Katina Peeva

E. T. A. Hoffmann’s The Stranger Child was a key book of the Romantic era. Almost two centuries later, this is its first edition in Bulgaria. This temporal distance is clearly felt in Katina Peeva’s illustrations, which were created with digital technology. But at the same time, they are grounded in layers of tradition in fine art, using techniques from easel painting and applied arts. This makes them eclectic in a very special way. The compositions are reminiscent of stage sets in a baroque theatre, where the sets are “ordered” one behind the next, and the lighting is always from an unclear source. This enhances the feeling of a stage, but the setting is completely imbued with the philosophy and symbolism of Romanticism. Katina Peeva’s imagination and concentration are unbelievable! The book is overgrown with plants and populated with birds, wild animals, and fantasy creatures that look you straight in the eye. Evil characters are satirically hyperbolized, while good ones are idealized in complex and multi-layered images. The two contrasting worlds – those of good and evil – are in deadly conflict. But what is evil? The opposite of freedom.