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IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO CREATE BEAUTY IN BULGARIA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAVE AND PROTECT IT.
" The interview has been published in the National Portal for Intellectual Property - www.ipbulgaria.com .
The interview has been taken by Elitsa Tsenova"
26.04.2008
Mr.Ognyan Jekov is an artist, one of the founders of European Cultural Center in Russe and its currant President who works for the cutural development of Russe.
Elitsa Tsenova: How was the idea for the European Cultural Center born?
Ognyan Jekov: The idea was inspired by an exhibition by Gerhard Walcker (he is a famous organ builder and restorer of the organ in the Catholic Church “Saint Pavel of the Cross”, which was inaugurated in December 2003 in Russe. This exhibition consisted of 99 impressions united under the title “I love Russe”.
The European Cultural Center was established on May 9, 2004, the Day of Europe, by 39 people working in the field of arts and culture. We were united by the idea to preserve, develop, and win recognition for the spiritual and cultural values, whose historical barrier has been our town Rouse during the centuries.
Elitsa Tsenova: What are the main goals before the European Cultural Center and how does it work to achieve them?
Ognyan Jekov: Some of the most famous and authoritative creative artists in Russe are involved in our activities. They all have the enlightened ambition to lead away our town to a new level in the spiral of spiritual development, which will help it to gain more distinctive determination on the map of European cultural territories. We work together to convert the Dohodno building, which is the symbol of Rouse into a completed Temple of Spirit, into a Center for creative energy. The beginning was the theatrical project “Comeback”. It was dedicated to all actors and actresses who have performed on the stage of Rouse Theater. With the play “The Man-Eater” by Ivan Radoev they came back on stage to feel again the thrill of the magic named THEATER. They were very noble and heroic taking the risk to stay again under the lights and to raise Her Majesty the Curtain. With this act they proved that there is not such a thing as a retired artist. Artists are artists as long as they breathe! During the rehearsals we had the feeling that we had always been together and had never separated. We had plenty of fun together and enjoyed in discussing, laughing, and crying. It was wonderful!
After this event came numerous exhibitions of Bulgarian and foreign painters, book presentations, discussions, and promotions of young talents, concerts and lectures. Young and old people in our town need spiritual spaces full of meaning and life.
Elitsa Tsenova: What kind of organizations and institutions support your activities?
Ognyan Jekov: During the years we have been searching for friends and partners to achieve our goals. We believe that through fruitful partnerships we can contribute for the good of our town. We have received contribution from public organizations, plenty of companies and the embassies of Ireland, Austria and USA.
Elisa Tsenova: For a short time the European Cultural Center and its office in the Dohodno building has become a main driving force in the cultural life in Russe. Now you have to relocate in a new place. Why? Can you succeed in transferring the atmosphere and the creative spirit in the new house?
Ognyan Jekov: Yes, we converted the simple office in the Dohodno sdanie into a vivid place which citizens and guests of Russe love to visit. This place is full of spirit and beauty. After three successful years, someone took the decision to replace beauty with information, because this place is going to be a European information office.
The new place? Of course we will succeed in making it alive. It is destined to be spiritual because it is connected with our famous fellow-citizen Michel Arlen. He was nominated for the Noble prize for his novel “The Green Hat”. Instead of this we have already proved once that we are fully able to create beauty whenever it can be. That was the situation with our former home in Dohodno building before someone took it away from us.
The Ambassodar of Ireland opens an ehhibition in the European Cultural center
Elitsa Tsenova: What should we expect from the European Cultural center in the forthcoming months?
Ognyan Jekov: First, we are going to translate into Bulgarian and issue the Michel Arlen’s novel “The Green Hat”. It will be the first issue of this novel in Bulgaria 83 years after it had been written. Together with the embassy of Ireland we intend to organize Days of Celtic culture in Russe. Then we will organize the Second national meeting of mimes in Bulgaria which will welcome participants from other countries. The first meeting was held in 1980. During the 70th years the art of Silence was very popular in Russe. My own way towards the theater started with the magic of this wonderful art named Pantomime. This event will be especially dedicated to the great artist Marcel Marco.
