Interview: Zdravko Dimitrov
Transforming tired and hidden obituaries into a beautiful, remembrance archive is just one project this photographer has produced. Zak is capturing the eyes of the art industry with his contemporary, zero limitations approach to photography, and we were lucky enough to interview him…
So Zak, I’d firstly like to know more about you and why you became a photographer?
It was by chance really, my dad’s friend was looking to sell his camera, so dad bought it for me and I started taking all clichéd pictures you can imagine - sunsets, flowers, etc. - but this kind of coincided with the time when I was supposed to choose what to study at university, and I enjoyed making images so much that it seemed appropriate. It wasn’t until my foundation year and the first year of my BA that I opened my eyes to all possibilities that photography can offer.
Having been the assistant to Tom Lovelace and Laura Pannack, and shortlisted for the Vienna Showcase, Oxford Art Fair and Open Show London, it must be pretty hard to pick one highlight. But if had you to choose just one achievement of your photographic career so far, what would it be and why?
I’d probably say having had my image selected for the catalogue of our graduate show. The photography course at The Arts University Bournemouth is very well known and highly respected with graduates such as Wolfgang Tillman’s and Nick Knight, and the fact that all tutors voted for my image to represent the whole course for that year really meant a lot to me.
Your work presents its self with no limitations. ‘People’, ‘Little Observations’ and ‘It’s all Relative’ are completely different concepts. Is it important for you to work on a range of ideas to explore your creativity, or does this talent for finding a broad range of interesting topics come naturally?
Most of my work is quite disparate and eclectic, there’s something for everyone and every taste as photography is such a diverse medium. I wouldn’t say that I choose to do it deliberately, I’m simply a visual person and when I think of a concept or see something aesthetically pleasing, I concentrate fully on it without really thinking about what I’ve done in the past.
‘Face Death’ surrounds the ideas of bereavement and ultimately the reluctance to talk of death within the Western world. Can you tell us more about how you came up with the concept, if there were any inspirations and what do you want the reader to take away from your series?
The project took its form from my roots, having spent the first 18 years of my life in
Bulgaria I was flooded with those images of death everywhere I went - they’re on trees, houses, graveyards, sometimes even cafes and supermarkets. It made me think about the blurring of the public/ private line and how unusual it is that the photos of those people who are now dead were taken prior to their death with an entirely different purpose, probably just a snapshot from a holiday, a passport or something entirely different. Nobody ever takes photographs thinking oh, that would be a nice photo to use for his or her obituary when they’re dead. Most of the obituaries were damaged by time and weather, which I saw as a metaphor of time passing and sometimes as a symbol of the way people deal with death. They grieve in the beginning but as time goes by they learn how to deal with it and almost forget. Death is something completely natural, it’s the one certain thing in life, and it’s what defines life and what drives me personally every day. If life was infinite, we could always postpone tasks for tomorrow, as there always will be tomorrow. Death is as natural as life; it’s our reaction to it that’s unnatural. I focused on Bulgaria as it’s my home country and there’s a personal connection to it. I only shot in my hometown and as it’s not the biggest town so it turned out that my dad knew some of the people. He didn’t see the images until they were exhibited and it turned out that one of them was his friend who used to take me for walks when I was little!
Have you got any burning photography projects that you will be undertaking in the future that we can know about now?
Currently I’m thinking about photographing people who are either prone to self harm or have inflicted this on themselves. It was inspired by a book that I read recently, but it’s in very early stages as there’s a lot of preparation to be done, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable photographing anyone for such a delicate project without having spent some time with them first.
If you could give any piece of advice for someone who is aspiring one day to be on the same level of success as you, what would it be?
I’d say just work hard and believe in what you’re doing, if there’s even one person who finds your work compelling, then you’ve done well. Also never follow trends, they pass.
Lastly, if you weren’t a photographer, what do you think you’d be doing?
I’d probably be a doctor or a pharmacist, all my family work in medicine and I could have quite a comfortable life if I wanted to study pharmacy because I could take over my parents’ business, but it’s just really mundane and not for me.
Thanks Zak!
With future plans of publishing ‘Face Death’, Zak’s one to look out for. Stay in touch with his website: www.zdravkodimitrov.com and on twitter @zrdphoto
