Liliya Zaharinova tells fabulous stories in the urban environment

When walking through the towns of Montana and Belogradchik (Northwestern Bulgaria), one will sooner or later come across electric switchboards painted with a sense of vitality and purity, as if coming from childhood.  And for a single moment, one will find oneself in a tiny oasis amidst the grayness of the concrete surroundings.

Liliya Zaharinova tells magical stories in beautiful images and colors on the city streets. Passing pedestrians can see her, seated with a brush and paints in hand, in front of some gray metal sheet featuring a silhouette of a cat watching a large glowing moon, or a delicate lady opening an umbrella to protect herself from the heavy rain.

"There must be something from childhood—one must keep it inside because that's where the colors and the feelings are brighter", says the artist.

As a little girl, she would take home every root or stone she found to transform it into a vibrant, animated object. ''So, over time, I realized I was breathing new life into them, just as I do with these electric switchboards. I like changing the environment, switching tranquility with noise, and vice versa. Everything else is boring’’, said Liliya. 

To this day, Liliya Zaharinova feels grateful to her grandmother for the talent she inherited.

''My grandmother lived in a village, raised two sons and had many household duties at that time. However, she had time to draw – Liliya recalls. – She could draw a whole bunch of people with a pencil. She liked the wedding guests the most—the drummer leading the crowd, followed by the man with the wedding flag (uruglitsa) and the young people dressed in beautiful clothes. It all looked incredibly beautiful''.

The artist split her time between Northwestern Bulgaria, where her roots are, and the capital city Sofia, where she studied. Following her father's advice, she completed a degree in Midwifery—only to realize that suffering should not mark her days: ''Yes, there are beautiful moments because children are born, but there are also tragedies'', said Liliya. Meanwhile, her parents retired and settled in the village of Karbintsi, and Liliya began to visit them more frequently.

She started a family in her favourite Northwestern region, choosing Belogradchik as her haven, a place for inspiration and creativity.

“Mayor Boyan Minkov came up with the idea to get sponsors to paint many electrical panels in Belogradchik, and that’s how it all started, –says Liliya Zaharinova in an interview with Radio Bulgaria.– It’s much more enjoyable for me when there is a story behind what I’m painting’’.

‘''Ideas come on their own when I talk to people and they share things that are significant to them”, says the artist.

Currently, Liliya Zaharinova is working on a large-scale project in the village of Oreshets near Belogradchik. There, a truck will soon appear on a large wall "in a beautiful setting with a very picturesque sunset". Recently, she completed an even more ambitious project in the village of Ruzhintsi on the occasion of an upcoming folklore festival.

 Under the dome of the nearly 15-meter-high stage, the artist painted people in traditional costumes dancing in the square, as well as the building of the former school. The most iconic painting among these expansive images is the three-meter-tall portrait of Hristo Botev on the wall of the eponymous high school in Belogradchik. Against the background of the portrait stand out the words of the poet: “He who falls in the fight for freedom, he does not die…’’

When asked which influences her more—the environment in which she will leave her artistic mark or the creative idea with which she will transform the surrounding space—Liliya Zaharinova responds:

“I would rather change the environment. It’s difficult to change people’s mentality, but there is still some benefit there because, by seeing art, they develop an appreciation for beauty. For example, they don’t tamper with the paintings on the electrical switchboards or glue posters on them, and over time, they learn that aesthetics should not be destroyed''.

As a street artist, Liliya Zaharinova can convey messages through her art and draw people’s attention to social issues, much like the world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy.

“I have had different ideas at different times” ­– the artist went on to say. – I would tell people to be kinder and to respect the environment they live in. But perhaps the main thing is to realize that we are all part of nature, and if we don’t take care of it, eventually it will retaliate. However, I don’t really want to paint these things on the electric switchboards because it would stress people out too much.”