The Film "To Fly with Flippers", Dedicated to the Artist Alzek Misheff, will be Presented at the "Academy" Gallery
On the occasion of the holidays of November 1 - Day of the People's Awakeners, and November 3 - the patron saint of the National Academy of Arts and the Day of St. Pimen Zografski, the National Academy of Arts, with the assistance of the State Institute for Culture at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presents the documentary film "To Fly with Flippers" by director Maria Averina, dedicated to the life and creative path of the artist Alzek Misheff, Doctor Honoris Causa of the National Academy of Arts.
The screening will take place on November 11, 2025 (Tuesday), at 3:00 p.m. at the "Academy" gallery of the National Academy of Arts, and will also be broadcast to the students of the Academy in the Burgas Branch. Afterwards, those present will have the opportunity to hold a discussion with the participation of Misheff himself.
The film follows Misheff's path - from his early years and his studies in painting at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts "Nikolai Pavlovich", through his emigration to Italy in 1971 and his subsequent establishment as one of the brightest names in the European avant-garde, to his return to Bulgaria after decades of absence from his homeland.
Alzek Misheff is a Bulgarian and Italian artist, born on October 8, 1940 in the town of Dupnitsa. In 1967, he graduated in painting from the Higher Institute of Fine Arts "Nikolai Pavlovich", today the National Academy of Arts. In 1971, he emigrated to Italy, settling in Milan. In the 1970s, he established himself as a leading figure of the European avant-garde, and in 1976, the critic Achille Bonito Oliva included him among the thirty most significant European artists. During this period, Mishev became known for his performances such as the installation of swimming pools in galleries and theaters (such as the performance "The Pool" from 1977), the actions "How to Fly with Flippers" (presented on April 20, 1977) and "The Mole" (1978), as well as the large-scale installation "Music from the Sky" (Milan, USA, 1979). Key projects of Mishev are "Swimming the Atlantic Ocean" on board the liner "Queen Elizabeth II" (1982) and the large-scale action "500 Young Faces" (500 giovani volti), realized in the period 1-15 November 1984 simultaneously in five Italian cities: Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna and Florence. He participated in significant international exhibitions such as the Quadrianale in Rome (1977). Later, he actively experimented with music and technology, using the infrared baton "Lightning II" and presenting multimedia performances at the Venice Biennale (2000, 2007) and at the Pavilion for Contemporary Art (PAC) in Milan (2005). At the same time, he increasingly focused on large-scale painting, creating works such as "Orchestra II" (2013) for the municipal council hall in Acqui Terme, as well as the series "Polish Concerts" (2015).
After 50 years of absence, Altsek Mishev returns to Bulgaria with two exhibitions – “The Swimmer’s Newest Small Paintings” at Swimming pool (2019) and the large retrospective exhibition “Acqui-Milan-Sofia” at the National Gallery in 2021.
In 2023, the documentary film about Alzek Misheff “To Fly with Flippers” by director Maria Averina won the award for best Bulgarian documentary at the Master of Art Film Festival. The award was provided by the State Institute for Culture. The Italian premiere of the film took place on November 7, 2024 in Milan at the prestigious Anteo Palazzo del Cinema, organized by the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Milan. The film was presented in a number of cities in the country and abroad.
Alzek Misheff is the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including the "Golden Century" award of the Ministry of Culture for his remarkable international career (2024), an honorary diploma from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ivan Kondov, for lifetime achievement and outstanding contribution to the promotion of Bulgarian culture in Italy (2024), at the initiative of the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Milan, awarded on September 26, 2024 at the Prefecture of Milan, during the solemn celebration of the 145th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Italy, the Annual "Revived Heritage" award for lifetime achievement of the Institute for the Study of Arts at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2024), etc. In 2018, he was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of the City of Dupnitsa". In 2023, Misheff became an honorary citizen of the Italian city of Acqui Terme, where he has lived for the past three decades.
In 2024, the Academic Council of the National Academy of Arts decided to award Misheff the honorary title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" for his significant contribution to the development of contemporary visual art. The ceremony took place on May 11, 2025, the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, in the meeting hall of the Municipal Council of the city of Acqui Terme, home of Maestro Misheff for the last thirty years.
TO FLY WITH FINS
Bulgaria | 2023 | 81‘
Screenplay: Mariana Svetoslavova, Maria Averina
Director: Maria Averina
Cinematographer: Georgi Bogdanov, Boris Misirkov
Composer: Petar Dundak