Little Bird Place Gallery is pleased to invite you to:
REGENERATION – contemporary art from hemp
solo exhibition by Silvana Ilieva
Curators: Teodora Konstantinova and Radoslav Mehndzhijski
04.09—21.09.2025
Opening reception, vernissage: 04.09 (Thursday) 18:00 – 21:00
Official Opening: 19:00
See all works from the exhibition HERE!
“Regeneration” – Contemporary Art from Hemp
With her exhibition “Regeneration”, Silvana Ilieva immerses us in a striking exploration of the artistic potential of industrial hemp – a material layered with sensitive historical context, ecological sustainability, and diverse aesthetics. A project that combines the visual experience with the “archaeology” of hemp, marked through time by alternating periods of widespread practical use and neglect.
In Bulgaria, hemp was cultivated extensively until the mid-20th century. In the following decades, due to various processes and circumstances, in many places around the world its role in the economic cycle was replaced by other materials and industrial interests, such as cotton production and synthetic textile substitutes. Adding nuance to this historical overview is also the stigmatization of the plant, associated with its psychoactive varieties. Today, hemp is gradually regaining its status as a raw material with exceptional ecological and market potential, serving as a substitute for mass-produced materials with an unacceptably high environmental footprint.
It is precisely in this broader context that Silvana Ilieva’s works come to life. Sculptural objects made from treated hemp fibers appear to have emerged into the present as if from another semi-fantastical botanical epoch. In her works, on the border between sculpture, architecture, and textile, the artist does not attempt to imitate nature; rather, she creates the sensation of a new branch of nature, carried into another degree of consciousness. In its social orientation, the project reflects on the ecological sustainability of the material while simultaneously embodying it in a tangible way.
Thus, hemp fibers – this ancient material once used for ropes, sails, construction, and insulation mixtures – here are elevated into refined aesthetic abstraction, without losing their earthy essence. On the contrary, precisely to emphasize its connection with today’s reality, the exhibition also presents unprocessed industrial hemp objects, provided as a partnership gesture by the company MARAY. This is a promising four-sided collaboration between a gallery, an artist, a curatorial team, and an innovative, ecologically minded business, aiming to reveal the vast potential for interaction between contemporary art and progressive developments in industry.
— Teodora Konstantinova and Radoslav Mehandzhiyski, Art and Culture Today
*Regeneration is made possible in partnership with MARAY Nikolova Ltd.
The world and our living environment are becoming increasingly complex and artificial. We often inhabit spaces that are far removed from our human nature and physiological needs – sometimes even posing risks to our health. Untested or toxic materials have entered our most intimate surroundings – our homes and workplaces.
We are Miro, Krasi and Manuela – the team behind MARAY Nikolova, a company dedicated to natural building materials.
Driven by the desire to leave a minimal footprint, we have returned to the simplicity and wisdom of life close to nature. Inspired by it, we discovered that the healthiest environment for us and our families is one built from natural materials: clay, lime, hemp, sheep’s wool, and wood.
Hemp is gaining popularity not only for its diverse applications in construction, but also for its exceptionally low, nearly zero carbon footprint. Hemp fibers and shives are widely used for sound and thermal insulation.
Natural materials such as hemp create a sustainable and healthy indoor climate, a harmonious atmosphere, and balanced humidity. They protect against harmful fungi, neutralize emissions and odors, conserve resources, and safeguard the environment.
Tested over centuries and enhanced with modern technologies, natural materials are finding new life and applications in today’s world. They are a true alternative and an essential part of the architecture of the future.
– Dipl. Ing. Manuela Nikolova, MARAY Nikolova Ltd.
