Burgas could add a statue of a muse next to its monument to the poet Hristo Fotev in the Sea Garden. The new work would be called "The Poet and His Muse". Mayor Dimitar Nikolov proposes the idea in a report to the city council.
The estimated cost is €106,712.40 with VAT. Donations will pay for building and installing it.
The idea comes from Burgas's community of writers and an initiative committee. Besides the muse, the plan includes a place to sit, lighting and a QR code. The code will link to texts, audio, video and photos about Fotev's life and work. The aim is to make the spot a centre that tells the story of the poet's legacy. Sculptor Nikola Stanchev is named as the contractor.
Without 20% VAT, the cost is €88,927. The biggest item is making the sculpture itself, at €41,300. That sum covers three blocks of marble, the foundation, engineering work, installation and repair of the pedestal of the Fotev statue. The cost table attached to the report also includes the art design, while the QR code is a separate cost.
The inspiration is a memory of the people behind the idea. After the monument opened in 2007, women would gather in front of it early in the morning. They sat on the kerb and paid tribute to the poet. Since the path was repaired, the kerb is no longer comfortable to sit on, and the scene is gone. The muse is meant to keep something of the image of those unknown admirers.
In the report, the mayor also notes the objections to the plan. Some people question the artistic quality of the current monument, and others find the proposal unusual. He says the new piece will not lessen the value of the existing work but will add to its impact. Nikolov believes the ensemble will build on the monument and add new artistic and philosophical meaning to the link between the poet, love and the muse.
The mayor writes that Burgas wants to strengthen its image as a city of poetry, love and art. The proposal continues events through which the city tells the story of Fotev's work. The poet lived from 1934 to 2002, and in 2024 people in Burgas marked 90 years since his birth.
Councillors will discuss the report. Their next regular meeting is on 27 October.