Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Aleksandra Ristovska (1981, Skopje), graduated at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje in 2005. In 2011 she obtained a Master's degree in Graphic Design, and in 2017 she received her Ph.D. at “St. Cyril and Methodius” University, at the Institute for Macedonian Literature, Department for Cultural Studies, in Skopje. Ristovska has staged several independent and group exhibitions: Belgrade (2022) Istanbul (2020) New York (2010), Berlin (2010), Vienna (2009), Beirut (2009), Amsterdam (2008), Belgrade (2006), Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje (2005, 2006, 2008). Thus far she has participated in several international projects and art residences (KulturKontakt Austria, European Cultural Foundation, Pro Helvetia Skopje. In her visual practice, social and existential issues expressed through traditional and interdisciplinary expressions are discernible. Since 2009 she has worked as a professor and Dean (2016-2019 and 2022 - Today) at Faculty of Art and Design (International Balkan University).
Since 2017 Prof. Aleksandra Ristovska was mentor of 30 student diploma projects, 3 Master projects defense. Ristovska was member of the commission for diploma defense in more projects.
Secretariat
I am an Associate Professor of Graphic Design and Visual Communication at the Faculty of Art and Design, International Balkan University in Skopje, North Macedonia.
My academic and professional work focuses on graphic design, visual communication, visual semiotics, cultural identity, typography, visual culture, and the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and creative practice.
My research examines how graphic design reflects and constructs cultural identity, with particular attention to Macedonian and Balkan visual culture. My recent work explores visual symbolism, film posters, postage stamps, ethics in graphic design, AI-generated art, and visual ideation.
Alongside research, I teach and develop courses across graphic design, typography, branding, packaging, illustration, digital design, prepress, web design, 3D visualization, and emerging technologies.
I currently coordinate the MA programme in Graphic Design and contribute to curriculum development, academic mentoring, research, and international collaboration.
Research Interests
Graphic Design • Visual Communication • Visual Semiotics • Cultural Identity • Visual Culture • Typography • Design History • AI & Design • Graphic Design Ethics • Balkan Visual Culture
Academic Identifiers
ORCID: 0009-0003-7997-7833
Web of Science ResearcherID: PJC-2159-2026
Editorial Board
Maja Gjureska began her studies at the Accademia Italiana in Florence, and continued her education at The Faculty of Art and Design at the European University in Skopje, where she obtained a degree MA in Fashion Design in 2013. She began her academic career at EURM and counts 16 years of experience in higher education, with educational and pedagogical experience acquired in three higher educational institutions in Skopje. During her academic career she has been appointed: Coordinator for the Fashion design department, FAD, EURM; Coordinator for career development and practical practice; Coordinator for the study program of Fashion design, FAD, IBU; Coordinator for Erasmus. Gjureska has been a member of different committees as well as member of University Senate and currently she is a member of the Committee of Textile, Leather and Similar Products (MQF and EQF). Within the scope of her professional activities, she is the author of numerous nominated and award-winning costume design solutions for theatre, stage performance and film. She organized and realized a large number of projects and workshops in the fields of art, design and inclusion, with domestic and international visibility.
Ali Can is born in Istanbul in 1977, the artist completed his undergraduate degree in Graphic Design at Marmara University Faculty of Fine Arts in 2000. He went on to complete his master's degree at the same university's Institute of Fine Arts in 2008. In 2006, he started working as a research assistant at Marmara University Institute of Fine Arts. Additionally, he completed his proficiency in art education at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University's Institute of Social Sciences in 2017.In 2019, he became an associate professor. Throughout his career, the artist has participated in numerous group exhibitions and workshops both in Turkey and internationally. Some notable exhibitions include the International Print Biennial in Macedonia in 1998, the 68th State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition in Ankara and Istanbul in 2008, and the "Made by Artist" Paper Works Exhibition in Paris, France, in 2018. He has also received several awards for his work, including the Success Award at the Shahneshin Foundation's "Shrinkage" Poster Competition in Switzerland in 2006, and the First Prize at the "Art Bosphorus" Painting Competition in Istanbul in 2007. Aside from his artistic practice, the artist has also been involved in organizing exhibitions, serving as a curator for the Marmara University Faculty of Fine Arts' Original Printmaking exhibition at the Kadıköy Municipality Youth Center in Istanbul in 2018. He has also served as a jury member for various art competitions, including the International "City Aesthetics" Poster Competition in Samsun in 2016. In terms of academic contributions, he has taught courses in Graphic Printmaking, Serigraphy, Typography, and Graphic Design at the undergraduate and graduate levels at various universities in Istanbul.
