Damian Dongov – Eternal Centurions. Photography
Damian Dongov – Eternal Centurions
Exhibition Analog Photography
26 November – 6 December 2024
“A black and white photographic exhibition showcasing extreme sports through hand-copied monochrome images.
The goal is to inspire and motivate the sports community at a local level, while highlighting the analog process in photography.
The exhibition features national champions in skateboarding, quad skating, longboarding, BMX and weightlifting.
A patriotic touch is added by using the latest Bulgarian photo paper ‘Fohar’ in size 40×50 cm.”
Project Summary
Eternal Centurions” is a project by NB TV operator Damian Dongov, supported by the National Fund Culture. The exhibition features 22 highly artistic analogue photographic images focusing on street sports such as BMX, skateboarding, and traditional sports like diving, weightlifting, tennis, and yoga. The images showcase champions in their respective disciplines, including names like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Nassar, Evgeni Penkov, Hristo Iliev, Boyan Stoev, Petko Mitev, Pavel Valkov, Yori Papalezova, Ivan Donchevskyi, and others.
With a unique approach to extreme sports and individuals excelling in them, the photographer aims to inspire young generations to develop high moral, creative, and individual qualities in sports and art.
Damian Dongov is an avid cyclist from a young age. He states, “The weakness and lifestyle have been guided by BMX and skate culture in whole life.”
The first photos representing extreme sports and the unwavering spirit of youth sports in the exhibition date back to 2011.
Due to the author’s choice of using analog photography, “Eternal Centurions” has a distinct character. The photos are hand-printed using a traditional method on the last sheets of remaining Bulgarian photographic paper FOHAR, sized at 40X50 cm.
Damian Dongov explains, “The entire process took place at ‘7filmlab’ in the city of Plovdiv with the expert assistance of printer and photographer Ilko Ranzhev. We spent several sleepless nights together, immersing our hands in developer, creating all the magic.”
About the author
Damian Dongov is from the city of Plovdiv. He graduated from National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts “Kr. Sarafov ”(NATFA), majoring in Film and Television Broadcasting in 2018 – one of the last graduates of Prof. Venets Dimitrov. It was there that he became passionate about analog photography and laboratory work. He currently works as an operator at BNT. He filmed in France, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Cyprus and most recently in Ukraine (2022, 2024). He is the cameraman of the documentary film “Reforms on pause” by Miroliuba Benatova, and in a more artistic aspect he has several short films with the directors Tosen Ramar, Rositsa Trayanova, Damian Riviera, Aleksander Yordanov.
He adores painting and admits that there is almost no gallery in the larger Bulgarian cities where he has not been: “Professor Emilia Stoeva instilled in us the habit of going to exhibitions as students.” However, his visit to the Louvre marked a turning point in his life, when realizes that he can gather courage and show his photographic works.
Художествена галерия – Русе
ул. „Борисова“ 39