Christo

After half an hour wandering around in the streets, I arrive at the corner of Bismarckstraße, where I feel attracted by two charming things - a small Italian cafe, pressed against a cosy picture shop. While sitting on the table with my cappuccino, I catch a glimpse of the shop window. Frames, digital works and digital copies of fashionable authors and ... ooh!? ... Lithographs of Christo! Can you imagine! Not at all expensive – what are 2-3000 euros for such work? In a corner shop for pictures!?

That’s how it began. I had to rearrange not only the perceptions of how things work, but also the scheme for reality evaluation.

In her letter to a friend of mine Jeanne-Claude writes that upon arriving in New York from Paris, they were welcomed by problems from a scale, they have not even suspected .... and goes on 11 pages further - Christo does not work with sponsors and galleries. He finances his projects by himself.

Did you get the idea? Christo is a brand! Like Gucci. D&G. Mercedes. In this coffee at Bismarckstraße I got the first clear insight and I understood. I learn from a master!

There was this guy interviewing Christo Yavashev.

- Why – he asked – you never come to Bulgaria?

- I have 10,000 clients worldwide, some of them are friends, but no single customer in Bulgaria. Whom should I come to and why?

The answer apparently was not satisfying and the guy insisted.

- You see - Christo told him - I make 18 thousand dollars per day. I have dedicated two hours to you.

Do not go to Berlin and avoid cafes and pictures shops. The danger to be confronted with reality is significant! Stay in your studio, search for inspiration, read art magazines, you can even become Master of Art! Expect with longing the gallerist, the curator and the critic who will understand you. And will sell you!!! And then ... oh, then, no doubt the uncle from America will come. And one day you will be in the top 10 of sales like Damien Hirst. However, you will not be a brand. You will not be a free master. You will be someone’s product. And the story about love of art will be over.