Bulgarian artist transforms abandoned church into symbol of hope in Chicago
While his works fly into space, he is restoring an abandoned church in the most dangerous neighborhood in Chicago.
Most people would avoid Englewood. It's the South Side Chicago neighborhood that's been in the news for years with shootings, murders, and poverty.
Bulgarian artist Plamen Yordanov does the exact opposite. Instead of opening a gallery in the prestigious city center, he invested years of his life to transform an abandoned church into a cultural center for the local community.
The paradox is striking – while a miniature sculpture of his is spending ten months on the International Space Station, he himself works daily in a neighborhood where he has been a victim of crime more than once.
However, he sees more than just abandoned buildings and hardships. He sees people. He sees community. And he sees an opportunity through art to bring hope back to a place too often defined solely by its problems.
Over 15 years ago, Plamen bought an old church in the heart of Englewood. His dream was for it to become an art center – a place where locals, children, and artists could meet, converse, and create together.
From Bulgaria to Chicago
The love for art began in Bulgaria. After studying at Veliko Tarnovo University and the National Academy of Arts, the young artist dreams of traveling and finding an environment where talent and hard work will be appreciated.
„I always wanted to travel and come to America. After graduating, I faced the reality in Bulgaria and decided there was no point in fighting against the established circles,“ says Plamen Yordanov.
America is becoming the new beginning he seeks. But here too he realizes that every society has its challenges. „When I came, I felt like I was in the same place. Circles exist here too,“ he admits.
Instead of choosing a prestigious studio in downtown Chicago, the artist made an unusual choice—he settled in Englewood.
To stay when everyone else leaves
For many, the decision seems incomprehensible. The neighborhood continues to struggle with crime, poverty, and a lack of investment. But it is precisely there that Plamen sees an opportunity for art to fulfill another role – not just to beautify the space, but to bring people together.
His dream is for the old church to become a cultural center for the neighborhood.
„Such projects exist – even in this neighborhood, a few kilometers from here. Our goal is for this place to be for the community,“ he explains.
The project envisions exhibition spaces, studios, workshops for children, and a place where artists from different countries can work together with local residents.
The Price of Choice
However, staying in Englewood comes at a price. Over the years, Plamen Yordanov and his wife have been victims of crime more than once. Tools and works of art have disappeared from their studio. In 2018, thieves managed to steal even a 300-kilogram metal sculpture – a case that attracted the attention of local and national media.
The artist himself also becomes the target of attacks. „They tried to take my phone,“ he recounts about one of the incidents. In another case, he was attacked with fireworks. „A teenager shot a firework rocket at my face from three meters away,“ Plamen shares.
These incidents would discourage many people. Not him.
See people, not statistics
Despite the difficulties, the artist refuses to view Englewood solely through crime statistics. „The neighbors around us are incredibly good-natured. They want to help,“ he says.
This is precisely why he's staying. For him, the neighborhood isn't just a place with problems. It's the people who greet him every morning, offer help, and believe the old church can have a new life.
„I feel it as part of me and my work process,“ admits the artist.
From Englewood to Space
While trying to restore the old church, Plamen Yordanov's works reach places few artists can dream of.
One of his miniature silver sculptures spent ten months on the International Space Station. His next project has been selected for the first international museum on the Moon.
„A one-centimeter silver sculpture was launched to the International Space Station. The next project is to stay on the Moon,“ he says.
The contrast is striking – while his art travels the cosmos, he himself unlocks the door of the old church in Englewood every day and continues its renovation.
For Plamen, his most important project isn't the one on the Moon. It's the one in a neighborhood that's still waiting for its next chance.
To belong
The art center project still needs funds. The renovation is progressing slowly. But Plamen Yordanov is not giving up.
He believes that art cannot solve all the problems of a neighborhood on its own. But it can take the first step – to bring people back into an abandoned building, to make them talk to each other, and to create a new sense of community.
„Perhaps I naively still believe that the bad will gradually fade and the good people will remain,“ says the artist.
This hope lies at the heart of his mission. Because sometimes the greatest courage is not to walk away. But to stay. To continue creating. And to believe that a work of art, a restored church, or a conversation can be the beginning of a change measured not in square meters, but in human trust.