Born 1978 in Skopje, Macedonia. Gain his MA at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (graphic design department) at 2002. The same year he began his post master studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, Poland at the department of Multimedia and Design. In 2003 as a Fulbright PhD scholar initiates a research related to the role of the symbols and iconography of the Balkan region.
His works have been shown at 5 solo and more than 50 group exhibition of graphic design, posters worldwide – Warsaw, Moscow, Lahti, Paris, New York, Mexico, Sofia, Zagreb, Belgrade, Prague, China, etc. Holds a honorable award of the AUG Czech Association of Graphic Design.
Member of ICO-D; programme committe of Warsaw Poster Biennale; Creative Business Cup, ICDEE-A, co-founder of Skopje Design Week and partner till 2013. Program director of Skopje Creative Festival 2015 and national coordinator for creative industries at the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia from 2013 till 2017 and consultant for World Bank PRODE programme in Montenegro.
Since 2007, he has curated, organized and carried out more than 50 social design and visual communication projects and exhibitions. He participated in many conferences around Europe, held lectures and workshops, served as an international juror to many European and worldwide design related events, renewed festivals, competitions and conferences.
Former vice dean at the Faculty of Design and multimedia, UDG at Podgorica, Montenegro since 2013 till 2016.
Former director of the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Skopje (april 2016 – august 2017).
Works as an Associate professor at the Faculty of Art and Design at International Balkan University in Skopje.
Džemil Bektović was born in 1966 in Gostivar, North Macedonia, completed primary and secondary school in Skopje, and graduated in 1990 at the Faculty of Philosophy, Department of history of art and archelogy, in Skopje. In 2005, he enrolled in master's studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje at the Department of Art History, taking a master's degree in the field of Contemporary Art in the field of History of Design. During his master's studies, he is engaged in numerous projects in the domain of his scientific field and design, and is an active member of the Center for Visual Communication. In 2008, he enrolled in doctoral studies at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Novi Pazar and defended his doctoral dissertation "Interior aspects of sacred buildings in Ottoman architecture in the 15th and 16th centuries in the Balkans". Since 2020 he is actively member of the Commission for International cooperation and Commission for archeology at Ministry of culture of Republic of North Macedonia. In this period dr. Džemil Bektović is seriously engaged in scientific and research work, publishes a large number of texts in the domain of theory, history and philosophy of art in various scientific journals, and is a participant in numerous symposia where he has very notable papers. Since 2017 prof. Dzemil Bektovic is full professor of History, Philosophy and Theory of art in the areas of Art, Design and Architecture at International Balkan University in Skopje. Several times he was an external lecturer and visiting professor at different universities in the country, but also in other countries, such as the Norway, Serbia and Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Lenka Sýkorová, Associate Professor, Ph.D. (1977, Prague) is an art historian, critic and curator of contemporary fine art. She studied the History of Art at the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University in Prague, received her PhD (2012) and Associate Professor (2022) from the Faculty of Art and Design of the J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. She has been the curator of the Altán Klamovka Gallery in Prague since 2004. She is the creator of the project Action Galleries. More information can be found at actiongalleries.info. Since 2014 she has been focused on the medium – drawing. More information in the book Postkonceptuální přesahy v české kresbě (Post-conceptual Overlaps of Czech Drawing). She is the co-author of the project Virtual Biennial Prague focusing on the International author's poster in the field of social topics. Curator of exhibitions in the Czech Republic - The Brno House of Arts, 2016, Regional Gallery of Highlands in Jihlava, 2017, Regional Gallery in Liberec, 2018–2019, in Slovakia - Ján Koniarek Gallery in Trnava, Synagogue - Center for Contemporary Art, 2017 and in China - Pingyao Modern Engineering Technology School Gallery, Pingyao, Shanxi, 2018. She lectured at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Brno University of Technology in the years 2009–2011. She has been active in the Department of the History and Theory of Art in the Faculty of Art and Design of the J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem since 2009. In the years 2018–2019 she graduated six-month research mobility within the project U21 – Quality Human Resources for Strengthening the International Environment at the Academy of Fine Art and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia. In autumn 2019 she led lectures and workshops at four Academies of Fine Arts in China with focusing on drawing and graphic design. She regularly publishes in periodical and other publications (Flash Art, Artalk).
