Few days ago, Atanas, promoting his Art Exhibition placed numerous billboards in Skopje which caused an avalanche of reactions from Greece, but not much in Macedonia. On the billboards, Atanas showed the Greek flag with the Swastika replacing the cross, and in the middle of it placed his family, expelled from Aegean Macedonia by the Greek Authorities 60 years ago. Atanas named the photo "60 years exodus". Botev is widely regarded as an artist of the future, ahead of his peers, who with his art decodes, transcends, and looks into the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis we are facing. He is not enslaved and does not follow any styles nor standards set by peers or society in general. He redefines reality, puts the viewer in a position to feel courage, anger, cinism, humor, and most importantly to think.

-It is a sad day when art is used for political purposes. After all, anything can be and is used for political purposes. What is the point of free speech, particularly for an artist when this is happening? Art Spiegelman for his graphic strip "Maus" where he portrayed the suffering of his parents in the Holocaust, won the Pulitzer. Germany did not react, rather it gave him an award. No one used his parent's suffering in the Holocaust for political purposes. 

Why did you choose the Greek flag with the swastika, and your family on it for your billboards?
-Whatever photo I choose would have created an avalanche of reactions. All of my photos are in a way provocative, obscene, obscure.

The billboards caused a protest note from Greece. There were no reactions from Macedonian citizens. This photo is very personal for you...

-This year is the 60 year anniversary of the Macedonian exodus from Aegean Macedonia. On the photo I put my family, the photo was taken right before they were deported in 1948. The photo is an intimate story and dedication to my family and thousands of other families who were forced out of their homes and moved into different countries all over the world.

Do you feel some sort of freedom when you show the public what have you been working for the past years ?

-I suppose you can say this is in a way, a type of therapy. A creative way to channel your energy and the inner self. The end result after two years of difficult work are photos whose positive energetic feedback offers the catharsic feeling and brings joy in our every day entropy.

From your photos you speak of themes of deconstruction, painful questions for humanity, the dark side of the priesthood, sexual deviancy, homosexuality, drugs, luxury. What draws you in these themes?

-An artist, today, can't think of ones self. Rather, you turn to the world, enter it and change it. An artist is simply a part of society's processes, and with it must react to whatever you are surrounded by, transforming your feeling into a photo, painting, illustration. In my pieces I look into different aspects of human living: from terrorism, globalism, sexual deviations, expansions of narcocism to popular culture (strip, film).

The themes in your photo, are darker, with apocalyptic future for mankind, but still you give a dose of cinism, hope and humor. How do you see the future, and can artists influence the present and history?

- Although we can't influence the world stage events, we are capable of starting up public debates, rethinking of certain thoughts and opinions in different spheres.