We will also establish a special Committee which will have the difficult task to support the building of a new concert organ in Dehodno sdanie. The project should finish in 2010 when we will celebrate the 50th issue of the international festival March Music Days in Russe. The organ’s plan is already prepared by Gerhard Walcker- Mayer who belongs to the famous family Walcher, one of the oldest organ builder companies in Europe. Actually the company was set up in 1780 in Ludvigsburg, Germany.
We will continue persistently to develop our partnerships and through the embassies to build new creative contacts with other similar European organizations. We will put our efforts also in activities in the area of cultural, historical and church tourism. The European cultural center will carry on producing concerts, performers and exhibitions.
Elitsa Tsenova: Very often you speak about the beauty in our life. Do you share the same belief as Chehov that “Beauty will save the world”?
Ognyan Jekov: I do believe that Beauty is something really great. It is everywhere in art, in our days, in our souls.
Elitsa Tsenova: Where you can find beauty nowadays?
Ognyan Jekov: In everything. One can find it even in garbage, threw away from someone who didn’t see it. My favorite sentance from the play “She is a Man-Eater” is: “Everyone who has a soul of bird one day will fly towards sky and will become a star. We just need patient… to look upward”.
Elitsa Tsenova: Is it difficult to create beauty in Bulgaria? Are Bulgarians able to find out and value it?
Ognyan Jekov: It is not difficult to create Beauty in Bulgaria. It is difficult to save and protect it. Someone creates beauty and after that inevitably comes someone else to destroy it.
Elitsa Tsenova: Are you an idealist?
Ognyan Jekov: Oh, yes! As well as an incorrigible optimist.
Elitsa Tsenova: If you have to define yourself in three words what would they be?
Ognyan Jekov: I love to love.
IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO CREATE BEAUTY IN BULGARIA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAVE AND PROTECT IT.
" The interview has been published in the National Portal for Intellectual Property - www.ipbulgaria.com .
The interview has been taken by Elitsa Tsenova"
26.04.2008
Mr.Ognyan Jekov is an artist, one of the founders of European Cultural Center in Russe and its currant President who works for the cutural development of Russe.
Elitsa Tsenova: How was the idea for the European Cultural Center born?
Ognyan Jekov: The idea was inspired by an exhibition by Gerhard Walcker (he is a famous organ builder and restorer of the organ in the Catholic Church “Saint Pavel of the Cross”, which was inaugurated in December 2003 in Russe. This exhibition consisted of 99 impressions united under the title “I love Russe”.
The European Cultural Center was established on May 9, 2004, the Day of Europe, by 39 people working in the field of arts and culture. We were united by the idea to preserve, develop, and win recognition for the spiritual and cultural values, whose historical barrier has been our town Rouse during the centuries.
Elitsa Tsenova: What are the main goals before the European Cultural Center and how does it work to achieve them?
Ognyan Jekov: Some of the most famous and authoritative creative artists in Russe are involved in our activities. They all have the enlightened ambition to lead away our town to a new level in the spiral of spiritual development, which will help it to gain more distinctive determination on the map of European cultural territories. We work together to convert the Dohodno building, which is the symbol of Rouse into a completed Temple of Spirit, into a Center for creative energy. The beginning was the theatrical project “Comeback”. It was dedicated to all actors and actresses who have performed on the stage of Rouse Theater. With the play “The Man-Eater” by Ivan Radoev they came back on stage to feel again the thrill of the magic named THEATER. They were very noble and heroic taking the risk to stay again under the lights and to raise Her Majesty the Curtain. With this act they proved that there is not such a thing as a retired artist. Artists are artists as long as they breathe! During the rehearsals we had the feeling that we had always been together and had never separated. We had plenty of fun together and enjoyed in discussing, laughing, and crying. It was wonderful!
