalamat 2026