The Winner Loses All
The Winner Loses All /На победителя му взимат всичко
Schmincke oils on canvas. Size: 110 x 100 cm, Anton Terziev, 2020
Photo: © the artist
Courtesy the author
From No Time For Losers seria (2019-)
Title credit: Svetoslav Todorov - journalist, editor and writer
Last shown at Success and Succession solo exhibition ot Balabanov's house, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 2020
(photomaterial used- Medalist gymnastics teen girl holding medal, stock image in depositphotos.com)
В серията “С губещите не се занимаваме” изследвам това – какво ти се отнема, какво-къде плащаш, кой конструира съдържанието на успеха, като символ и метафора, какъв е неговият срок на годност. Правя го през добре познатия, задължително улавян от спортните фотографи момент на триумф. Стоп-кадър, в който разглеждам ролевите взаимоотношения в оста награда-награден-награждаващ.
Удрям спирачка на въртележката за бърз, незабавен, instagrammable успех. Това понятие е гробница. Забележителен пантеон, в който преди да легнеш цял живот грижливо обзавеждаш – награди, CV-придобивки, красоти.
Който иска да е „релевантен участник на процесите“ знае – уязвимост, ранимост и чувствителност миришат на провал, не те правят конкурентноспособен на пазара. Както е в спорта, чиято категоричност заемам в цикъла.
Трябва отрано да следваш правилната линия/коридор. Да не се окаже, че се състезаваш на ниво, ама извън игрището, или още по-зле – извън камерите, отразяващи играта на игрището.
The Winner Loses All - oil on canvas, detail Photo: © the artist
In the series No Time for Losers I examine just that – what it takes from you, what and whom you pay, who constructs the content of success as a symbol and metaphor, what is its shelf life? I do it through the well-known moment of triumph, mandatory for sport photographers. A freeze-frame, in which I comment on the role interrelations between the award, the awardee and the award presenter.
I hit the brakes on the rat race for quick, immediate, instagrammable success. This concept is like a tomb. A remarkable pantheon, which you furnish meticulously with awards, trophies in your CV and what not, to the last day of your life.
Whoever wants to be a „relevant participant in the processes“ knows that things like vulnerability, exposedness and sensitivity smell of failure, they don’t make you competitive on the market. Like in sports, whose direct aesthetics I borrow for my series.
From an early age, you have to run in the right lane or track. Lest you compete on top level but outside of the field, or even worse – out of the range of the cameras reporting the game from the pitch.
The Winner Loses All - oil on canvas, detail Photo: © the artist
Anton Terziev’s *The Winner Loses All* emerges from his ongoing series *No Time for Losers*, a body of work that examines the paradoxical nature of triumph in contemporary culture. The painting depicts a young champion—likely a gymnast—clutching multiple gold medals, her gaze both proud and introspective. Through lush, textured oil paint and a bold, vibrant palette, Terziev investigates the tension between the glory of victory and the toll that relentless striving for first place can exact.
The central figure is placed against a profusion of pink and soft pastel hues, reminiscent of an abundant floral background. This lively backdrop suggests a celebratory atmosphere, yet it also subtly encroaches upon the subject, nearly engulfing her form. The thick impasto brushstrokes not only provide a dynamic surface quality but also allude to the weight—emotional and physical—of the champion’s many achievements. Terziev’s color choices oscillate between the warmth of flesh tones and the cool intensity of saturated blues and pinks, highlighting the contradictory feelings that can accompany public triumph.
In art historical traditions, portraits of winners often glorify the sitter, with medals and trophies acting as unequivocal symbols of success. Here, however, Terziev complicates that convention by imbuing the scene with an undertone of fatigue or contemplation. The girl’s pose is one of offering, as if she is presenting her medals to the viewer. This gesture can be interpreted in two ways: as a triumphant display or a relinquishing of burdens. The title, *The Winner Loses All*, intensifies the idea that every victory might come at a cost—whether physical, emotional, or psychological. By emphasizing the child’s youth, Terziev questions the pressures and expectations placed upon young athletes, implicitly critiquing the broader culture of high-stakes competition.
Terziev’s expressive brushwork recalls Post-Impressionist techniques, particularly in the way color is applied in thick daubs and dynamic strokes. Yet he modernizes this painterly approach with a sharp, contemporary sensibility. The flattening of space and energetic layering of color create a dreamlike environment that bridges the gap between portraiture and symbolic landscape. This method situates the figure in an almost theatrical setting, reinforcing the notion that the spectacle of victory is often staged, observed, and scrutinized.
Within the larger series *No Time for Losers*, *The Winner Loses All* fits neatly into Terziev’s interrogation of success-driven culture. The series title itself suggests a societal impatience for anything but the top result, leaving little room for mistakes or second place. This painting, then, can be read as both a personal vignette—one young athlete’s story—and a broader commentary on how we define and measure accomplishment.
*The Winner Loses All* stands as a visually arresting meditation on the dual nature of victory. Through a vivid, almost celebratory palette and richly textured brushstrokes, Anton Terziev deftly balances the allure of achievement with the weight of its demands. By capturing a fleeting moment—when the thrill of winning intersects with the looming question of “what next?”—the painting speaks to the universal experience of striving and sacrifice, making it a resonant work both within Terziev’s ongoing series and within the wider tradition of figurative art.