After this event came numerous exhibitions of Bulgarian and foreign painters, book presentations, discussions, and promotions of young talents, concerts and lectures. Young and old people in our town need spiritual spaces full of meaning and life.
Elitsa Tsenova: What kind of organizations and institutions support your activities?
Ognyan Jekov: During the years we have been searching for friends and partners to achieve our goals. We believe that through fruitful partnerships we can contribute for the good of our town. We have received contribution from public organizations, plenty of companies and the embassies of Ireland, Austria and USA.
Elisa Tsenova: For a short time the European Cultural Center and its office in the Dohodno building has become a main driving force in the cultural life in Russe. Now you have to relocate in a new place. Why? Can you succeed in transferring the atmosphere and the creative spirit in the new house?
Ognyan Jekov: Yes, we converted the simple office in the Dohodno sdanie into a vivid place which citizens and guests of Russe love to visit. This place is full of spirit and beauty. After three successful years, someone took the decision to replace beauty with information, because this place is going to be a European information office.
The new place? Of course we will succeed in making it alive. It is destined to be spiritual because it is connected with our famous fellow-citizen Michel Arlen. He was nominated for the Noble prize for his novel “The Green Hat”. Instead of this we have already proved once that we are fully able to create beauty whenever it can be. That was the situation with our former home in Dohodno building before someone took it away from us.
The Ambassodar of Ireland opens an ehhibition in the European Cultural center
Elitsa Tsenova: What should we expect from the European Cultural center in the forthcoming months?
Ognyan Jekov: First, we are going to translate into Bulgarian and issue the Michel Arlen’s novel “The Green Hat”. It will be the first issue of this novel in Bulgaria 83 years after it had been written. Together with the embassy of Ireland we intend to organize Days of Celtic culture in Russe. Then we will organize the Second national meeting of mimes in Bulgaria which will welcome participants from other countries. The first meeting was held in 1980. During the 70th years the art of Silence was very popular in Russe. My own way towards the theater started with the magic of this wonderful art named Pantomime. This event will be especially dedicated to the great artist Marcel Marco.
We will also establish a special Committee which will have the difficult task to support the building of a new concert organ in Dehodno sdanie. The project should finish in 2010 when we will celebrate the 50th issue of the international festival March Music Days in Russe. The organ’s plan is already prepared by Gerhard Walcker- Mayer who belongs to the famous family Walcher, one of the oldest organ builder companies in Europe. Actually the company was set up in 1780 in Ludvigsburg, Germany.
We will continue persistently to develop our partnerships and through the embassies to build new creative contacts with other similar European organizations. We will put our efforts also in activities in the area of cultural, historical and church tourism. The European cultural center will carry on producing concerts, performers and exhibitions.
Elitsa Tsenova: Very often you speak about the beauty in our life. Do you share the same belief as Chehov that “Beauty will save the world”?
Ognyan Jekov: I do believe that Beauty is something really great. It is everywhere in art, in our days, in our souls.
Elitsa Tsenova: Where you can find beauty nowadays?
Ognyan Jekov: In everything. One can find it even in garbage, threw away from someone who didn’t see it. My favorite sentance from the play “She is a Man-Eater” is: “Everyone who has a soul of bird one day will fly towards sky and will become a star. We just need patient… to look upward”.
Elitsa Tsenova: Is it difficult to create beauty in Bulgaria? Are Bulgarians able to find out and value it?
Ognyan Jekov: It is not difficult to create Beauty in Bulgaria. It is difficult to save and protect it. Someone creates beauty and after that inevitably comes someone else to destroy it.
Elitsa Tsenova: Are you an idealist?
Ognyan Jekov: Oh, yes! As well as an incorrigible optimist.
Elitsa Tsenova: If you have to define yourself in three words what would they be?
Ognyan Jekov: I love to love.