Your Name
Vera Hadzhiyska
“Your Name” is the second chapter of Vera Hadzhiyska’s long-term documentary project “With the Name of a Flower”. The project comprises several multi-media components produced from field research in Bulgaria between 2017 and 2022. The project examines the forced name changes imposed on the Bulgarian Muslim population - particularly Pomak and Turkish communities - during the "Revival Process" (1912–1989), a policy of systemic repression aimed at erasing Muslim identity in favour of a Slavic, nationalist ideal.
Rooted in historical context and personal heritage, “With the Name of a Flower” addresses the ongoing repercussions of this cultural trauma. The work reflects on how the imposition of new names and identities fractured generational memory, reshaped personal narratives, and redefined a community’s sense of belonging. Through photography, film, interviews, and archival material, the project seeks to unearth voices long silenced and bring to light suppressed histories.
“Your Name” documents people and places with quiet intimacy. The images were made during a trip to Bulgaria in September 2021 when Vera met with people from the Pomak and Turk communities. This work is part of an ongoing investigation into the sense of identity and belonging of Muslim people in Bulgaria and how the events of the past have affected their contemporary life and identity. Through her work Vera confronts the silence surrounding this chapter in Bulgarian history, offering space for reflection, dialogue, and healing.
Vera Hadzhiyska is a Bulgarian multidisciplinary artist, curator, and photography lecturer based in Portsmouth, England. Her practice explores themes of migration, cultural and national identity, history, and collective memory. Her work begins autobiographically, tracing family narratives and shared traumas. Through the use of photography, archival documents, audio and video installations Vera examines historical and political events in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe, their impact on people’s lives and identity.
As a curator, Vera has worked extensively with the Rethinking Eastern Collective, showcasing contemporary visual artists who challenge and redefine perceptions of ‘Eastern Europe.’ Over the past four years, she has also been active in promoting contemporary Korean art and photography in the UK.
Vera holds BA and MA degrees in Photography from the University of Portsmouth and has exhibited internationally across Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, France, Kosovo, the UK and South Korea. Her work has been recognised with numerous awards and grants, including the VID Foundation for Photography Award (2020), Danny Wilson Memorial Award (2022), Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice Grant (2021), Belfast Exposed Future Curators Award (2023), and British Korean Society Grants (2023 and 2024).