The Union of Bulgarian Artists in Sofia turned into a Kingdom of Comics. The colorful exhibition is available for all visitors from August 15 until September 15 and its official opening is to be held on September 3, 2014. The idea of the Rainbow project is carried out jointly with the Union of Bulgarian Artists under the auspices of the Culture Department of Sofia Municipality. Artists from 18 countries participate at the international exhibition. We learn more about the event from one of its organizers-Bulgarian artist Petar Stanimirov.

What is the history of Bulgarian comics?

“Last year a wonderful book entitled Short History of the Bulgarian Comics by Anton Stankov was released. The book describes everything regarding Bulgarian comics", Petar Stanimirov explains. "The Bulgarian comics emerged somewhere in the 1940’s. It was founded by Luben Zidarov and Alexander Beshkov. This year we are to bestow for the second time the Alexander Denkov annual award- an insignia of honor for Contribution to the Development and the Distribution of Bulgarian Comics."

What criteria are used to select the winners of this award?

“The special award for contribution to the development of Bulgarian Comics is handed to a person with special merits. No one knows the name of the winner until the very last moment. So, we are to learn this year’s winner on September 3. We organize a contest for young Bulgarian authors and will award the winner in this category on September 3 as well. I can only share with you that all three winners are female. On September 3 and September 4 a scientific conference organized by the Rainbow project, the Union of the Bulgarian Artists and the Bulgarian Academy of Science is also to be held and from September 8 until September 13 a workshop for children and students will be organized. In other words, there are many interesting news regarding the Sofia Comics Expo”.

What would you like to tell people who do not know anything about Rainbow magazine and have never attended comics’ exhibition in the past? Why this exhibition is a must-visit one?

“Those who are interested in cartoons and comics have already visited the exhibition, because it was opened on August 15. I would like to tell those who do not show great interest that this is a very serious art and we have invited the best artists to take part at this year’s exhibition. The best 10 artists of 6 countries participate at the Sofia Cartoon Expo. For instance I selected artists from Australia, Argentina, the USA, Greece and France. In other words, we display works of very famous authors. Our colleague from France - Victor Kalvachev made a special selection and invited some of the most renowned artists from the USA and France. The works of several Dutch artists are also displayed. The Comics Museum in Brussels is also presented at the display with cartoon works. In my view, this is a very attractive and interesting exhibition and all people interested in arts must visit it by all means.”

Hollywood creates best-selling cartoons based on comics from Marvel magazine. Are Bulgarian and foreign directors interested in Bulgarian comics and can we expect soon a cartoon movie based on Bulgarian comics?

“Several months ago I read on our Facebook page that a cartoon studio has decided to make a movie based on a cartoon in Rainbow magazine entitled “ELO- Danger Prevention Team” made by our Bulgarian colleague Dimitar Stoyanov-Dimo. That is why we are expecting a science fiction produced by a Bulgarian author.

Can Bulgarian artists make a professional career with comics or this is just a hobby for the time being?

“There are no periodicals in Bulgaria. The artists ourselves release some albums from time to time, which is a shame. Bulgaria needs at least one periodical with comics. Thank God, most of our young colleagues work for foreign companies and they establish quick connections due to the Internet. I hope that our Rainbow project will soon atract publishers.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov