This year marks the 120 years anniversary of the birth of Dechko Uzunov, for which occasion we present one of the most important figures in the life of the artist – Masha Zhivkova-Uzunova, a wife, model and an artist. The exhibition highlights some of her finest works between 1920 and 1943, artwork of Dechko Uzunov with her at the main role, as well as some documentary photos of their life together.
The Academy of Arts is the place where in the beginning of the 1920s, two lifes cross their paths. Born on the 28th of October, 1903, Masha Vladimirova Zhivkova represents one of those women who find no obstacle impossible in order to find their rightful place in the world of art. This ambition of hers turns out to be key for her meeting with Dechko Uzunov, whose meeting proves to be crucial for both of them. For Uzunov, their communication and relationship leave such a trail in his mind that soon after, he creates “A portrait of Masha”. In 1923, Masha Zhivkova joins Dechko Uzunov in Germany, where both of them specialize in the Academy of Arts of Munich. Their time there, filled by their passion for art, is a path to their personal bonding. Here, they would create many long-lasting friendships with actors, writers, architects, a few of which are Olga Kircheva, Svetoslava Slaveykova, Chavdar and Fani Mutafovi, Nikolay Liliev, Elisaveta Bagryana, and many more.
Having settled back in Bulgaria, they get married. The following two centuries are filled with many difficulties, but also with a chance to leave a trace in the history of the Bulgarian art. The media is busy with words about their work, which is also followed by the critics in their personal participations at exhibitions, where Masha Zhivkova presents some of her artwork as a member of the Group of women painter, part of the Society of the Educated Women. By the end of the 1940s, Masha and Dechko Uzunovi become one of the most emblematic couples in the country.
The artworks are gathered from the art galleries of Burgas, Kazanluk, Plovdiv, Sliven, Sofia, as well some privately-owned pieces of art. The documentary photos are from the Central archive and from the photo collection of Art Gallery “Dechko Uzunov”.