The Walls of Staro Zhelezare

The Walls of Staro Zhelezare

The Village of Personalities

Nestled in the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria lies the village of Staro Zhelezare. On the surface, it is a quiet, traditional village, but for the past decade, it has been transformed into a living, breathing canvas known as the “Village of Personalities.”

Every summer, the Staro Zhelezare Street Art Village Academy, led by the Bulgarian-Polish artistic duo Katarzyna and Ventsislav Piriankov, brings students from the Poznan University of Arts to paint the village walls. Their project creates surreal juxtapositions: local Bulgarian grandmothers chatting with Queen Elizabeth II, or village farmers sitting alongside world leaders and cultural icons like Freddie Mercury and Salvador Dalí.

My Perspective

As a photographer, my work related to the murals in Staro Zhelezare is a personal response to the atmosphere they create. I was fascinated by the “space between”—how a spray-painted masterpiece interacts with the peeling plaster of a decades-old wall, and how the vibrant avant-garde energy of the Academy’s vision clashes and harmonizes with the slow, rural pace of life in the village.

These images are an attempt to capture more than just the paint on the walls; they are a reflection of the spiritual resonance found within them. As a Christian, I view the world through a lens guided by the Holy Spirit, seeking the deeper truths and divine beauty hidden in human expression. These photographs represent a visual conversation between the muralists’ creative intent and the way I have been led to see and feel their work.

Credits and Support

I am incredibly grateful to the Staro Zhelezare Street Art Village Academy for granting me permission to publish and sell these photographic interpretations of their work. While the photographs represent the artistic vision given to me, the underlying mural designs remain the creative and intellectual property of the Academy and its contributing artists.

Experience it for yourself

If these images resonate with you, I passionately encourage you to visit Staro Zhelezare in person. It is one of the most unique open-air galleries in Europe, and witnessing the scale of the Academy’s mission to save the village through art is an unforgettable experience.

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