Bulgaria has been famous for its rose fields, rose oil and rose oil products, yoghurt, red peppers, sea, and ski resorts… the list can go on and on. Let me tell you about
Shumensko Spetsialno (Special)
Beer type: Pilsner
ABV: 5.2%
Brand Origin:
Shumensko Brewery Bulgaria, Shumen city
Shumensko brewery was founded in 1882 in my hometown Shumen, and it is the longest on-going Bulgarian brewery. The event occurred only 4 years after the end of the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78) which was a particularly crucial step for Bulgaria towards declaring its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. These are a few of the facts that never fail to agitate me. No matter I moved out of Shumen at the age of 7 and lived in Varna up until I was 19 before I moved to the UK, I will keep returning to Shumen as my heart and soul will be forever there.
Shumensko Special was brewed for the first time in 1966, which is a time I want to find more about. Having its relaunch in 2016 as a 50-year anniversary celebration, I assume, just 5 years ago has been met very well by the consumer. For a long time, I thought they had stopped producing and bottling the product at the original brewery in Shumen, which I was sad about until ‘The Bomb (-ichka)’ (so named special edition of Shumensko) came back.
The first time the idea of working with the bottles came across my mind was after receiving a crate of Shumensko Special from my father. It was sent to me and my boyfriend (whom my father has not met yet). After we had enjoyed the drink, I felt very precious about the empty bottles left, but I was not sure how I would approach the idea at the time. I started by keeping some of the caps and dreaming about taking bottles up to my studio and being bold enough to work with them one day.
We have received several more beer care packages since then and my sensation has only been growing on me. After completing my studio project space residency and working with yarn and geometrical installations for a while I will like to shortly take my practice in a new direction. It is another way of thinking and understanding my work.
Here is one of Duchamp’s Bottle Rack 1914 as a bottle related example.
Despite the Shumensko beer empty bottles, the rack has a function as well as Comb 1916 or Hat Rack(Porte-chapeaux) 1913 which are all part of his ready-mades. It does not end here, though his works are divided into 3 sections I found not all ready-mates necessary have a practical function. Assisted ready-mades such as Bicycle Wheel 1913 designed by mounting the bike’s fork to a painted wooden stool came out to be pleasing and amusing to watch as the wheel spins. Kinetic sculpture is something my bottles are not but I feel a sort of pleasure and satisfaction looking at them, holding them in my hand. There is an interesting crossover between the retinal, the sculptural and the ready-made.
During the summer of 2021 at Royston Museum, I have handled 20th century local brewery, milk, medicine, and perfume bottles for a photoshoot meant to update the database. Based on this experience I claim the bottles of Shumensko Special as historical objects.
In December 2020 in my installation, I love you sentimental elements have been implied by placing yarn in handwriting style on the floor, shaping the words I love you in Bulgarian language. I see all kinds of reasoning behind that work. One is missing Bulgaria and my family, two my love for the language and tree is to link the two by sending a message without a recipient. I suspect this had a lot to do with the upcoming Christmas holidays.
I chose to work particularly with Shumensko’s Special edition now not only because of the attractive size, curvy shaped, brown colour of the bottle, label design in Bulgarian language or the cap. I am drawn to explore the symbolism within the bottle and not too much of its contents or relations to alcoholism.
This object has been imported directly to me from Shumen, Bulgaria instead of being bought from a UK European shop, mainly because it cannot be found. I see this as a preferable feature because it would not be the same for me if I purchased any Bulgarian product to work with from here. Would it still come from Bulgaria? Yes, but it would not be sent by my father especially to me. This is an essential element.
I have brought 3 bottles+ theirs caps at the studio to study them. All 3 physical elements- the bottle, label and cap are important for me to display, and the question is which is the best way to do so?
It is vey delicate but it could be seen where the cap has been bent when opened. Should it be on or off? No cap will suggest the drink has been consumed or it is in the process and the rim can be seen as well as the bottle’s insides. I usually throw away the cap as soon as I open a beer bottle, not like my boyfriend which makes me wonder if it is down to gender or more to personality. Although, cap on suggests value and divides the object from being a piece of waste as bottles are rarely thrown away with their caps on. Even at shops where you could purchase glass bottles at a reduced price with the condition the glass will be returned caps are not required.
The label is a piece of design not to be neglected. In red, white, black, and gold it is full of detailed symbols front and back. This leads to the necessity of a 360-bottle view. Frankly, the deeper analysis of the label is postponed as currently I am focusing on the bottle’s components as a collective.
It all started with the love for the bottle’s contents, beer and not only beer but a particularly good one. Led to the importance of Shumensko brewery’s fascinating history, put it in the context of historical events occurring at the time as well as my personal story line. This is a part of me that I am proud to celebrate.
Sticking to my Friday tradition here are some videos relating to this post. I find these ads very inspiring, because I like how they have tell a Shumensko’s story within seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ruvl3jWb4rI&t=30s
125 years Shumensko, first ever Bulgarian ad played at cinemas in 1940s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFb1nsg7yyA
130 years Shumensko ad, 2012 campaign
