Kiro Urdin (Macedonian: Киро Урдин; born 1945 in Strumica, Macedonia) is a visual, multimedia artist and film director. He is the artistic founder of the Planetarism movement. He represented France at the French Festival in Tapei, and the Republic of Macedonia at the Thessaloniki - Culture Capital of Europe ’97 event in Greece. His ballet 'Planetarium' (with Debbie Wilson) and his film of the same name were performed at the United Nations 60th Anniversary. He is a member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Knight Order in the Order of Art and Literature of the French Republic.
Kiro is a citizen of both Macedonia and France.
Early years Kiro Urdin was born May 12, 1945, to Mihail Urdinov (Macedonian: Михаил Урдинов) and Makedonka (Македонка). He is the youngest of 5 children: brothers - Kostadin (1930) – a writer, Dragan (1932) – an innovator, Vasil (1935) – sculptor, gallery and restaurant owner), and a sister Katarina (1941).
Kiro initially set out to be a lawyer. He graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School in 1969. From 1971-1973 he worked as a journalist.
In October 1973 he moved to Paris and painted tourists, since he was doing it without permission his work permit was taken. It was at that point he decided to make painting his life. Then, he enrolled at the Academy of Arts Plastiques in Paris, and in 1977, he graduated as a director from the Paris Film School. From 1982-1984, he worked as an independent painter in France, the United States, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Taiwan.
Career Beginnings Kiro has been painting professionally since 1985. He is known for his contemporary art paintings which have been exhibited worldwide since 1986. His art has been exhibited in cities like Yokohama, Los Angeles, London, Stockholm and Bratislava. His most famous work to date is Planetarium, a 48 square meter oil on canvas and the first painting to be worked on all over the world.
In 1988, Kiro went to New York and Hollywood to pursue his film ambitions. There he directed four films, one of which was The Art of Kiro Urdin.
The Planetarium Project
In 1996 Kiro embarked on an epic journey around the world, in a pursuit to create the first painting to be worked on all over the world. His idea was to incorporate a piece from every place he visited, thus symbolically bringing the world together in one undivided unity. It took him two years and over thirty locations, from big urban cities to ancient world sites: the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and the Tomb of Jesus Christ, New York, The Berlin Wall, Nerezi, Ohrid, Brussels, Knokke-le-Zoute, Bruges, Paris, Rome, Pompeii, Pisa, the Suez Canal, London, Stonehenge, Athens, Cape Soúnion, the Nile, the Great Pyramids in Giza, Kenya (Masai Mara), Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Bangkok, Peking (the Forbidden City) and the Great Wall of China, Tokyo, Kamakura, Mont Saint-Michel, Nuenenn and Eindhoven. The result of Kiro's two-year journey was a 48m2 oil painting which he entitled Planetarium.
A film crew was hired to document the effort. A documentary film entitled Planetaruim, was subsequently released. Directed by Ivan Mitevski, it won Best Documentary at the New York International Independent Film and Documentary Festival in 2005.
Also a monograph with photos taken during the two-year trip by Marin Dimevski, was released simultaneously with the movie.
Today the painting is in courtesy of the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum in Bratislava.
Collaboration with choreographer Debbie Wilson Urdin was in the process of taking his painting, Planetarium, to more than 30 countries, and he would add dabs of colour in each new locale. After seeing the painting choreographer Debbie Wilson approached Kiro and proposed to expand the Planetarium experience through a new medium – dance. Macedonian composer Venko Serafimov was called on board to compose the music for the dance. The dance features eight dancers from Wilson’s own troupe, a local Toronto contemporary dance company, and seven from the classically trained Macedonian National Theatre. In an interview for Now Toronto, Debbie admits this kind of setup made the show something of a logistical nightmare.
Planetarium dance premiered in Toronto Dance Theater, Canada, and since it has been performed in Ohrid, Heraclea, Skopje, Chicago, Ankara, and during the commemoration of the United Nations 60th anniversary in Geneva.
Planetarism and Beyond Kiro’s work has evolved beyond traditional media like film and paintings to include dance, sculpture, literature, photography, philosophy and design. So far, Kiro has published 15 books with aphorisms, one book of poetry entitled ‘Novel’. ‘Light’, a poem from the book was selected for the Pushkin Festival in Moscow.
Kiro has been driven in his efforts by one unifying philosophy: to bridge different cultures together, and to bring all art forms into one. Or as he puts it into his own words, as he defines the slogan of the Planetarism movement: “One Point everywhere, everything in one point. One Art everywhere, everything in one Art.”
Filmography Urdin's filmography includes the following: Year Film Director Writer Details Notes 1971 Pishta Film 35 mm, 12 min, OSMOSA Production 1994 I love you, Iban Film 16mm, 25 min, MRTV Production Cinematographer 1998 L’art de Kiro Urdin Ivan Mitevski Ivan Mitevski Film 16mm, 20 min, MRTV Production Planetarium Kiro Urdin,Ivan Mitevski Film 35mm, 57 min, Kiro Urdin & MRTV Production Appearing as himself 2002 Dogona Film 16mm, 26 min, OSMOSA Production 2004 Debbie Wilson and Planetarium Film 16mm, 35 min, OSMOSA Production 2005 Kiro Urdin at Guy Peters Gallery, Saint-Paul-de-Vence Ivan Mitevski Ivan Mitevski Full HD film, 34 min, OSMOSA & MRTV Production Appearing as himself 2007 Dogs and Trains Full HD film, 34 min, OSMOSA Production 2008 Water and Fire Full HD film, 60 min, OSMOSA Production 2011 Two Times Full HD film, 44 min, OSMOSA Production 2012 Steps Full HD film, 15 min, OSMOSA Production
Books Urdin has authored the following books: Year Book Description 1973 Двојници Aphorisms & Caricatures 1999 Planetarisms Aphorisms 2008 Consequences Aphorisms 2008 Dimensions Aphorisms 2008 Destinies Aphorisms 2009 Novel Poetry 2011 Crevices Aphorisms 2011 Egoisms Aphorisms 2011 Irregularities Aphorisms 2012 Universe Aphorisms 2012 Paradoxes Aphorisms 2012 Avant-Gards Aphorisms 2012 Mutants Aphorisms 2012 Women Aphorisms 2012 Friend Aphorisms 2012 Smiles Aphorisms
Awards and nominations During the course of his film career, Kiro has received many awards and nominations. Year Title Festival Award Status 1998 Planetarium 38th Festival de TV de Monte-Carlo Best Documentary 2005 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Best Documentary 2012 Vaasa International Nature Film Festival Terranova Artistic Award 2008 Water and Fire International Film Festival Jahorina Grand Prix 2009 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Best International Director of a Documentary 2009 Best Cinematography 2009 European Film Festival Green Wave Grand Prix 2009 International Film Festival Ohrid Grand Prix 2005 Dogona Rose Dor Official selection 2012 European Film Festival Green Wave Special Jury Award 2012 Two Times China International Animal and Nature Film Festival Best Natural Environment Film 2012 Vaasa International Nature Film Festival The Ostrobothnia Australis Award
References
External links
A Slovakian Contemporary Art Museum Girds for Expansion