Pictures at bus stops remind us not to lose our connection with nature

Pictures of wild animals and flowers enlivened the bus stops in the municipalities of Momchilgrad, Chernoochene and Ivailovgrad. They were painted by artist Vencislav Yossifov-Jermain; the idea belongs to the foundation Rewilding Rhodopes.  

“Untamed nature in the Eastern Rhodopes has been preserved in a fairly pristine state,” says the artist in an interview with BNR-Kardzhali. The painting for every bus stop features different animals and plants that are typical of the specific region like European bison, Egyptian, griffon and black vulture, turtle, red deer, European ground squirrel. “When they see them people will remember every day that humans and nature are one whole,” says the author and adds that while he was working on a picture of a red deer at the bus stop in the village of Nanovitsa he was actually kept company by real deer and stags who were strolling around not 50 metres from humans.

“I try to venture into nature as often as I can because it restores my hope that we can live in better understanding with the animals around us,” says Vencislav Yossifov.

His attempts to bring nature closer to people’s lives in urban spaces have led to the creation of many beautiful pictures on the walls of residential buildings and schools in some of the major cities in the country. With his gigantic wall paintings Vencislav Yossifov says he wants to show how important it is not to lose our bond with nature and to seek all that is beautiful around us.

Compiled by Gergana Mancheva
Translated by Milena Daynova
Photos: Facebook/Rewilding Rhodopes, BNR-Kardzhali, Facebook/Art of Jermain