Today, in Vienna, there is a new art exhibition opening. What has that got to do with us? Well, there is a nice story behind, that we would like to share with you.
When Dian Kostov, a reputed Bulgarian painter, and his team approached us to support with the “logistics” of their upcoming exhibition in Vienna, we said yes. While we are moved and inspired by art, what we know for sur is how to handle transportation and logistics. And, of course, we were very curious to find out more about Dian and his artwork.
Dr. Bernhard A. Boehler, Art Historian, considers Dian as “one of the most innovative icon painters of our time”, someone who addresses “both timeless and contemporary questions of human existence in his search for new images”. Prompted by that, we wanted to know more about the artist, so we have asked him a couple of questions, so we are sharing his answers with you.
What inspired you to become a painter, and how has your style and technique evolved over time?
I never wanted anything else for myself. Since very young I paint and that is all I dreamed about being. I was inspired by many great Artists, but mostly my inspiration came from my teachers – Botio Botev and Anastas Konstantinov. From them I learned the foundational techniques of art of painting. I have painted eggs and vases for a very long time, so much that sometimes I got bored from it. Much later, I understood that is how you become a professional – with diligence and repetition.
With the passing years I experiment more and more with different techniques, without which I would not get the desired result.
What role do you think art plays in society, and how do you see your work fitting into the larger cultural context?
Art and culture distinguish one nation from another and last in time. All art is food for the soul, but except the aesthetic experience, to role of an art piece is to provoke, ask questions or give answers, generally to awaken. My works are a reflection of the contemporary commotions of people, correlated to eternal values. I try to recreate the spirit of modernity as part of the coordinate system of God’s word.
What are some of the challenges you face as a painter, and how do you overcome them? How do you stay motivated and inspired throughout the creative process?
The biggest challenge is the difficulty of finding ways to present my work, in a such a way to be appealing and interesting to the audience. This is not an easy task, because there are many and all kinds of visual stimuli. In today’s information flow, to pay attention to art, which is traditional is almost impossible. It is no longer important to be just a good craftsman and be able to draw. You must be able to make the audience a part of your work. Bringing the viewer into an experience, rather than just being a passive observer. I get the motivation mostly from my family. My wife and I, we travel a lot and try to visit art galleries, that host the works of the best and most renowned artists in the world. Together we dream and discuss ideas. We both think big and believe anything is possible. We try not to limit ourselves and so far – it pays off. We believe success is only possible when we believe in our ideas, when we are persistent and consistent in achieving them and take risks to make them happen.
Could you tell us about the theme and concept of your upcoming exhibition? What message do you hope to convey to your audience?
In its first part, the exhibition will recreate an experience reminiscent of the dynamics of the modern world, search for harmony and trust in difficult times. Today requires us to make many and difficult choices. Striving for success and well-being, we often forget and violate some of the most important values and virtues. The messages that inundate us, make us feel a part of a race in which we will hardly win and achieve spiritual peace. We try to be more prosperous, more beautiful, healthier and younger, but we are more breathless and tired. The second part will show us the Way in which we can achieve a sense of meaning and satisfaction by connecting with the eternal values of faith.
Stepping out to more conventional ground, how would you describe the collaboration with GOPET? Any worries throughout the process?
I am extremely grateful for the cooperation and assistance of GOPET. During our entire interaction, I was able to see not only professionalism, responsible attitude towards deadlines, organization of travel and transportation of the entire installation but also respect towards the art. I saw everyone assist to make this event happen. I saw they believe in my ideas. And that is really motivating.
Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out, and what are your plans in terms of your artistic career?
To all those who are just starting to develop in the field of art, I would wish them to have faith in what they do and strength, and perseverance to achieve it. When you put a lot of effort into anything it always, always, always pays off. So: ideas, clear goals, work and a supportive network of professionals to help you. After my exhibition in the Votivkirche – Vienna, I hope to be able to exhibit my works in Paris and Dubai. That’s it for now, but step by step.
As experts in freight forwarding, we know every day may bring ahead of us unexpected challenges. Or new projects that inspire us. Both in doing a great job in delivering them and getting to meet new clients. “Moving” art is something we have never done until now, especially if considering the fact that art pieces are sensitive cargo for two reasons. Their market value and their intrinsic value to the artist. We have been extra careful, which takes more time and preparation for every part of the journey, from pick up, to gate-in to our warehouse, to delivery to the final exhibit location. Making sure every party involved takes the same care as everyone else is probably one of the biggest challenges.
The project itself overlaps over approximately two months, and covers pre, during and post exhibition activities concerning warehousing, manipulation, protection and transportation.
And here is a final wrap-up from our colleague, Ognyan Duchev, who piloted the entire project. “We always grow with our ever demanding new, existing customers and projects that push us to do better and develop our attention to detail. We are trying to be a leading provider of logistics services but sometimes the environment requires more from us, so we must strive to deliver and exceed the demands of the market and our customers. Any new project increases our expertise, and any repetition improves our performance.”
Dian, good luck with the exhibition and thank you for choosing us to “move” your art.