Svitlana Pryshchenko is a distinguished scholar and professor in the field of art and design, currently serving at the Design Department of the State University of Infrastructure and Technologies in Kyiv, Ukraine. With a rich academic background, she holds a Dr. Hab. in Art Studies (2019) and Design (2014), and a Ph.D. in Technical Aesthetics (2008).
Her research interests encompass a broad spectrum, including cross-cultural interaction, media studies, poster design, design theory and methodology, art history, digital media, visual culture, and the use of color in advertising communications.
Throughout her career, Prof. Pryshchenko has been recognized for her contributions to the field, being a member of both the Designers Union in Ukraine since 2003 and the International Colour Association since 2021.
She has participated in numerous scientific internships and fellowships across Europe, including the European Humanities University, the Institute of Slavistics at LMU Munich, and the Fundacja Central European Academy Studies and Certifications in Poland. Her work has been showcased through various project competitions and scientific publications, earning her accolades and recognition within the academic community.
Prof. Pryshchenko's published works reflect her deep engagement with the aesthetic and communicative aspects of media culture and color, with significant contributions to the understanding of advertising graphics and visual language. Her notable publications include monographs on advertising graphics and the visual language of color, as well as articles in internationally recognized journals such as SCOPUS and WEB OF SCIENCE.
In her ongoing pursuit of knowledge and innovation, Svitlana Pryshchenko continues to explore the intersections of art, design, and cultural studies, making significant strides in her field and contributing to the global discourse on visual communication and design.
Iralı graduated from Istanbul University's Economics Department in 2011. In 2014, he obtained a Master's degree from the Journalism Department at the same university. He also completed his doctoral studies at Istanbul University in the Radio-TV and Cinema Department in 2019. Between 2011 and 2015, he worked as a 3D Designer at Istanbul University. From 2017 to 2020, he served in various roles at Nisantasi University, including Research Assistant in the Journalism Department, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Art & Design and ultimately Head of Communication Design. In 2021, he moved to Istanbul Aydın University, joining the Fine Arts Faculty in the Cartoon & Animation Department. During this period, he coordinated education programs specifically designed for individuals aged 60 and above within the unique models of third-age universities in Turkey. He also conducted various social responsibility projects aimed at disabled students. Additionally, he has been a regular columnist for Para Dergisi (a weekly economics magazine) since 2018, concentrating on the economics of e-sports. In 2023, he was honored with an associate professorship in Communication Studies, focusing on Digital Communication, New Communication Technologies and Communication Economics by the Turkish Interuniversity Board. Additionally, in 2023, his project under TÜBİTAK's 1512 Individual Young Entrepreneurship Program (BİGG) was accepted and with the investment support of the Türkiye Development Fund, he became a co-founder of an educational technologies company named VATUT Tech Inc..
Alexander Gerginov is a Bulgarian fashion designer and artist. He holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, specializing in Fashion, and defended his PhD dissertation in 2015. In 2003, he completed a specialization in Fashion at the University of Trier, Germany. Since 2006, he has been teaching fashion illustration and fashion design projects at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. In recent years, he has conducted lectures and workshops in fashion illustration and experimental drawing methods in Bulgaria, Germany and Lithuania.
As a fashion designer, he has worked for various fashion brands, created stage costumes for pop performers and dancers, and participated in numerous fashion shows and exhibitions. In 2009, he launched his own fashion project, Ham&Eggs. His love for fine and applied arts has been showcased in numerous exhibitions, art projects, films, and theater productions in Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, Japan, Russia, Czech Republic, England, Serbia, North Macedonia, Switzerland, Albania, Turkey, South Africa, and the USA.
Nirbhay Rana is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design at IILM University, Gurugram, with over 17 years of academic and research experience in design, sustainability, and cultural knowledge systems. His research focuses on sustainable fashion, circular economy, and ESG, with a particular emphasis on ethnographic and community-based studies of artisan networks, traditional knowledge systems, and cultural sustainability. He also explores the integration of indigenous practices into contemporary design education, as well as intersections between AI in marketing, business ethics, and alternative fashion systems.
He is the author of Threaded Harmony: A Sustainable Approach to Fashion (Emerald) and serves as Regional Editor (Asia) for Bloomsbury Fashion Business Cases (Bloomsbury Publishing). He is also a member of multiple editorial and reviewer boards, including the Journal of Sustainable Marketing (Luminous Insights, Scopus), International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, Sustainable Futures (Elsevier), Journal of Business Ethics (Springer, FT50), Springer Nature, and the Journal of Comprehensive Business Administration Research (Bon View Publishing).