Burgas once again became a stage for a powerful message to society: on Children's Day, June 1, the photo exhibition "Repair the Earth" was opened in the central city area – a collective exposition with shots by professionals and amateurs, united by the theme of environmental protection, climate change, and personal responsibility towards nature.
The exhibition is the result of the National Photographic Competition, organized by "HUMANA People to People Bulgaria" and the Varna-based school for disadvantaged children "Dedal". The initiative aims to raise public engagement on topics such as pollution, drought, climate change, and the ways in which every person can contribute to change.
Burgas is the next stop on the national tour of "Repair the Earth"
The exposition can be viewed from June 1 to 7 in the center of Burgas, in the space next to the Clock – one of the most visited places in the city. Visitors will see impressive photos from iconic Bulgarian locations such as Pirin, the Smolyan Lakes, and the Tsonevo Dam, as well as shots from Kenya and South India.
The photographs show both the beauty of nature and the heavy traces of human activity – grounds overflowing with waste, dried-up dams, affected communities, and vulnerable ecosystems. The images do not just document, but provoke reflection on personal responsibility and the need for a change in our behavior.
Before arriving in Burgas, the exhibition was hosted at the University of National and World Economy, in the center of Blagoevgrad, at the Youth Center in Haskovo, and in the center of Gabrovo. After Burgas, the national tour continues in Varna, Lovech, Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, and Sofia, with the initiative continuing to attract the attention of both photography enthusiasts and people seeking a more active public dialogue on sustainable development.
Summary of the photographs in the National Exhibition "Repair the Earth"
The national exhibition "Repair the Earth" presents a carefully curated selection of photographs dedicated to the connection between man and nature and the most acute environmental challenges of our time. The authors explore the consequences of overconsumption, industrial development, climate change, and human irresponsibility, posing the question of what responsibility we bear for the future of the planet.
"Mother Earth": the boundary between comfort and destruction
The exhibition includes two conceptual photographs by "Ivelina Berova", winner of the first prize in the competition of "HUMANA People to People Bulgaria". They are part of the "Mother Earth" series and show the fragile balance between the comforts of modern life and the price nature pays – pollution, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.
Her images visualize the invisible threads between our daily habits and global processes – reminding us that "comfort" is often associated with invisible environmental costs.
Kenya: "The Beauties and the Trash" and "Waterlessness in the Land of Water"
The topic of pollution finds a strong visual expression in the photography of "Dimitar Kostov" (56, Sofia) – "The Beauties and the Trash", shot in Kenya. In the frame, beautiful ibises are perched on a pile of waste – a vivid contrast between the natural grace of the birds and the chaos of human waste.
His second photograph – "Waterlessness in the Land of Water" – shows the dried-up "Studena" dam and the consequences of the irresponsible use of water resources. The shot highlights the paradox of water scarcity in a region that usually relies on reservoirs, and asks the question of where carelessness regarding natural limits can lead us.
Tsonevo Dam and the "Contradiction" cycle: visual metaphors for drought
Water scarcity is also a central theme in the photography of "Yoana Marinova" (32, Sladka Voda village) – "Blooming". The photo was taken at the bottom of the "Tsonevo" dam, where a human figure intertwines with a dried-up tree – a powerful metaphor for the fragile balance between man and nature and how dependent we are on water.
The topic of drought is also developed in the photo cycle "Contradiction" by "Slavyan Kostov" (51, Haskovo), dedicated to drying terrains and their reflection on nature and livelihoods. The series shows how the lack of water changes entire landscapes and calls into question the sustainability of traditional agricultural and livestock practices.
"Anthropocene" and "Second Skin": man as a product and imprint
The human imprint on the earth is explored in the project "Anthropocene" by "Vanyo Dimitrov" (39, Sofia) – a conceptual-documentary series about man as a dominant force transforming the planet. Through compositions and details, the author shows how infrastructure, industry, and consumption leave lasting marks on the landscape.
His second photograph again explores the topic of the human imprint on nature and is summarized in the message: "Man as a product of his own time - packaged and with a market price." This line continues in the photograph "Second Skin" by "Svilena Kostadinova" (30, Veliko Tarnovo), in which plastic becomes a symbol of the era – an artificial "skin" that covers our daily lives and often displaces the natural.
Pirin and the "snowdrift" under Kutelo: a quiet chronicle of climate change
The topic of climate change is presented by "Atanas Kuzmanov" (23, Burgas). His photograph shows a small "snowdrift" under the precipices of "Kutelo" peak in Pirin – one of the last stable snow patches remaining as a testimony to past glacial forms.
The snow patch shrinks with every passing year and becomes a quiet reminder of the fragility of mountain ecosystems and the visible traces of climate warming. The shot does not use dramatic effects, but its power is in the documentary look at the change.
The submerged church in Zhrebchevo and the "conversation" between ruins and roots
The consequences of human intervention in the landscape are also shown in the photography of "Atanas Atanasov" (45, Varna) – a shot of the submerged church in the "Zhrebchevo" dam. The photo symbolizes the disappearance of entire settlements, cultural memory, and spiritual spaces, erased in the name of infrastructure projects.
The youngest author in the selection – "Maria Nedkova" (16, Sofia) – participates with the photograph "Conversation between ruins and roots". In the frame, nature is gradually "reclaiming" an abandoned human space – leaves and vegetation are taking over the threshold of a destroyed building, creating a visual narrative about the cycle, resilience, and nature's ability to restore life even on concrete.
Fires, volunteers, and the Smolyan Lakes
"Samuil Mladenov" (22, Sofia) shows the direct consequences of human negligence – burning stubble and a firefighter fighting a fire caused by a discarded cigarette butt. The photograph is a visual commentary on the fragile boundary between an "ordinary gesture" and a major disaster.
The young photographer also participates with a shot capturing volunteers cleaning the "Smolyan Lakes" – a positive counterpoint to destruction. The photo shows that besides negligence and irresponsibility, there are also communities willing to devote time and effort to restore disturbed ecosystems.
South India, biodiversity, and rescued animals
The influence of climate change on people is shown in "The Fisherman's Village" by "Kristina Angelova" (35, Dolnoslav village) – a story about a fishing village in South India affected by the death of fish. The photograph draws attention to the local communities' dependence on the health of marine ecosystems.
Biodiversity and animal care are present in the exhibition through "Spirit of the Forest" by "Rosen Penev" (33, Shumen) and "Salvation amidst heartlessness" by "Miroslava Dacheva" (29, Pleven) – a story about a rescued fawn after a road accident. These shots show both the vulnerability of wild animals and human empathy, which can change the outcome.
Children, "packaged" nature, and hope in the wheat
The exposition also includes highly personal messages. In "The Air of Guilt" by "Georgi Georgiev" (46, Gorna Oryahovitsa), children live in a world where nature is literally "packaged" – a symbolic image of the artificial environment in which the new generations grow up.
The photograph by "Mariela Bozhinova" (27, Sofia) brings a touch of hope through the symbolism of wheat and raising children to care for the earth and traditions. Grain, the earth, and children's hands become an image of the possible future if we realize our responsibility to the planet in time.