Documentary photographer Dimitri Stefanov recently showed the “PRIMA” exhibition, which presents photographs from his eponymous project, created in partnership with the Sofia Opera and Ballet.
“PRIMA” is a deep and emotional portrait of the art of ballet, which documents in a raw and authentic way its grace and sublimity. The project reveals the dedication and hard work behind the exquisite world of ballet. Decades of practice and endless endurance are the path to perfection on stage, but often the effort remains hidden from the audience.
The title of the project is inspired by the outstanding Bulgarian prima ballerina Marta Petkova, who is immortalized through this impressive visual storytelling.
“PRIMA” aims to promote an attitude towards ballet by using the language of photography. Its main goal is to reach the young audience and to inspire a new generation of talents. Presenting a unique kind of exhibition in the Оpera building itself, Dimitri Stefanov wants to bring the audience closer to the world of ballet, as well as to be an ambassador of the beauty and grace of classical dance. Last but nor least, Dimitri Stefanov wants to express his attitude and support towards the Sofia Opera and Ballet with the belief and the pride that it is an emblem of national culture and an institution of international importance and recognition.
The exhibition was opened to visitors until May 9, 2023, in accordance with the program of the Sofia Opera and Ballet.
Dimitri Stefanov was born in Pleven in 1987. He lived in Spain for 13 years. In 2009, he completed a master’s degree in Documentary Photography at the EFTI photography school in Madrid, where he received the Photographer of the Year award and held his first solo exhibition, “Not About Football”. Dimitri won a scholarship for the Gervasio Sanchez Albarracin seminar, and his work has been published in some of the leading Bulgarian and international media. In 2010, he participated in International Photographic Meetings in Plovdiv and won the Young Photographer of the Year award from BG Press Photo.
He says he doesn’t take pictures to find out what the world is like, but for the world to find out who he is. Photography is his life. In 2020, Dimitri founded the photography school BECA Before Creating Academy and the BECA Foundation in the city of Sofia to provide new educational opportunities aimed at all levels from beginners to advanced photographers, as well as to contribute to the development of the art of photography in Bulgaria.
