HE BREAKS HE CUTS HE SPILLS
The parallels between Todor Zhivkov and Boyko Borissov have been explored many times in public and journalistic spaces, as well as in art. In his new book He breaks he cuts he spills (Janet 45), photographer Nikola Mihov brings this parallel to a higher level.
The parallels between Todor Zhivkov and Boyko Borissov have been explored many times in public and journalistic spaces, as well as in art. In his new book He breaks he cuts he spills (Janet 45), photographer Nikola Mihov brings this parallel to a higher level. The book combines archival footage of the former First Secretary with some of the iconic quotes that Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov is famous for. Mihov's book is a wink in the direction of current events and socialist nostalgia with its myths and legends.
He breaks he cuts he spills, which launches on May 14 at 5 p.m. at KO-OP, forces a comparison between the two politicians who ruled Bulgaria the longest time since the country's liberation. One appears through his image, imbued with meaning by time and nostalgia, and the other through his visual absence, replaced instead by his words. The photography book does not try to illustrate history, but rather encourages different ways of interpreting it. One of these is the topic of the Leader and his people, which brings together a girl in a folk costume, a policeman, a minister, a businessman, a member of the Politburo, a security guard, an investor, a bodyguard.
"This photography book makes us think about our society – then, before the 1989, and now. What are the similarities and differences we see? What do people, the media and politicians look like and most of all, who is the subject of all the action, the one who has the right to break, cut and spill with impunity? It's our job to consider this," writes Irina Nedeva.
The photographer Nikola Mihov is a co-founder of the virtual gallery for contemporary photography Bulgarian Photography Now and the photography book platform PUK!. His first book, Forget Your Past (Janet 45, 2012), was shortlisted among the best photography books of the year by the British Journal of Photography. It is also part of Martin Parr's collection of photography books at the Tate Modern Museum. Mihov was nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize (2014) for his work on this project. He has been part of many international exhibits, such as the Athens Photo Festival (2019), the Photography Biennial in Thessaloniki (2018) and International Photographic Meetings - Rencontres d'Arles in Arles, France (2017).
The bilingual edition He breaks he cuts he spillscan be found on the website of Janet 45 Publishing House and Booklover. The book can be found in КO-OP, Gifted , Be Duende and in all good bookstores.
Translated by Maria Vassileva