Drawings on thermal rescue blankets, video art and the first mixed reality installation in Bulgaria are merged into one in Theodore Ushev’s most recent visual design project, In the mirror, dimly.

The project challenges the viewers to search for the hidden message, the meaning beyond the visible, the alternative point of view. It addresses the concept of individual and social fear and hypocrisy, of salvation and annihilation as individual and social acts.

The project features the first immersive installation to be put up in Bulgaria, which will introduce viewers to one of the most innovative and attractive trends in visual art with the help of a special helmet and goggles. They let the viewers into an alternative environment through optical illusion creating the impression that viewers are part of the action they see through the goggles.

Ushev has used mixed reality experimental technology in one of his modules. Mixed reality technology uses digital 3D pictures and images in a way that mixes them with the viewer’s surroundings. This results in an interactive experience of mixing the real and the virtual world where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time.

Besides the mixed reality video, Theodore Ushev will also create a film within the framework of the project In the mirror, dimly, which may be seen at the gallery, as well as an exhibition of the objects with the images they were created from.

Exploring the themes of vanity, deception, and salvation as a personal and social act, the artist ‘labels’ his drawings using hidden messages made visible exclusively through ultraviolet light. Using periphrases of and references to the books of Ecclesiastes and Corinthians, In the mirror, dimly contemplates the meaning and meaninglessness of life beyond the visible.

The artist has applied innovative technology specially developed for the installation by the Danish studio NVRMIND. The installation features sound bites by Angela Merkel, Boyko Borisov, Vladimir Putin, Volen Siderov, Donald Trump, Cornelia Ninova.

In the mirror, dimly is the first big solo project developed by Ushev in our country outside cinematography. Commissioned by governmental and private organizations, the artist has realized similar initiatives, exhibitions and installations in various venues around the world, including the Barbican in London /England/, the Museum of Civilization in Quebec /Canada/, Centraal Museum, Utrecht /the Netherlands/, Ljubljana /Slovenia/, Tokyo /Japan/, San Francisco /USA/, Annecy /France/, etc.

The project In the mirror, dimly was granted funding under the Culture Program of the Capital City Municipal Council, which worked in partnership with the Sofia City Art Gallery and the National Film Board of Canada. The exhibition was organized by the Moments Foundation and Kids House.

Producer and organizer: Desislava Bineva
Programming: Milan Grazetski, Dario Seib

Curator: Adelina Fileva

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