Жените в българската фотография. Фокус върху 70-те години на ХХ век
Women in Bulgarian photography. Focus on the 1970s

Summary/Abstract: The paper reviews the lack of professional and amateur interest in photography by Bulgarian women during the first half of the 20th century and focuses the attention on the socialist period of the country’s development when photography became an important propaganda tool and gained great popularity. During the 1970s major political changes took place in Bulgaria – changes which aimed at “rising the role of women in the developed socialist society”. As a result, women begin to participate equally in the photographic life of the country and achieve serious professional success. Many solo expositions are open, female photographers take part in competitions, win prizes and publish their photographs in periodicals. These processes, however, occur not due to personal artistic experiments or new perceptions about the power and capabilities of the media itself. They are rather initiated “from outside”, caused by specific party decisions and ideological strategies. Thus, the boundary between the successes achieved as a result of the real qualities of women in the different professions and the successes – “gift” from the socialist power, gradually blurred and disappeared. And this will lead to insecurity, indecision, lack of faith in personal abilities and in general – to a pessimistic mood, that slowly will conquer the future generations.

• Details
• Contents