Grassroots (Аmerican English) – a movement, organization, event or other socio-cultural phenomenon involving the inhabitants of a given area or region as the main driving force for change or improvement of the environment.
In today's crazy information age, anything is possible: both fake news and hyperrealistic illusions created by artificial intelligence. It is possible to have communication without communication, and eternal life without life. Accordingly, transferring the topic to the field of cultural events following the modern (and wonderful) trend towards decentralization, today’s pretenders to be the saviors of our spiritual needs can appear literally from anywhere - dropping by parachute from the sky, sailing in a broken boat on the river, riding on a polished carriage, emerging from the deep woods or even from the virtual dust beam of a projector or hologram.
It is different, however, when the contenders in question have sprung up on local soil. This is probably one of the main reasons why Capturing Creativity's musical adventure New Weavers for Gabrovo left an excellent taste on the cultural palates of the city's residents and guests on Saturday, September 30. The main driver – Rosina Pencheva (a Gabrovo native, currently rocking the capital of Sofia), as well as the bass master and producer of concerts "where they do not exist" – Vasil Hajigrudev – wove an excellent sample of high Gabrovian culture: purely inspired, hard-working, naturally warming, inclusive, unconditionally received with hugs and warm applause from the community.
• 6 artists
• 4 improvisational concerts "on wheels"
• 2 informative tours in the Regional landfill for non-hazardous waste
• converted Weaver workshop
• 3 contemporary sculptures from reused materials
• 2 acoustic concerts
• DJ party
• over 20 volunteers
• over 250 visitors
• detailed online archive in Bulgarian and English
• 4 improvisational concerts "on wheels"
• 2 informative tours in the Regional landfill for non-hazardous waste
• converted Weaver workshop
• 3 contemporary sculptures from reused materials
• 2 acoustic concerts
• DJ party
• over 20 volunteers
• over 250 visitors
• detailed online archive in Bulgarian and English
"How many people came?" – "All of them!": the locals, as well as folks from Tryavna, Veliko Tarnovo, Dobrich, Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, aged from 1 to 70 years and above. The thread of the "new weavers" took the friends of the event (it somehow doesn't work to call these people just an "audience") to two locations with much more than two cultural dimensions.
The start was given in the warm afternoon with the journey of two bus tours to the Regional Depot for non-hazardous waste in the village of Grablevtsi. Before and after the educational walks, in which the depot team presented their work and ideology with a natural smile and sense of humor, Miryan Kolev (E.U.E.R.P.I.) – the musical international whom the organizers had barely "caught" – gave literally unique (that is, completely improvised) concerts on the bus before two new musical journeys abroad – in Latvia and Togo. Ambient, drone, guitar and effects weaved the reverentially hushed chatter of pilgrims and a methane engine into a wonderful late-summer here-and-now soundtrack with improvisations reminiscent of E.U.E.R.P.I.'s recent albums.
Център Кристо и Жан-Клод (бившият Техникум по текстил)
Център Кристо и Жан-Клод (бившият Техникум по текстил)
In the evening, it was time for the second ingredient – the continuation of the program at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center. The building of the former technical school, or "the Textile", as the people of Gabrovo call it, is publicly accessible for the first time since 2009 through a series of special events. The first big one was New Weavers. Former teachers and students, jazz lovers and entire families formed a queue at the entrance, eager to immerse themselves in an original creative atmosphere with messages on many levels: for the new, for the future, for the local, rooted, inclusive, nostalgic, interesting and beautiful.
„Най-сладкият сън“
„Завър“
What was awaiting the guests even before the first note? The three-meter mosaic monstrosity of plastic waste "From Trash to Treasure", the spine-tingling "The Sweetest Sleep" and the nightmarish in its nostalgia, but enticingly fluffy "Saurus" – three magnificent sculptural installations that you really, really want to touch. The visions in question, which spread out in a separate exhibition space, are the product of the imagination of another Gabrovian – the colorful child prodigy of second hand materials, artist Nevena Ekimova.
The sculpture "Trash to Treasure" (left) by Nevena Ekimova, the courtyard of the Christo and Jean-Claude Center (the former Professional School of Textile)
Балкантон носталгия с DJ Skill
Plus scenography, cleverly adapted from objects and materials found in "the Textile": a magical lace installation, barrels turned into bars, iconic signs with occupational safety rules from the offices and an old weaving loom as imposing as an Egyptian pyramid. Part of the exposition in the pre-concert minutes was the piano, provided free of charge by a local benefactor. Colorful lights, well-stocked bar and bazaar, acoustics of voices in large halls filled with memories, surprise and anticipation contributed to the thrill in the mood.
Concert "Night Musical Looms": Teodor Petkov – Toto, solo piano
Maestro, music! Teodor Petkov – Toto presented on the piano an exceptional set of mostly original compositions with a contemporary sound, but also deeply rooted in jazz. The high evaluation of those sharing the small cultural eternity was not long in coming. Applause was as much for Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk standards as for the inspirational ballad dedicated to Toto's wife.
After him, the teary-eyed audience warmly welcomed the ethno-jazz fusion duo gadulka and double bass, which in just seconds stirred something atavistic somewhere deep in the Bulgarian blood. Beleva & Hajigrudev raised the mood even further, performing their entire debut EP "Trikop" plus new compositions and the folk classic "Bela Sam, Bela, Yunache".
"Night Musical Looms" concert: Beleva & Hadjigrudev, gudulka and double bass
The night refused to end when DJ Skill kicked off his nostalgic Balkanton set, the dancing went wild and didn't stop until midnight. No one wanted or allowed it to end – and, thank God, afterparties were invented for just such moments. In this case, the host was Barry's cozy bar, conveniently located a stone's throw from the venue where the ending in question never occurred.
Базар Совалка
Балкантон носталгия с DJ Skill
Базар Совалка
Балкантон носталгия с DJ Skill
Бар Стрелка
In the emotional palette of feedback from the sample event, surprise, nostalgia, pride, and hope for more shone brightly. Above all, however, the joy of the Gabrovo spirit glittered with luminosity, which means only one thing: the magic of the strongest thread in our cultural fabric – the root in the community – once again proved that it endures and warms more than all others.
Whether we like it or not, everything has an end. But thanks to the fact that we live in the age of the digital afterlife, the New Weavers micro-festival will live on forever. Here, on the pages of the Capturing Creativity platform, you will always be able to return to the emotions of that adventurous day – in the form of articles, photos, videos and links to the personal online abodes of its creators Rosina Pencheva and Vasil Hajigrudev, as well as and the talented participants in it.
Enjoy the re-experience!
