FIG.

As FIG. 6 draws near, we’re pleased to unveil this year’s participants! 💥 Together, they dive into how graphics are reshaping our perception of truth, sharing perspectives on the politics of seeing, believing, and imagining. Their works offer a dynamic visual articulation of how realities are constructed, mediated, and contested today - framing this year’s edition through the theme: FABRICATED REALITIES: GRAPHICS AT THE EDGE OF BELIEF FIG. 6 brings together over 20 participants across 8 venues in Sofia: Alán Carrasco, Cem A., Center for Peripheries, Edward Gorey, Eugenio Merino, Georgi Ruzhev, Gjorgji Despodov, Jasmina Cibic, Jody Korbach, Kosta Tonev, Kübra Ural, Mitch Brezounek, Pavlos Ioannidis, Pravdoliub Ivanov, Radostin Sedevchev, Rebeka Brunke, Riccardo Giacconi, Sophia Grancharova, Vesselin Sariev, Vikenti Komitski, Yana Abrasheva. …and that’s just the tip —> our full program is dropping soon (TBA) 🙌 FIG.6 Festival for Illustration & Graphics 5–14 June 2026 With the support of @minculturebg Part of the Cultural Calendar of @sofia.municipality #fig #participants #announcment #festival #illustration

In a landscape shaped by social media, political propaganda, and AI-generated visuals, graphic languages have become sites where belief is produced, circulated, and contested. But what if images don’t reflect reality – but actively construct it? This year, we dive into the theme: FABRICATED REALITIES: GRAPHICS AT THE EDGE OF BELIEF Curated by Ameli M. Klein @ilemanielk FIG. 6 asks: – How does an image gain the authority of truth? – When does fiction become political? – What happens when graphic expression begins to shape reality itself? Across the programme, artists and designers explore how credibility is constructed, and how it can be disrupted. From bureaucratic aesthetics to algorithmic visuals, from speculative systems to graphic storytelling, FABRICATED REALITIES examines the politics of seeing, believing, and imagining. Stay tuned for the launch of our full program, anytime soon. FIG. 6 Festival for Illustration & Graphics 5 – 14 June 2026 With the support of the Ministry of Culture @minculturebg Part of the Cultural Calendar of @sofia.municipality Visual identity: @rawlab.xyz #graphic #illustration #fig #festival

We are happy to introduce Ameli M. Klein as the curator of FIG. 6, framing this year’s edition through the theme FABRICATED REALITIES: GRAPHICS AT THE EDGE OF BELIEF – examining how images construct truth in an age of algorithmic mediation and visual manipulation. Positioned at the intersection of design, technology, and critical inquiry, it addresses the growing instability of what we perceive as real. As Director of @kunstvereinludwigshafen , Ameli M. Klein examines how cultural narratives are made and maintained. She is a curator, writer, and researcher whose work investigates the politics and poetics of truth, unpacking how cultural, social, and aesthetic realities are produced, circulated, and preserved. Her work traces the persistence and transformation of visual forms through a hauntological lens, revealing hidden genealogies of belief and power. Klein has been a visiting lecturer at the IZK Institute for Contemporary Art at TU Graz and the Roaming Academy of the Dutch Art Institute, and will be a Visiting Fellow at Bard Graduate Center in 2027. From exhibitions to critical texts, her work maps how narratives, memory, and ideology live inside images, spaces, and systems. We welcome Ameli @ilemanielk to take the reins for this year’s edition and look forward to seeing how her theme develops. FIG.6 Festival for Illustration & Graphics 5 – 14 June 2026 ✶ see you there ✶ FIG. 6 is realised with the support of the Ministry of Culture @minculturebg and is part of the Cultural Events Calendar of @sofia.municipality 📸 by @lys_y_seng #fig #festival #illustration #graphic #fig.6

𓇢𓆸 Discover FIG. 6 in the May issue of @vij.magazine , ahead of the full program release. Докато чакате цялата ни програма, вижте повече за ФИГ. 6 в майското издание на ВИЖ! 𓇢𓆸 #fig #vol6 #graphics #illustration #festival

Join us tomorrow for the launch of Peek-A-Boo, a zine by @xxian.q 📍 @puntagallery 🕒 3:00–7:00 PM Limited-edition zines available. See you there!

