On April 29, 2026, the exhibition “Master of Clay” was opened at the “Businska Ceramics” Museum Complex in the village of Busintsi.
With it, the Regional History Museum – Razgrad is visiting the History Museum – Tran until August, creating a cultural bridge between two regions united by the tradition of Bulgarian ceramics.
The exhibition is dedicated to the life and work of Eli Nedelcheva (1961–2011) – a bright and original artist who left a deep mark on contemporary ceramic art. Panels and works from different periods of her creative path are presented, as well as exhibits from the collection of the “Businska Keramika” Museum Complex, distinguished with awards and recognition.
A favorite student of the renowned ceramicist Petar Gigov, Eli Nedelcheva develops her own recognizable artistic language, in which tradition meets modern demand. In her hands, clay ceases to be just a material – it becomes a carrier of memory, spirit and cultural identity. The artist experiments with old techniques and technologies, discovers clays with their own character and creates original compositions through which she achieves exceptional plasticity and expressiveness. Each of her works is unique – she does not repeat forms, does not work in series, but always seeks a new artistic direction.
The exhibition was presented by Prof. Rositsa Angelova PhD – Head of the Department of “New and Recent History” at the Regional History Museum – Razgrad and a lecturer at the “Bishop Konstantin Preslavski” University of Shumen. In her speech, she emphasized that Nedelcheva’s work carries not only artistic value, but also a strong spiritual message, weaving tradition into the contemporary cultural context.
Symbolically, today Eli Nedelcheva “returns” to her own people – to the space of the “Businska Keramika” Museum Complex, where she participated in a number of plein airs and creative meetings during her lifetime. The atmosphere of the opening was filled with gratitude and memories. Among those present were people who personally knew and appreciated her. Irina Kirilova – the wife of the Businska master potter Bogdan Gyurov – spoke about her with warm and moving words.
Eli Nedelcheva’s work has also found a place in the publication “Busintsi between “yesterday” and “tomorrow” – 2000″, realized by the Municipality of Tran and the “Dr. Stamen Grigorov” Foundation, which preserves the memory of local traditions and their modern successors.
The event was honored by the Mayor of Tran Municipality Tsvetislava Tsvetkova, Deputy Mayor Eng. Rumyana Mladenova, the Secretary of the Municipality Stanislava Aleksieva, representatives of the municipal administration, residents of the village of Busintsi, as well as numerous friends and admirers of the museum and ceramic art. The organizers express their sincere gratitude to the hosts from the “Busintsi Ceramics” Museum Complex and to Dr. Milana Katosheva for the hospitality, support and involvement in the realization of the exhibition.
