As we have already announced, Viktor Paunov is the winner of the national award "Konstantin Konstantinov" in the category "Illustrator" for 2019, and we had the opportunity to talk to him about the prestigious award and his work.
Congratulations! What does this award mean to you?
This one, like the others, I hope – marking a current, perhaps another achievement, and not taking into account the place of the already elderly, sympathetic, albeit somewhat outdated, “deserved” artist. And another – indicating someone for whom the generally valid, applicable criteria for professionalism and aesthetics apply everywhere in the world.
You won the prize with the book “The Cat Frant and the Mysterious Island” by Ivan Radenkov (published by Enthusiast). Tell us a little more about it and your work on the work.
Without a doubt, an interesting and entertaining work by a man (Radenkov) who masters the Power and Magic of the word, creating stories, radiating completeness, albeit in a short form. As a good reader, I appreciate texts that have an impact similar to those of Boris Aprilov or Kipling with their freshness, playfulness, and wit (very important for children's perception of the world), and as an artist - with the possibility of diverse artistic approaches in creating a convincing fairy-tale reality and specific compositional solutions, including successful work with typography and other graphic materials in the overall publication.
If you could choose a book from your entire oeuvre to offer to the jury, which one would it be?
The subtext of the question implies that artists, including me, have already created their peak achievement, it is some kind of standard, a constant from which the movement is downward!? In principle, I do not think about my work (for 40 years) on various editions, including those for children, as another movement in some closed circle, based on experience and routine. I try to approach each project differently (not only technically or technologically) and this is implied by its different character, plot, time, target group. Also, the efforts in my work are focused on the implementation of the project – I do not think about the jury, the award, I am happy and meet with curiosity every new opportunity and proposal. I think it is good for an artist to transform, even if it comes unexpectedly, it is no coincidence that my habilitation thesis for the position of "professor" was called "Metamorphoses" and showed my willingness to differ from myself and step out of my comfort zone.
I will take you back in time a little, looking at the many books you have written, which one do you not like today and would you like to do again?
I think that, as mentioned above, it is good for a person to change. This does not deny the situation that a good professional carries out his activities in accordance with the specifics of the moment and his current experience, information, upgrading, etc. It may certainly seem necessary to me today to change something in my yesterday's work, but this only concerns one or two details, and that is due to new personal and technical opportunities and because of my tendency to learn continuously. I would not change my ideas and the concept of one or another solution back in time now, they are for me signs of my development and signs of my communication with people.
And what is your favorite book that you are personally proud of having had the opportunity to create? Why?
A favorite experience for me will remain my work on the book "Vampires, Gunduratsi, Zmey" because of my extremely fruitful work with my dear friend Krasimir Mirchev - a unique person, an erudite, a creative person, a bohemian. In general, I love my work and appreciate it enough not to feel much tension or boredom.
You are a professor of illustration at the National Academy of Arts. Tell us a little more about your work with students and what you want to teach them?
There is nothing better than working with young people, it charges me up and keeps me in shape, I myself learn and understand many new things from them. It is good if they want to receive in full what I can give them in the form of information, ideas, shared experience, examples, good examples of artistic behavior, subtleties of the "craft" of the artistic profession. I always say that it is good if tasks and problems are met as challenges that one must overcome - this is how one realizes one's own place and possibilities. I also share with the students that the work and experiences of the artist are not limited only to the correct and effective implementation of the educational program, one must also develop independently, beyond the specifics and requirements of the curriculum. Of course, the main “mantra” in my verbal communication with students is the statement about the awareness and proper use of time and the need for professional discipline and organization, and last but not least – “legere necesse est”!*
* you must read – editor’s note.
What new illustrations can we expect from you soon or not so soon?
I am considering a project for four fairy tales by the writer Assen Sirakov, which I plan to share with colleagues (a group project). God willing, it may be realized before the end of 2019.
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