We are pleased to invite you to the launch of Peek-A-Boo, a zine by @xxian.q , selected through our open call in August. @puntagallery Saturday, 3:00–7:00 PM During the event, you will have the opportunity to view and purchase the limited-edition zine. Printed by: Slopi Kopi 4-colour riso print A4, 24 pages Peek-A-Boo explores how cuteness functions both as an emotional mode of communication and as a tool for critical reflection. Inspired by the everyday use of emojis, Xian Xian’s drawings combine low-resolution digital sketches, collage, and monoprint. The work invites us to perceive our surroundings differently, using cuteness as a way to sense, connect, and respond to the world. Drawing on both kawaii culture and contemporary affect theory, Xian Xian provides a deeper context for her imagery, with each page revealing how emotional tone can shape our spatial experience. Peek-A-Boo continues her ongoing visual and conceptual exploration of cuteness. The zine was produced as part of FIG.’s annual initiative to support young artists and is supported by the @nationalculturefund . FIG. is part of the Calendar of Significant Events of Sofia Municipality.

Open Call for Curator – FIG.6 FIG. – Festival for Illustration and Graphics is looking for a curator for its sixth edition in Sofia, opening in June 2026. The curator will develop the festival’s theme and framework and curate the main group exhibition. Founded in 2021, FIG. – Festival for Illustration and Graphics moves beyond traditional understandings of graphic arts and illustration, exploring their potential to engage critically with the world and to exist within the wider context of contemporary art. FIG reimagines these practices not as fixed forms or techniques, but as evolving languages capable of questioning, reflecting, and shaping current realities. It serves as a space for experimentation where illustration, design, and graphic expression intersect with artistic, social, and theoretical discourses—rethinking their place and relevance in our present moment. The curator will work closely with the FIG. team (and an assistant curator), conduct a research trip in Bulgaria, and oversee both new commissions and existing works. Support includes an honorarium, travel, accommodation, and production and artist fee budgets. Application Requirements: • CV • Portfolio (of related projects, up to 10 pages) • Outline of curatorial concept (max. 2 pages) Send your application to [email protected] with subject line: FIG.6 Curator Application – [Your Name] Deadline: December 10 🔗 Full details in bio FIG. is a project by @ko_op_sofia Type used: Kaeru Kaeru by Isabel Motz. Distributed by velvetyne.fr.

See you in 2026! FIG. 6 June 5 – June 14 📹 @antonianikova @vysduh

We always wanted to make a cap as our merch and this year we did it! The FIG. 5 baseball cap is made of heavy cotton and comes in washed dark gray and yellow. You can now purchase it online via @thekopy.shop - link in bio 📷 @mihail_novakov

We are thrilled to announce XianXian Qian @xxian.q as the selected artist from our zine open! In her publication Peek-A-Boo, she explores how cuteness functions both as an emotional form of communication and a tool for critical reflection. Inspired by daily emoji usage, her drawings combine low-res digital sketches, collage, and mono print. The work invites us to see our surroundings differently, using cuteness as a way to sense, connect, and respond to the world. Drawing on both kawaii culture and contemporary affect theory, XianXian offers a deeper context for her imagery, each page revealing how emotional tone can shape our spatial experience. Peek-A-Boo continues her visual and conceptual explorations into the theme of cuteness. The jury comprising FIG. 5s curators were drawn to Peek-A-Boo for its playful yet incisive approach to visual storytelling. XianXian’s ability to weave together personal expression, cultural references, and critical inquiry through the lens of cuteness offers a refreshing and thought-provoking perspective. The work’s diversity in terms of the forms and techniques used, and the conceptual depth embody the spirit of experimentation and reflection that the festival seeks to champion. Congratulations!

Throwback to the busiest and maybe our favourite part of FIG. — the workshops. This year we got into all the ways we work together – as artists, designers, researchers, illustrators. From graphic design & branding to textile design, creative coding, and experimental publishing – we explored it all, led by amazing collectives @hackersanddesigners @rawlab.xyz @paulvoggenreiter @zahari____ @radek_gorniak @aleksi_varna Stay tuned – 2026 dates coming soon 👀✨ 📹 @antonianikova @vysduh

It has been over a month since FIG. 5 wrapped up and we are already feeling nostalgic. Here’s a cute recap of the exhibitions that opened during the festival – featuring works by: @paul_riedmueller @janniszell @lisa_errtel @lorcentric and many more. Head over to our website for the full list of participants. Big thanks to all the artists, spaces, partners, and everyone who came through and made it special. @ko_op_sofia @puntagallery @charta.art.gallery Stay tuned for FIG. 6 dates dropping soon 👀 📹 @antonianikova @vysduh