Stefan Yordanov Lockdown Special

Multi-Media artist and sculptor Stefan Yordanov answers our lockdown special Q&A.

Right now I am working on... the restoration of a vintage Moto Guzzi motorbike which I was lucky to get two weeks ago.

At the moment I am working on... drawings and sketches, which might turn into new sculptures.

Over the course of lockdown, I have challenged myself to..  read books as much as I can.

My proudest moment during lockdown has been... teaching my daughter at home and seeing her progress.

Recently I’ve been inspired by.. the work of Antony Gormley’s huge human land art sculpture near Lelystad in the Netherlands called ‘Exposure’.

Lockdown has been great for my creativity because... the urban ‘noises’ were reduced and the often silent streets of Amsterdam contributed to contemplation and concentration


When I’m stuck for ideas... I usually would read a book relating to my research or would go trough my sketchbook.

I have always been fascinated by artists who... ‘touch’ eternal themes with their work, creating ‘magical’ combination between the content of their work and the chosen materials transmitting both intellectually and physically their message

Lockdown inspires me to try a new way of working because ... it forces me to make virtual presentations of my work

The biggest thing I have learnt in lockdown is... that the natural distance between communicating human beings is much less than 1.5 meters.

When I was a child I dreamt of... being Zorro…

My first job was... finishing the drawings of my father on his lithography stone in his studio

My first big love was... getting up early on the summer mornings and sneaking to my father's studio to print some etchings of mine.

The first piece of art I ever bought was... actually exchanging with colleague artist.

My favorite record cover of all time is .... ooh, they are soooo many but one I won’t forget is Primus with their album Frizzle Fry

If I could see any musician (past or present) performing live, it would be... Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

In the film of my life I would like to be played by...  a mix between Charles Chaplin and Johnny Depp.

My Avatar would be... a Tropical Fish or Leonardo da Vinci.

My guilty pleasure over lockdown has been... going to the seaside.

Over lockdown I’ve found myself cooking... a poached egg.

My lockdown routine includes... taking pictures of the empty city of Amsterdam.

The last thing I do before I go to bed each night is...  having a thought of a possible dream that might come up at night. 

The last thing I dreamt in lockdown was... biking trough fields.

I am currently reading...  Umberto Eco.

If I could be a mythical creature I would be... Icarus.

My grandmother always said… ‘stop lifting my blood pressure’ (while I was running around the garden with a bucket of water).

If I was offered a billion dollars on the condition I had to give it all away... I would return it to a billionaire asking him or her to donate the rent of it to a cultural organizations. 

Post-lockdown, the first place I plan to travel to is... Spain.

If air travel was no longer possible...  I would be hitchhiking. 

If I were a superhero I would be... my father or Han Solo.

And my costume would be... invisible.

If my art could work for a worthy cause...  I would dedicate it to create possibilities for young artists. 

I imagine the post-lockdown future to be... awareness of human warmth, solidarity and connection.

If I could live in any one period of time... I would choose the Renaissance.  

The most valuable lesson I have learned through lockdown is... that human (physical) contact is existential.

The craziest thing I have done this year was... trying to reach the end of the speedometer of my motorcycle. 

If I were to get a tattoo to remember my lockdown experience, it would be... two human figures and an arrow in between.

Now is the time for artists to go digital because... their audience goes digital too.

I do think artists have a responsibility to... push the boundaries and propose new and unexpected vision on different matters.

I do believe artists are best placed to...  understand the future before everyone else because they dare to imagine.

They say fact is stranger than fiction because... facts are subjective for interpretation.

If I wasn’t so busy making art... I would like to spent more time with the people I love.

In the next year I hope to achieve... realization of ideas that I carry for I long time.

Visit Stefan Yordanov's gallery of sculptures and multimedia installations.