Open Art Files | 2018

Open Art Files - Web Platform for promotion of Bulgarian Contemporary Art

url:

https://openartfiles.bg/en

The Project

The website openartfiles.bg is a part of the project "Open Art Files: Topics, People, Spaces and Documents in the Bulgarian Contemporary Art", which aims to promote the Bulgarian contemporary art locally and abroad. The project is also part of the official program of "Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture 2019".
The main purpose of this web platform is to solve a big problem in the local art scene - the lack of centralized database and archive. In the project are presented the people (artists, curators, gallerists, critics and so on), spaces (galleries, medias, organizations) and documents (images, catalogs, multimedia files). It is all put together by a list of specialized articles. All the content is about to be updated permanently. The idea is to be created more and more rich image of the processes, problems, artists and events in the Bulgarian contemporary art.

The solution

The studio had to answer a lot of challenges with this project. Initially we focused on the content management. We aimed to be as flexible as possible, so we tried to keep the structure flat. There was a requirement for the website to be provided with a limited user management - authors to be invited and to be able to upload resources, which later could be used by the administrators in the content. This also would solve the problem with the permission delegation for all the resources. The search in the website allows the users to access structured results.
Regarding the front-end and the website design, there were also a lot of challenges. We had to find a solution that is from one side clear and "disciplining", but from other side to give personal touch to each profile. We also developed a flexible adaptive grid which makes the interface match each device.

The result

At the end we have a modern product the combines artistic and scientific functions. The Bulgarian contemporary art now has its online scene, which will grow and expand on regular basis. This online source will serve well artists and managers and also art historians and theoreticians. It would work as commercial presentation and educational source as well.
The website was acclaimed by the art professionals event before its launch. The permanent interest by the people involved in the art environment could assure the success of this project.