Mihail Kamberov, Europe's best artist

By: Svetlana Dicheva, Bulgarian National Radio

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After a contest organized by the National Federation of French Culture, Bulgarian artist Mihail Kamberov was named Europe's Best Artist. The jury wrote in its reasoning for the award that he is honoured for his remarkable artistic perception and fine technique. The Federation has announced that Kamberov is also honoured for lifetime achievement. This award was handed to him in Paris

in a roadshow which featured 17 of his works.

Besides, Kamberov has received the Federation's Golden Canvas Award that is given to artists who had received 6 golden medals. The famous Bulgarian artist was awarded 8 golden medals consecutively. The "Golden canvas" is an equivalent of "Oscar" and "Csezare" award in cinema, "Moliere" in theatre and "Golden disc" in music.

Svetlana Dicheva met the artist in his private gallery in Sofia.

 

SD: This painting behind you was commissionned by the Brussels' municipality. What is it about?

MK: It represents a feast of the European Union. I have depicted about 240 figures. There are plenty of details. The characters are not just sketched but are painted as the old masters did. I've put all my characters who are representatives of the European nations. As you can see all of them wear national costumes. This is an endless holiday in the square of Brussels. I use coloured spots, you can distinguish my typical characters as Pegasus, deity.

SD: You had a sucessful exhibition in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje. How were you accepted by the Macedonian public?

MK: This was a personal exhibition at the invitation of the Macedonian painters and our ambassador.I exposed 20 paintings. They were pretty well accepted as I am familiar to the Macedonian public. A man who runs a gallery sold about 20 of my paintings. Before my trip to Macedonia I was a special guest to the Croatian painters. By the way, the chairman of the Union of the Croatian painters turned to be Bulgarian. His name is Kosta. Our ambassador in Macedonia, Mr Aleksandar Yordanov said that he sees for the first time so many Macedonian politicians and diplomats. It is so nice that cultural events gather Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian painters. That's the way people on the Balkans make friends. Such gatherings bring us closer and we become as relatives.

SD: How would you describe the process of painting? What are your favourite models?

MK: My favourite characters are our typical Bulgarian houses and people beeing in harmony with them. I usually select the old houses that characterize our region. My composition is in Naive style and combines buildings and personalities that match the epoch I want to depict. I noticed that these themes are very well accepted abroad - unfortunately I am better known abroad than in Bulgaria. Such idyllic moments of the past are more attractive to the public than some modern style paintings. I often choose houses from the town of Koprivshtitza or Veliko Tarnovo. In Macedonia, for example, the public was very impressed by the houses perched on the hills of Veliko Tarnovo. Many of these paintings were sold out on the spot. As you know my paintings are brightly coloured, full of life, they reflect the good emotions of people, their typical Bulgarian traits, hospitality, lovingkindness. I think that most of the European nations are more reserved and self-controlled than Bulgarians and I try to express our mantality through my paintings. It is rewarding to paint when you feel accepted by different people in Bulgaria and abroad.

SD: I suppose you have never had an adequate quantity of red and yellow colour on your palette...

MK: In the beginning of my career I used to paint in dark colours and my mother was surprised because of the discrepancy between this and my mercurial nature. She gave me advice to change my style. People are suffuciently worn out and depressed in everyday life, so why should I add my melancholy to their problems? Now many people say that my particoloured luminous paintings give them energy.

SD: When do you paint - in the morning, in the afternoon or at night?

MK: I paint almost without a break. Even in mid-winter I stay in my car and paint holding the canvas over the sreering-wheel. It is warm inside. Actually I draw always from nature. When the canvas is bigger and can't get into the car, I paint in the open. As many other artists, I am a little bit superstitious. I always bring my favourite brushes and pallet with me.