Michelle Hill
“Orpheus Dreaming”

26 June - 7 July 2008

Michelle Hill is Fulbright artist scholar in computer graphic and experimental digital printing on cloth at the National Academy of Art from Parsons Design University from New York. Opening: 3 July 2008 from 19.00 to 20.30 h.

“My artistic design inspiration has set me on a path that has drawn me to travel further and further east in search of historical reference supporting my interest in research into ancient Thracian art, crafts, culture and the religious beliefs of Orpheus. Now in Bulgaria, I find myself in a country and culture strategically situated within a region that has preserved for centuries not only religious rituals but also ancient motifs illustrating themes, characters, mythologies, narratives turned into folk tales, associated with ancient Thracian Orphic beliefs. Throughout my career, I found myself attracted to the use of lush exciting color and the lyrical semi-abstraction demonstrated by a group of Parisian artists of the "orphism" movement during the period of 1911 to 1914. I have always found myself experimenting with the sensation of bright colors and abstraction of form found in the works of traditional, contemporary African art and the particularly the collage works of the American artist, Romare Bearden. This combination of artist expression forms the foundation of my work as an American artist. I feel that Bulgaria is giving me continuity to my design style and my personal expression, and brings me full circle to return to make an intimate interpretation of the myths and stories of Orpheus, the Thracian.”

Michelle Hill