The Museum of Socialist Art. Sofia. June 22

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What a splendid hour I spent in this mainly open air museum reflecting on 45 years of Soviet rule in Bulgaria. It opened in 2011 amidst great controversy when it was to be called "The Museum of Totalitarian Art".

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As always I took far too many snaps, here are my favourite ones, some I can identify some I can't. I was hoping for a guide book when I later popped into the gift shop, they didn't have one. Should have paid more attention to the brass plaques on the bases. Duh!

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The Red Star That once stood atop the Communist Party Headquarters in the centre of Sofia, welcomes you at the gate

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This guy popped up a few times in various guises and of various ages.

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"Earth from the War" Mincho Minev (1945)

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"Women from the Cooperative Farm". Iva Hadzhieva (1959)

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"The worker" Boris Gondov 1964

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Turning one's back on the Communist ideology



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Your photographs are beautiful. Thanks for taking me to the museum 😎.

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cheers @florecitamejias thanks for stopping by and thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated. I am happy you enjoyed

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If I visit Bulgaria, which I think I will this year, I will definitely put this place on the tourist map.

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The facial expressions of the statues you captured somehow tell stories. Amazing ✨

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Cheers @hanyabee for stopping by, thanks for engaging, the skill of the sculptor definitely shines through. We all know the famous heads, but it was the statues to the common people that really did it for me.

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"Patriotic" art always makes me cringe, but people seem to have a deep need to create idols and worship, and there are always narcissistic sociopaths eager to bask in their praise, especially if it lets them get away with literal murder. The Soviets were just more open about it than western countries tend to be.

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I find it interesting that patriotic art is typically pretty cringe, but religious art is mostly quite beautiful, often awe-inspiring. Yet their art both shares a culture of idolizing worship. But in Christianity you get insane, millenia-old cathedrals, while communism gets you thick concrete blankets of depression.

Communism seriously stunts creative thought more than you can believe. I'm curious as to the specifics on why that is, but it certainly is the case either way.

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The Soviets were just more open about it than western countries tend to be.

That sort of made me chuckle, the imperialist english, and domineering americans spring to mind, you make a valid point. Alas history cannot be changed.

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(Edited)

I suppose it is easier to sneer at Soviet statuary while forgetting the flags waved vigorously in the US and UK.

And then there's Mt. Rushmore, the Lincoln memorial, etc.

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Totally agree with you there. History is portrayed to suit the agenda.

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What a wonderful place to visit!
Is a very beautiful place and with a lot of history.

I didn't know so much about Bulgaria so thanks for sharing ☺️

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Cheers @noahpsique , thanks for stopping by and engaging, it was a different kind of museum, and a wonderful little wander. I am glad I did it justice with my snaps. Thanks

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Never thought that an open air museum with statues might be so interesting until now! I wasn't a fan of statues but they do share a story and I like the way everything was arranged in this one. Overall Bulgaria is one of Romania's neighbours so perhaps I would be able to visit it one day by myself too ☺️

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I genuinely enjoyed this museum, very similar to one I visited in Tallinn a couple of years back, The Soviets seemed to make/ construct not only fantastic brutalist buildings but amazing statues too. I really enjoyed my trip through the Balkans, I am told you hail from Sibiu, I loved that city too. The architecture and the history ... and the beer

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Yeah, I'm currently living in Sibiu, which is one of the best places in Romania where to walk through centuries of history and enjoy the modern times too! Thank you for the kind words 🙂

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Art, culture, architecture, history in the East always dynamic in detail, yes they got stuck with certain busts with same face, exactly what happens in other parts of the world.

Removing history people no longer want on their walkways, it is a good idea to place them in a park for safe keeping, along with history attached. So many countries where great pieces of work defaced, not protected for the future generations.

!BEER

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I agree, they are art work and should be protected no matter what the history. from history we are supposed to learn the mistakes.....but that never happens!

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