They did not show up for an interview even though we had an appointment. One could not make it on time and the other did not want to give any interviews without his colleague and friend. At first I was disappointed but then I realized that there must be a strong connection between the two.

Artists Milko Bozhkov and Stoyan Tsanev have made an interesting experiment. For two months, they escaped from the hectic pace of city life and lived in complete isolation in Gradina, a quiet village near Veliko Turnovo in Stara Planina. It was there that they created the nine works united under the simple title "Water colour" and currently on view at Sofia's Irida Gallery. While preparing their unique joint project, the artists followed two main principles - they worked simultaneously on the same canvas or one started a painting and the other finished it. The experiment has obviously been successful because the viewer gets the impression that they were made by one person.

"The two artists have achieved an exceptional harmony between themselves," said Daniela Kostova, director of Irida Gallery.

It is really very difficult to differentiate between each artist's individual style because they both employ some of the same techniques and approaches.

The nine abstract paintings are a mixture of floral motives, geometrical figures and motives from the Chinese and Japanese techniques of painting. An element that is present in each canvas is a long winding line in all the colours of the spectrum. Several of the paintings are made of several canvases joined together and flooded with bright colours.

Each of them has the signature of both artists. "They said that the proportion of their contribution to each was equal," explained Kostova. None of the works has been given a title. "Perhaps the artists avoided giving names to their works in order to give more freedom to the viewer," said Kostova. All the paintings have been named MC (the initials of the two artists) followed by a number.

Both artists are prominent in Bulgaria's art world and work with graphics and water colours. Forty-eight-year-old Milko Bozhkov is a graduate of the Fine Arts High School in Sofia and the National Academy of Art. His works have been exhibited in most European countries and Japan. He lives and works in Varna.

Stoyan Tsanev was born in Bourgas 55 years ago and graduated from the Academy of Arts in Warsaw, Poland in 1973 with a prize from the Polish Minister of Culture. His works have received numerous national and international prizes and are owned by galleries and private connoisseurs all over Europe, the U.S. and Egypt. In 1996 prominent Bulgarian painter Svilen Russev called Tsanev "the solitary European in the life and development of Bulgarian plastic culture."

According to Kostova, this is the first and the last time that Bozhkov and Tsanev will work on a joint project. "This has been an experiment for them and they are very satisfied with the results. Its uniqueness makes it valuable so they do not want to repeat it."

Their work will be exhibited in the Irida Gallery, at 27 General Gurko St. until September 17.