About
Ralitsa Trendafilova
I am a Bulgarian visual artist currently based in Rotterdam.

Driven by curiosity and an explorer's mindset, I work across a variety of mediums, both two-dimensional and sculptural. My practice transforms my inner monologue into visual forms.
Currently, I am particularly drawn to creating shapely objects and creatures that interweave the familiar with the imaginary, evoking curiosity and seeking

My work shifts in colour, technique, and material, reflecting an intuitive approach to making. With a deep appreciation for analogue making, I draw, paint, print, sculpt, and explore whatever materials spark my curiosity. Experimentation and intutive expression make up the heart of my practice, allowing each piece to evolve on its own terms.

Making has been central to my creative expression since childhood. Drawing and constructing objects have long helped me process complex and confusing emotions. Today, creating is both a personal form of expression and a way of connecting with others. I aim to create works that invite open interpretation and personal connection, while sharing my own thoughts, questions, and sense of wonder through a shapely and textured visual language.



Objects
Creatures


In a dream 2026
ink on  paper

In a dream is an expression of gender-related confusion. Exploring the body as an imaginative playground of expression and frustration.






Flux 2025

acrylic paint on wood







(eye) zine
linocut print with watercolour ink on paper

A poem zine illustrating feeling inadequate in your body and in your day-to day life. 



Hare 2024
linocut and wood print with oil based ink on paper

A project done in collaboration with Joost Halbertsma in his printmaking studio in Rotterdam. 



H

Where Fear Rests. 2026
leather, zink, wool, hemp, ink


Where Fear Rests. explores folk mythology as a means of externalising anxiety, drawing on Bulgarian folkloric beliefs that bestow ordinary objects with the power to protect against unseen harm.

Bulgarian folklore has continually evolved alongside the nation’s history, carrying cultural memory across generations while adapting to numerous challenging circumstances. Its enduring capacity for resilience mirrors the experience of living with chronic anxiety, where adaptation becomes both a necessity and a form of survival.

The work takes the form of a symbolic talisman that visualises personal experiences of anxiety through protective motifs found in folk mythology. By reimagining these symbols, it transforms suppressed unease into gestures of protection and comfort.






Coral rief jewellery display 2025
foam, clay, acrylic paint, varnish

This sculptural jewellery display is a piece made for Iris van der Weijde, founder of Studio IRIS. 

Visually inspired by her Coral collection and her strong visual identity, this piece was created for both decorative and functional purpouses. To spark converstaion and curiousity, as well as to (re)present her collection at any social event Studio IRIS takes part in.




Mediator 2026
paper

Mediator is a physical illustration of the Bulgarian mythology around the Zmei. As a complex, fiery being and a vital mediator between heaven, the underworld, and the earth. He serves as a guardian of crops, a fierce opponent to destructive storm-spirits, and frequently acts as a liminal force intimately connected to the sun. 

This piece takes elements of the various physical descriptions of the being. Focusimg on the most common depiction of a snake body (or tail) and strong 
eagle-like wings.




Props for the short film HUH?!? 2023
cardboard, gouache, varnish

This set of props was made for an experimental short video, exploring harmful attempts of coping with simultaneous grief and confusion. 









2026 |  Ralitsa Trendafilova |  All rights reserved
2026 |  Ralitsa Trendafilova |  All rights reserved