Interview with Victoria Paeva – Bulgarian Symbols

If you have been following our social media and blog post articles, you already know that our Association realized its first merchandise idea this year. The concept was to involve 5 young and talented Bulgarian artists to create an illustration in an attempt to show their vision of Bulgarian symbols. Now it’s time to introduce our second illustrator – Victoria Paeva.

Victoria Paeva

Victoria Paeva is from Sofia, Bulgaria. In her illustration, the thought provoking Viki picked the topic of a cherished Bulgarian tradition – “Kukeri” – mythical creatures, who wear scary masks and dance loudly to scare away the bad spirits. Viki researched on the topic and managed to create a unique blend by merging it with the widely discussed idea of the human ego. It’s a reference to the masks that we are all wearing and the way we hide our inner self from the outside world. The mask in her work is not only a Bulgarian symbol of a long lasting tradition, but also a symbol of duality and the fight we all face in order to find our true identity.

We asked Victoria Paeva to answer some questions regarding her style of work and the project she did for our association. Here are her answers:

The Interview

Describe yourself using only 5 words!

I’m just a little person

What is your main focus at the moment?

With an invitation to a wedding – designing a showcase, designing an illustration for a tattoo and a cover for a music album. I also work on my portfolio. In recent times I had the chance to work on different projects and I try to showcase more than simply describing or talking about what I did.

Which is your color/colors?

Black and white. Sand, gold, and the warm natural tones appeal to me as well. I like when things are either black or white or when you have to discuss a little bit to form an opinion what color you see exactly.

If you could pick a project to work for with a specific topic, which topic would that be?

Something that combines linguistics, graphic design and psychology. How were words formed in the first place and why do they carry their meaning, how do they affect our psyche? I want to form an answer to all these questions in a graphic and easily understandable way. I haven’t thought the whole process through yet, but when I do I will appoint myself to work on the topic.

Another topic which intrigues me is: “Sofia – a Pedestrian City”.

Who are the 3 people that have inspired you lately? How do they inspire you?

Chris Do, although he is not a recent, but more of a constant inspiration. Alain de Botton and his brother.

I am always inspired by people who have found their own path, never stop learning and teaching.

What did you want to show with this project?

The same thing that has always intrigued me – the duality of human nature, refracted or hidden by the mask. The mask I see as the best, most liberating and most reachable way of bringing at least part of the true “I” into the surface, because the personal “I” can never be perceived as a unified thing.

Did you learn something new during your work for this project? What?

I surely learned more about the traditional “kuker” rituals and some other national rites. Mostly, I learned about the similarities between these rites and those of other cultures.

How would you advertise Bulgaria to someone, who has never been here?

Little India in the European Union.

Make sure to follow Viki on Facebook.

T-Shirts with Victoria’s design can now be exclusively purchased at Gifted Sofia – 24 Ivan Denkoglou Str.