In brief
British artist Lee Maelzer opened her exhibition "Hayden" at Sofia’s Cable Depot Gallery, where model Hayden Hughes appears against depopulated interiors. Curated by Iavor Lubomirov, the show explores themes of loneliness, social inequality and intimacy within abandoned spaces. The project is part of a larger Bulgarian Ministry of Culture initiative aimed at translating the periphery into the centre.
According to the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), British visual artist Lee Maelzer opened her recent solo show, "Hayden," on October 29 at the Cable Depot Gallery in Sofia, and the exhibition will remain on view through November 21. The unveiling marks a continuation of Maelzer’s longstanding engagement with urban abandonment and the quiet traces of human presence that she captures in painting, collage and experimental film.
BTA reports that the new show places a human figure at the centre of the canvas, centring on model Hayden Hughes whose presence is deliberately staged in deserted stairwells, ruined rooms and other relics of emptied urban interiors. Curator Iavor Lubomirov has shaped the programme so that Hughes acts as a link between the viewer, the artist, and the empty environments that have defined Maelzer’s earlier work. The result is a dialogue that interrogates the sensations of loneliness, social inequality and alienation that arise when people occupy spaces that are no longer filled with activity.
In a curatorial statement quoted by BTA, Lubomirov writes:
Just as she is able to paint human presence in an empty room, she is able here to paint her own presence for us through the figure of Mr. Hughes.
Lubomirov noted that he has been familiar with Maelzer’s work for years and that her exhibition was the first solo show he curated early in his career. The gallery commentary frames the title “Hayden” as a dedication to Hughes, signifying the artist’s attempt to transform the silent, abandoned spaces into sites where human intimacy can be re‑inscribed.
BTA outlines Maelzer’s background, citing her London origins and formal education at Central Saint Martins followed by a master’s degree in painting from the Royal College of Art. The British artist has exhibited widely, including a show at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and was selected as a recipient of the Abbey Fellowship at the British School at Rome in 2004. In addition to her studio practice, she teaches fine art at the University of East London, where she mentors emerging artists in both traditional media and contemporary experimental techniques.
According to the agency, "Hayden" is part of a broader project entitled "In the Process of Translation – The Periphery at the Center," which is funded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture under the 2025 Open Call for Visual Arts. The project is administered by the Bulgarian Literature Foundation, and the Ministry’s support is aimed at encouraging international artists to engage with Bulgarian cultural contexts. BTA records that the project not only raises the profile of contemporary international practice in Sofia but also seeks to translate peripheral artistic narratives into a central European discourse.
In conclusion, BTA’s report emphasizes that the exhibition will provide visitors with an intimate exploration of how deserted urban landscapes can be reframed through human presence. The long‑run of "Hayden" offers ample opportunity for audiences to witness Maelzer’s nuanced handling of colour, composition and narrative, potentially inviting further collaboration between Sofia’s art community and overseas practitioners.
