Over 70 artists from 4 continents are taking part in the 13th International Biennale “Masters of Caricature” in Plovdiv. The event is organized and hosted by the Regional Ethnographic Museum – Plovdiv, in partnership with the University of Agribusiness and Rural Development.

This well-established forum, which brings together renowned caricaturists from around the world, was officially opened on October 1 at 6:00 PM in the grand hall of REM – Plovdiv. Honorary statuettes were awarded to the five best masters of caricature, along with a special prize from UARD. For the first time, the honorary title “Bash Master” was also awarded. The recognition went to Irien Trendafilov from the Plovdiv Society of Caricaturists, who also received an invitation to present a solo exhibition at REM – Plovdiv next year.

This year’s biennale theme “Wine and Love. Love and Wine” focuses on the eternal bond between wine and love – an extraordinary pair that time cannot break.

“Wine and love enchant, intoxicate, and turn life into a brighter, more exciting experience, leaving behind a bittersweet aftertaste. This theme allowed the artists to explore, with humor and creativity, the relationships between these two concepts – from romance and passion to irony and the comical aspects of life,” commented Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Yankov, the museum’s director.

More than 200 caricatures were submitted for the competition. Some traveled thousands of kilometers to reach Plovdiv – from countries like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, China, Indonesia, Syria, Uzbekistan, and many other distant corners of the world. Traditionally, there is strong participation from artists from the Balkans and neighboring countries.