“Poetry of Everyday Life” is an international Bulgarian-Chinese creative public art project, whose final works and exhibition were officially presented on 9 October 2026 at the Port of Burgas Passenger Terminal. The initiative brings together students and lecturers from the National Academy of Art (NAA) in Sofia and the China Academy of Art (CAA) in Hangzhou.
The main concept behind “Poetry of Everyday Life” is to transform ordinary human activities, habits and objects into contemporary artworks for public spaces through the design and creation of three-dimensional objects. Sustainable materials such as metal and wood are combined with modern elements, including light, which transform the impact of the installations throughout the day and night.
The final sculptures are not merely passive objects to be observed. They interact with passers-by and encourage reflection.
The project’s creative process began digitally at the start of the year, during the spring semester. Students from the National Academy of Art (NAA) and the China Academy of Art (CAA) in Hangzhou formed mixed teams of two, each comprising one Bulgarian and one Chinese student. The project brought together young artists specialising in Sculpture, Woodcarving and Metal, Textile Art and Design, and Digital Arts.
The project is being developed in two main phases:
- Phase One (Bulgaria): Students draw inspiration from Bulgarian culture and everyday life. During this creative workshop, the three large-scale wood and metal sculptures featured in the final exhibition on 9 October 2026 were constructed and assembled. A particularly distinctive feature of the completed works is the incorporation of poetry by Hristo Fotev, the renowned poet from Burgas.
- Phase Two (China): The young artists will continue working on the same theme, this time drawing inspiration from traditional and contemporary Chinese culture and their surrounding environment.
The project is an important part of the official support for Burgas’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2032.