Kiro Urdin


Kiro Urdin 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' 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.
Kiro is a citizen of both Macedonia and France.

Early years

Kiro Urdin was born May 12, 1945 to Mihail Urdinov and Makedonka. He is the youngest of 5 children: brothers - Kostadin – a writer, Dragan – an innovator, Vasil, and a sister Katarina.
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, Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Bangkok, Peking 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.

Planetarsm 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:
YearFilmDirectorWriterDetailsNotes
1971PishtaFilm 35 mm, 12 min, OSMOSA Production
1994I love you, IbanFilm 16mm, 25 min, MRTV ProductionCinematographer
1998L’art de Kiro UrdinIvan MitevskiIvan MitevskiFilm 16mm, 20 min, MRTV Production
1998PlanetariumKiro Urdin,
Ivan Mitevski		Film 35mm, 57 min, Kiro Urdin & MRTV ProductionAppearing as himself
2002DogonaFilm 16mm, 26 min, OSMOSA Production
2004Debbie Wilson and PlanetariumFilm 16mm, 35 min, OSMOSA Production
2005Kiro Urdin at Guy Peters Gallery, Saint-Paul-de-VenceIvan MitevskiIvan MitevskiFull HD film, 34 min, OSMOSA & MRTV ProductionAppearing as himself
2007Dogs and TrainsFull HD film, 34 min, OSMOSA Production
2008Water and Fire Full HD film, 60 min, OSMOSA Production
2011Two Times Full HD film, 44 min, OSMOSA Production
2012Steps Full HD film, 15 min, OSMOSA Production

Books

Urdin has authored the following books:
YearBookDescription
1973ДвојнициAphorisms & Caricatures
1999PlanetarismsAphorisms
2008ConsequencesAphorisms
2008DimensionsAphorisms
2008DestiniesAphorisms
2009NovelPoetry
2011CrevicesAphorisms
2011EgoismsAphorisms
2011IrregularitiesAphorisms
2012UniverseAphorisms
2012ParadoxesAphorisms
2012Avant-GardsAphorisms
2012MutantsAphorisms
2012WomenAphorisms
2012FriendAphorisms
2012SmilesAphorisms

Awards and nominations

During the course of his film career, Kiro has received many awards and nominations.
YearTitleFestivalAwardStatus
1998Planetarium38th Festival de TV de Monte-CarloBest Documentary
2005PlanetariumNew York International Independent Film and Video FestivalBest Documentary
2012PlanetariumVaasa International Nature Film FestivalTerranova Artistic Award
2008Water and FireInternational Film Festival JahorinaGrand Prix
2009Water and FireNew York International Independent Film and Video FestivalBest International Director of a Documentary
2009Water and FireNew York International Independent Film and Video FestivalBest Cinematography
2009Water and FireEuropean Film Festival Green WaveGrand Prix
2009Water and FireInternational Film Festival OhridGrand Prix
2005DogonaRose DorOfficial selection
2012DogonaEuropean Film Festival Green WaveSpecial Jury Award
2012Two TimesChina International Animal and Nature Film FestivalBest Natural Environment Film
2012Two TimesVaasa International Nature Film FestivalThe Ostrobothnia Australis Award