Golden Girl

The performance Golden Girl was held on 9. June, 1985 on the river Pizditza near Bratsigovo, South Bulgaria

Co-participants: Anya Gaydova and Dimitar Grozdanov

nо audience

The Golden Girl performance is an interpretation of the Bulgarian folk tale with the same name – The Golden girl. The stepmother sends her stepdaughter to the river, which is dangerous and constantly changes its colors to red, blue and black. On the river the girl meets an old woman, which is actually a sorceress. She asks the girl to give her water. 

The girl happily helps her, without fear. The old woman thanks the girl by advising him: 

When the red water comes, do not enter it. When the blue water comes, do not enter again. And don’t go into the black water. When the golden water comes, grasp what you can. 

The girl pulls out a box full of treasures from the bottom of the river. Instead of dying, the girl returns home richly donated. 

The performance reflects the perceived political changes of the late 1980s. It reflects internal fears of the impending „unknown“. The Water, which changes colors, is a metaphor for the coming changes of the late 80's and early 90's. The generation contemporaries of changes is a loser. And the «good» is a devaluing value: In the case of the performance «Golden Girl» the girl pulls out a box, but it is always empty.

Albena: As a student in the Video Art class in Basel, 1995-98, I began to rethink my performances made behind the iron curtain. I have been working with slide material since the mid-80‘s, trying to recreate my idea in the language of the Video Art.

Prasentations:

Jahresausstellung der Videoklasse, SfG, Basel 1996

Exhibition Erato’s Version, Sofia (BG) 1997

Nonstop 25h, Basel 1999

Exhibition «Earthbound», Goehte Institut, Sofia, August-Sept., 2019

Archive:

13 Dias, color, 1995

Video 5‘, color, sound, 1996

Copy rights: Albena Mihaylova