Mountain Graphics

Miroslav Zhivkov is in his late 20s and has enough plans to fill up at least another hundred years of life. By indulging in art in its purest form – getting his hands dirty, working a lot, contemplating, sometimes even getting bored, but also by sharing it. That's why he set out to turn a small house in a Stara Planina village into an art residence with a print studio – for himself, but also for visual and other artists who are open to the inspiration of a simple life close to nature. His plan has almost succeeded and repairs on the house have started thanks to an Indiegogo campaign. He is raising the rest by selling his prints. He is supported not just by relatives and friends who believe in him, but also by his teachers – Prof. Rosen Andreev has given him an old graphic press, which is waiting in the garage of the house for its time in the spotlight when it will fall into the hands of new talents. Miroslav told us about what else he's been planning for his oasis of art, which he wants to share with the world.

How does a space become an artist residency?

I am working on finding out the answer to this question. In the beginning, all you need is an idea. Then you have to believe in it and follow through step by step. I was lucky enough to find a place where I could imagine my idea becoming real. Then I needed a lot of money to make it happen and I started a fundraising campaign in Indiegogo, which raised much of what was needed to renovate the studio. We are now working on logistics with the repair work to make everything a reality. We start this summer.

How do you imagine a day at NoPoint Atelier?

It depends. I do not want to channel the activities of the studio into just one direction. That is why different things will happen in different forms. Sometimes children will come and try different graphic techniques, and other times there will be professional artists staying there who will be inspired by the place and create work. It's very beautiful here and it predisposes you to work on various things of yours, which is nice. I hope that the people who come here will feel that.

What are the main conditions for creating art today?

In my opinion, there are no conditions. Except having something to eat and somewhere to sleep. Still, you need peace of mind to devote time to art. Then comes the question of what direction you like to take your work in. There are people who are satisfied with pencil and paper, others use huge halls as their studio. Everything is relative. I want to maintain a balance in the atelier. You're close to nature, you have less at your disposal, but at the same time, you have a graphic studio with everything you need to make graphics.

Aside from art, how does this kind of project get financial and organizational support?

The organizational aspect is almost the hardest thing for me right now, you have to talk to a lot of people, do research and other unpleasant things. In short, it requires a lot of work, but I guess that's the way it is. We soldier on!

What do you think will attract young artists to this kind of village artist residency?

Sometimes I think that we need to limit ourselves in some ways in order to do better, instead of just adding more. This is the case here. There is no shop here, there are not many cars and everything from city life is absent. However, time still passes and the village has a rhythm that is much closer to nature. You cannot tell what day of the week it is, because every day feels relaxed, but you notice when the swallows come in spring and how the sun moves along the horizon. In my opinion, these things are very good for you.

Our lives are closing in more and more into circles, networks, our own bubbles. How do we bring art outdoors?

Just as nowadays photographs almost never leave our phones and do not become real physical objects, so art sometimes never leaves our computers. However, in my opinion, visual art requires physical contact, we need to get closer to it and even to touch it. It may take a little courage to get it out in the open. Above all, the courage to take the time to create something, no matter what kind or how many difficulties we may encounter along the way.

What is the connection between art and the environment in which it is created and exists?

The environment always affects us in some way. It depends on how much we allow it, but it is not just an empty space in which we live. It comes with all its different features, we interact with them and draw inspiration from them.

Which established artists would you invite to the atelier?

I would like to invite some illustrators and calligraphers from Europe, but I would not limit myself to names right now.

What prompted you to start working on all this and what would stop you?

I was inspired by how quickly my idea developed. From the very beginning, I received support from my graphics instructor in Germany, who promised to give me some presses. About a year later I found the house and things came together. I don't think I'll give up until I see my idea in action. Then I hope to be able to rest when something isn't going as I imagine it, and to keep going afterwards. I like to keep things simple, and in this case I do it by telling myself that I have a nice house that I want to share with other artists. We usually look for a way out when things get complicated.

What do you expect to learn about yourself and people more generally from this experience?

For now, I do not expect anything, and I hope not too much is expected of me. We do things with love and learn from our mistakes. After that, everything else is welcome.

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