Time, Memory, Nostalgia: An Evening of Bulgarian Literature & Visual Art

Join us on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30pm for a special edition of our Translation Spotlight series. Part literary salon, part gallery reception, this post-dinner gathering will bring contemporary Bulgarian literature into conversation with an accompanying exhibition of visual work by Biliana Velkova.

Guided by Biliana and Milena Droumeva, you’ll be introduced to a curated reading list of translated works by Bulgarian writers, all of which grapple with nostalgia, post‑communist identity, fragmented memory, collective history, and borders. Threading through these readings is tuga — an untranslatable Bulgarian word for a deep, enduring melancholy — through which you’ll be offered a portrait of Bulgarian life after the collapse of communism and within its present realities.

You’ll also be the first to enjoy an exhibition of Biliana Velkova’s Balkan Weather Tales, displayed throughout our Granville Island studio. This series features works on paper, in gouache, oil pastel and gold leaf. Once brought to life through song and oral tradition, the pieces reimagine Bulgarian folklore. Here, creatures resurface in layered, hypnotic drawings that bridge ancient belief systems with contemporary anxieties.

Come take a seat at our long table and enjoy an evening of Bulgarian literature, art, food, and conversation. Spaces are very limited, so please RSVP here.

More about Biliana Velkova:

Biliana Velkova’s work vividly weaves together storytelling, folklore and enchantment. Through painting, drawing and performance, she explores the significance of diaspora, cultural symbols, and Slavic fairy tales. Velkova creates spaces where reality and imagination meet, offering new perspectives on life in a post-collapse world. Her work invites us to step into poetic, dreamlike realms as a way of understanding ourselves and our place within the world. Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Biliana Velkova is based in Vancouver. She has an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan and a BFA from Concordia University.

More about Milena Droumeva:

Milena Droumeva is Associate Professor of Communication and Sound Studies at Simon Fraser University specializing in acoustic ecology and multimodal research. At present, Milena is writing a hybrid academic memoir about post-communism in Bulgaria, using a sensory ethnography approach.

More about Upstart & Crow:

Upstart & Crow is a not-for-profit creative studio and literary incubator that champions writers, readers and stories, and the role they play in shaping our lives. We develop original programs, support artists and revel in creative projects focused on Literature In Translation / Climate Solutions / Poetry / Civic Dialogue / Community & Skills Building … all with the aim of elevating the role of literature and storytelling in our lives. Find us on Granville Island, Gibsons and online at upstartandcrow.com.

Accessibility:

The main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees.

Questions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com.

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