To Me, To You
Opening: October 11th, 2022, 7:00 pm
On display: 11-30.10.2022
Location: underground parking, metro station "Inter EXPO Center" (level 2, entrance from the metro station)
The most frequently asked question when we meet one another is "How are you?", and the most frequently received answers after that are "Fine" or "So-so". Sounds about right?
The immersive installation "To Me, To You" is the answer to the above question which we do not want to hear, but in most cases, we do not want to give either. “To Me, To You” is also an answer related to this dark place that is scarier than a switched-off lamp in a nursery room. A place where, if we haven't been - we wouldn't want to be, and if it happened and we know it, then we thank ourselves for still being who we are, and we can allow ourselves to simply answer back "Bad" when needed.
Depression - this truly heavy state of the mind, the spirit, and the body is to be found in every illustration of "To Me, To You". The entire art of the exhibition is signed with pain, fear, anger, apathy, resignation, alienation, loneliness, insomnia, and thousands of other states of the mind that our demons dig up from the most intimate corners within us to show us that we are vulnerable. We will trace the very ugly path along which our feet mentally tear each pair of shoes, trying to pass through there and reach the cherished "I'm fine, I'm really fine".
Depression is a silent place filled with deafening screams. This is also the reason why Mihaela (Stalker Since 1993) and Borislava (Borislava Made It) Karadzhovi integrated sound design in the illustrations so that the next person on this path could pass knowing that even after the most devastating storm there is a sun waiting to rise. The illustrators, also known as Sisters in draw, placed at the center of the upcoming exhibition exactly this mental state, lifting the veil of ignorance and opening a place for empathy, compassion, and, above all, the help that is needed in such times.
In this mission, they are joined by the artists Gena, Grigovor, and Mila Robert, who will contribute to the visual experience of the illustrations with specially created lyrics and sound design. Another proof of this very special and necessary work on the idea of Mihaela and Borislava is the short film by Martin Grahovski. The film documents the work on the project of the illustrators, it captures the entire process from idea to realization, as well as the art residency preceding the exhibition. There, all participating artists share personal stories related to depression and develop a collaborative process.
This exhibition is the beginning of erasing the mechanical response and being ready to say and hear, honestly, what comes after "how are you?"
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The project is part of the art program of Visionary for 2022 and is realized with the financial support of the National Fund "Culture" - program "One-year grant" - 2021, "Program for the restoration and development of private cultural organizations" - 2021, and the financial support of the Cultural program of Sofia Municipality. Partners of the project are MP Studio; Vox Music; Unicef Bulgaria; SuperhostingBG; Sofia Mobility Center; iPrint.
Photos: Mihaela Draganova, Lubo Bachev, Still images from the movie by Martin Grahovski