One of the greatest art projects these lands have seen in the past couple of decades. A symbiosis of rural life, old walls and people, and the world's most famous figures throughout the cultural history. Standing side by side with local characters.
Perfectly fitting the environment at most of the occasions. Even though the environment is quite a surprising place for such cultural activity.
Staro Zhelezare is a mountain village (but not too high a mountain) in the middle of Bulgaria. Perhaps a touch more to the west.
I learned about this project three or four years ago. I had even started something inspired by it but one of my mistakes at the time was not actually visiting and exploring this open air exhibition for the inspiration it would certainly have provided.
I never thought the scale and the variety were so great.
It made me laugh quite a few times.
It stretched, if we count the length of walls on both sides of the street, for almost a kilometre.
And I haven't even included the color mural style reproductions of lots of famous works by painters such as Alphonse Mucha, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhole, etc.
First, I am not showing all of the recognizable and cool dudes and dudettes that I found. So that you have plenty yet to see should you visit some day.
Second, I would be quite glad to see you identifying your favorites or other characters that you recognize.
I'll jst leave you to it...
Peace and Parsley!
Yours,
Manol