ARTRIOTI — The Faces We Remember
A portrait of Elisaveta Bagryana — one of the most important and distinctive voices in Bulgarian poetry.
Her writing carries a strong sense of freedom, individuality, love, movement and the desire to live fully. She brought a modern, independent female voice into Bulgarian literature — bold, emotional and unmistakably her own.
This original illustration is part of ARTRIOTI — my illustrated archive of the writers, artists, actors and musicians who left a lasting mark on Bulgarian culture.
WHY I DREW HER
I drew Елисавета Багряна because there is something fearless in her voice.
Her poetry speaks about freedom not as an abstract idea, but as something deeply personal — the freedom to choose, to love, to leave, to return, to be entirely yourself.
There is strength in that independence, but also tenderness and vulnerability.
I wanted this portrait to carry that same feeling — a woman who refused to fit quietly into the boundaries expected of her.
I draw them so we don’t forget them.
THE PIECE
Original illustration by Svetlomira Minkova, created in Sofia as part of the ARTRIOTI series.
A piece dedicated to one of the unforgettable female voices of Bulgarian literature — made to be worn, remembered and passed on.
Bulgarian culture, drawn to be remembered.