Claudia Di Francesco visited us for the first time in June 2025 in preparation for her solo exhibition at Art Gallery – Kazanlak. During her short residency, the artist rose early on Enyovden to gather herbs and flowers in local fields, which were then wound by the women from the Zhar cultural centre into an impressive arch in the courtyard of Dechko Uzunov House Museum. Passing through this potent portal was a form of initiation rite – an initiation into the folklore and rituals of Bulgaria. Claudia later joined a traditional dance—a horo—in the village of Enina as the sun went down, casting long shadows of the swirling forms across the grass.
Claudia’s work explores the sometimes uneasy tension between folklore and feminism, ritual and routine, light and dark, the animal and the plant. It is ethereal and intimate without being saccharine, paying homage to the centuries of tradition, myth and mysticism in our shared lands, whilst never being afraid to challenge what the rituals born in and of them represent. Her work seeks, above all, connection between the sacred and the profane, between ancient and modern, and between sister countries, each with their own tradition of healing, celebration and sacred symbols. Indeed, the 24th of June is, too, celebrated in Italy as the feast of San Giovanni; John the Baptist.
Information and inspiration gathering is key to Claudia Di Francesco’s approach. Her sketchbook is methodical and complete; her instinct to observe unflagging. Her camera is never far from her reach, and she religiously documents with both lens and pencil as she takes in all there is to see, compiling a vivid visual and sensory archive of sketches, images, impressions and texts, all of which become the foundation—as an affective mapping and stratification of experiences—upon which the paintings and sculpture are built.
Claudia shares:
‘At the moment, I feel that I could not be an artist without both painting and sculpture. They are two languages that accompany one another and touch different yet complementary parts of my inner world. I believe I am aware of this, and perhaps that awareness comes simply from believing in them deeply.
There is a form of love in both, and like any love, it requires dedication and trust, even during difficult moments which inevitably exist. There are days when the work seems not to answer back, but I think it is important to continue listening, to be patient, and eventually to find that dialogue again. Painting and sculpture allow me to connect with different aspects of feeling, and this duality is something I cherish and embrace.’
Deeply rooted in ritual, Claudia Di Francesco’s work has an animistic presence which brings to mind the Surrealist Leonora Carrington and her “inner bestiary”. The sculpture is organic, dynamic. Eyes regard us from a meadow. An angelic form sweeps in on the wind to watch over us, or watch us. Even the paper seems alive.
‘When I paint, I feel that there is no clear separation between the human, the animal and the spiritual. Everything is interconnected and constantly transforming. Renaissance, medieval, or Flemish figures may become spirits of gardens, stars may turn into the breath of angels, while dreams, fire, flowers and constellations merge into a single dance.’
She continues:
‘For me, ritual is a form of attention and listening. It is a gesture that belongs to something older than ourselves, yet continues to accompany us. It is a dance of invocation and gratitude, a way of creating a space in which something may arrive. A gesture of hope, nourished by memories, stories, energies, and desires that precede us and somehow continue to live through us.’
Ritual opens at Dechko Uzunov House Museum, Kazanlak, Bulgaria on 2 July 2026, 18:00. This is Claudia Di Francesco’s first solo exhibition.
You can read more from my conversation with Claudia at https://www.artgallerykazanlak.com/en/interview-claudia-di-francesco/
– Joanna Bradshaw
Claudia Di Francesco was born in 1992 in Rome, and lives in Florence. She is a graduate of Florence’s Academy of Fine Arts. Currently a professor at The Florence Institute of Design International (FIDI), Di Francesco has an established presence as a curator and designer, alongside her career as an artist and sculptor.
In 2026, a dynamic set of group shows sees Claudia Di Francesco’s work featured in Alcove – Dialogues on Sculpture, second edition, organised by the Museum of the City and Territory of Cori and StudioSpecus, Cori, Italy; Vestalia, Di Francesco – Sarfatti – Scarpa, Umanogallery, Pietrasanta, Italy; Dreams Make Stars Weep, Studio Veive, Paris, France.
With thanks to Zhar 2002 National Community Centrе (НЧ „Жар 2002“) for their cooperation on the Enyovden ritual in collaboration with Art Gallery – Kazanlak
This project was made possible thanks to funding under the project Applied, Fine, Contemporary — a cycle of three exhibitions, contract with the Ministry of Culture: РД 11-06-29/01.04.2026
General media partner: Bulgarian National Radio.