ARTRIOTI — The Faces We Remember
A portrait of Hristo Fotev — one of the most lyrical and recognisable voices in Bulgarian poetry.
His writing is inseparable from love, longing, the sea and the fragile beauty of human connection. There is something deeply personal in his poems — intimate, emotional and unmistakably alive.
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 HIM
I drew Христо Фотев because his poetry has that rare quality of feeling both deeply personal and completely universal.
„Колко си хубава!“
It is one of those lines that needs almost no explanation. It carries admiration, tenderness, vulnerability and that sudden, overwhelming feeling of seeing someone you love and simply needing to say it.
Fotev’s words are emotional without being sentimental — and that is exactly what makes them stay with us.
I wanted this piece to feel like a small love letter you can wear.
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 of Bulgarian literary memory — made to be worn, felt and remembered.
Bulgarian culture, drawn to be remembered.
