On February 2, the National Ethnographic Museum of BAS opened the “Symbols of Mobility” exhibition presented by Bulgarian artist and master Dr. Niki Collier who lives and works in Ireland. She is known as a conceptual author with a distinctive style and vision. The exhibition is supported by the Embassy of Ireland and is dedicated to the feast day of Saint Brigid, the patroness saint of crafts in Ireland. This is Dr. Niki Collier’s first solo exhibition in Bulgaria.
“Symbols of Mobility” is a multidisciplinary project that explores mobility as physical movement and as a process of transformation – of identity, place, and perspective. The exhibition includes 12 textile sculptures in the form of wings, made using a special technique from felt and arranged in seven installations. The project is inspired by folk tales, legends about birds, proverbs, and cultural traditions, refracted through the personal experiences of people with different life stories related to migration and transition.
“The symbolic connection between the exhibition and the celebration of Saint Brigid – patron saint of crafts, creativity, and knowledge – adds extra depth to the project. It highlights the continuity between traditional craft practices and contemporary art as well as the enduring role of knowledge embodied in manual labor and cultural memory. We express our gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niki Collier for her consistent and multifaceted creative journey and for presenting her first solo exhibition in Bulgaria here. Her work is a compelling example of how personal experience, mobility, and cultural heritage can be transformed into a universal artistic and intellectual message,” said Assoc. Prof. Mila Maeva, Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with the Ethnographic Museum – BAS.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niki Collier is a visual artist and designer who participates in group and solo exhibitions and projects focused on sustainability, identity, and mobility. After many years of scientific and professional activity in the field of computer science, she has established the first Bulgarian school in Ireland and turned her attention to creativity, crafts, and art. She has received international awards from the Artists’ Union and the the Design & Crafts Council, has held solo exhibitions in state and private galleries, and was a finalist for the Royal Irish Academy in 2012. Collier received special recognition from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an exhibition marking Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2017, among other things.
The “Symbols of Mobility” exhibition will be open to visitors at the National Ethnographic Museum (IEFSEM-BAS) from February 3 until the end of the month.
