Gergana Lazarova-Runkel isn’t one for simple categories.

Gergana Lazarova-Runkel isn’t one for simple categories. In her atelier at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center, she is reshaping her role as an artist, blurring the line between stage and textile art, with a mix of ambition and grounded humility. Originally trained as a scenographer, Gergana has developed her craft around the visual and emotional impact of live storytelling. With a Bachelor’s in Scenography and a Master’s in Digital Arts, her work has crossed over from traditional theater into digital projection, staging productions like Arabian Night at Sfumato Theater Workshop and Under the Yoke – 1894 at Gabrovo Drama Theater. Yet in her stay at the Center, she’s finding herself pulled toward something closer to home – literally and figuratively: textile art.

Drawn to tufting, Gergana describes the process of working with fabric as “grounding,” a way to reconnect with the physicality of her craft and the history embedded in the walls of the former textile school. She speaks about this new direction as if it’s both a rebellion against, and a continuation of, her theatrical roots. “Working with textile offers a calm presence,” she says. The result is something intimate and tactile, a deliberate shift away from the monumental visuals of her scenographic work.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s influence is here in spirit, if not in form. Gergana admires their fearless approach, their way of transforming the public space with such bold gestures. “What they accomplished was incredibly brave,” she says, a sentiment she holds close even as her own work stays more introspective. Yet, the weight of self-doubt lingers. “I’m still caught up in how my work will be seen,” she admits, a vulnerable edge that keeps her tied to the present and its messiness, rather than soaring to monumental heights.

Life at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center has been a journey of discovery, offering both freedom and moments of introspection. While the community is vibrant in bursts, the shared direction among artists feels like an evolving work in progress. “There’s room to grow here,” Gergana reflects, her words carrying a tone of optimism rather than critique. For her, genuine collaboration feels tantalizingly close, and the potential is undeniable. Despite the challenges, she believes the Center provides a unique and supportive environment for artists to explore and thrive.

Gergana Lazarova-Runkel’s work isn’t about polish or presentation. It’s about discovery, about rooting through the layers of fabric and memory, and piecing together something that feels honest and raw. Her art asks questions instead of delivering easy answers. Blending her theater experience with this newfound textile practice, Gergana is crafting something both beautiful and uneasy, the kind of art that’s grounded not only in skill but in the willingness to show what lies beneath. It’s a reflection of an artist finding her way, step by vulnerable step, in a world where honesty often takes a back seat to spectacle.

⚡️Find Gergana’s work on: https://www.behance.net/gingergery