“If we manage to calculate how many of us are in the mood tolaugh, maybe we would conclude that 1st April – April Fools Day is too mucheven once a year? On the other hand, why do we need such a holiday, when everyday is April Fools Day?! Alas, in these times of global rigidity, stinginess,manipulation, alienation, times of lowered heads and erected walls, raised barsand closed curtains, these times of fear, hatred and vanity, it would not besuch a bad idea to stand before the mirror and try at least once a year tostretch our dried out lips due to their seldom use and through a smile see ourselvestoothless or having bad teeth and say: “This should be fixed, this needs afilling, maybe a dental bridge, or even new dentures!” That is the purpose ofhumor, satire and cartoon, so we can bite more soundly.”
Memo dedicated to 1st April - April Fools Day – Darko Markovich, cartoonist.
The project “April Fools Day ha, ha, ha…” is a commoninitiative with the Cultural Information Center of Bulgaria in Macedonia. Theidea is for each year on April Fools Day to have a joint exhibition of Macedonian and Bulgarian cartoonists. This first attempt welcomed the Macedonian cartoonists as follows: Darko Markovich, Mice Jankulovski, MiroslavGeorgievski- Miro and Dragan Popovski. The Bulgarian cartoonists representingtheir artwork were as follows: Chavdar Nikolov, Alla and Chavdar Georgievi andLjubomir Mihajlov. At the opening of the exhibition, Darko Markovich wasgranted a plaque for Special Contribution to World Cartoon and Grand Prix forLife Achievement “Golden Osten” (a sculpture by the sculptor Petar HadziBoshkov). Other recipients of plaques were Dragan Popovski, Alla and ChavdarGeorgievi and Ljubomir Mihajlov.
“April Fools Day ha,ha,ha…” is planned as a traditional evento be organized each 1st April at the Gallery OSTEN.