| | Curriculum Vitae
Antoan Vasilev Bozhinov
Personal information
• 10th Jan. 1958 – born in Zlatia, District Montana, Bulgaria
• 1976 – graduated from “Nayden Gerov” Vocational School in Lom, Bulgaria
Education and qualifications
• 1984 – became “Artist Photographer”, title conferred by the Committee for Culture
• 1978-1984 – became machine engineer, MSc degree in Hydraulics and Pneumatics, Technical University, Sofia
• 1983 – specialization in ORWO – Germany
• 1982-1983 – degree in Cinematic and Photographic Documentation, Faculty of Social Professions, Technical University, Sofia
Creative work
• Participation in 27 national and 28 international photographic exhibitions;
• 35 awards from Bulgarian and international photographic competitions, among which are: Laureate of AGFA Multikontrast competition, Reponzes Photo competition, Photography.com competition (France, 2001), “Photographer of the Year” (Photographic Academy Prize for 2002), second, fourth, sixth and tenth prizes in the World Health Organization competition (2002), “Photo Essay Award” in Photo of the Year – 2006 competition (sponsored by Canon – Bulgaria), Award of the Ministry of Culture at the 18th Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts (2007, Gabrovo, Bulgaria);
• Jury on 16 panels of national and international photographic competitions in Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia;
• Participation in 12 open-air meetings and workshops;
• Publication of more than 60 photographs in Bulgarian and 11 in foreign periodicals and photo albums (Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Norway, Russia, France);
• Presented more than 30 photo exhibitions in Bulgaria, Russia, Greece, Romania, Spain, Portugal and France;
• Teaching career: teaches photography courses at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communications, Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski” and the departments of Visual Arts and Computer and Media Technologies, New Bulgarian University;
• Regular photographic feature in Print-Pak Magazine (2003-2008) and later, editor-in-chief (2007-2008)
• Main interests and experience – social and artistic photography
• Co-founder and manager of Fodar Foundation (1999). The foundation organizes “Fodar Biennial”, the most influential international salon of photography in Bulgaria. It also organizes cultural exchanges: exhibitions of Bulgarian photographers have reached international audiences (Larisa and Thessaloniki – Greece, Paris – France) and international exhibitions have been shown at the National Art Gallery (Sofia), “Iliya Beshkov” Art Gallery (Pleven), House of Humour and Satire (Gabrovo), the towns of Plovdiv, Montana, Lom.
A total of six biennial salons have been held so far, the last of which was in 2009. More than 700 photographers from 31 countries have taken part in the events with more than 10,000 photographs. The salon has four modules: international photographic competition, authored and co-authored photo exhibitions (more than 60 for the six salons so far), theoretical seminar (organized in cooperation with New Bulgarian University since 2007), portfolio reviewing.
• Latest project (2009) – “The World of L.P.” project focuses on the community of small people in Bulgaria and draws the attention of society and the government to these people and their problems. The exhibition, which comprises 43 photos in 75x112.5 cm format and the life stories behind some of them, has been shown in a number of Bulgarian towns: Plovdiv (Mexican Graphics House), Montana (“Koutlovitza” Hall), Pleven (“Iliya Beshkov” Art Gallery), Sofia (“Alma Mater” Gallery, Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski”) and Stara Zagora (“Zaharii Knyazhevski” Library). Members of the organization of “Small Bulgarians” were present at the exhibition openings in these places.
The goal of the project is to help the organization of “Small Bulgarians” to find people of short stature and also to aid the socialization of these people, whose social life is confined to a close circle of relatives and friends. The project was supported by “Workshop for Citizen Initiatives” Foundation.
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