Warning! The object Observes

self portrait, 2019 glas UV glue, 150 cm

big pupils, 2019 glass UV glue, 150 cm

infrared camera, 2019 glas UV glue, 96 cm

greenscreen webcam, 2019 glass UV glue, 96 cm

behind me, 2019 glas UV glue, 96 cm

front of you - without light, 2019 glass UV glue, 72 cm

front of you, 2019 glass UV glue, 72 cm

Opening: July 13, Saturday, 7:30pm

The works in Anton Stoianov’s exhibition are made specifically for Structura Gallery. This is the first solo show of the artist in Sofia.

The shown works are part of the series that Anton Stoianov started in 2018, after a specialization at the Glaser-Innung (The Glazier’s Guild) in Berlin. In order to create them he uses glass, mirrors and pigments. Mirror surfaces add an extra dimension to the otherwise flat objects, incorporating the surroundings, and the constantly changing environment into the image. With their colour variations, the works also change the space, reflecting it differently at various hours of the day. The kaleidoscopic vision is perceived throughout the spectrum, from euphoric elation to schizophrenic darkness with an apocalyptic sensibility. The vivid resemblance to planets once again highlights the deeper message – the world is predictable, the cosmos is infinite, we are part of it, and every action of ours is important.

In his new works, the artist develops his idea in the direction of viewing and seeing, both within daily practices and on a planetary scale. At the centre of the show, the viewer finds himself between two huge eyes. They remind us of video surveillance, but they also point us to the all-seeing eye (the eye of providence), which is far beyond the earthly order. The artist masterfully blends one of the most prevalent problems of our time – constant observation, monitoring and privacy infringement, with the divine providence – representing spiritual truth and awakening, employing the opposing poles as outlines the project. In addition, the “camouflage” paintings reinforce the idea of ​​time mimicry and our own fluctuations, internal “shifts”, uncertainties and anxieties. The name of the exhibition also serves as a warning – we observe the works, but they are also observing us. It is a process of mutuality that goes beyond delight and opens up a conversation about observation and self-observation, about the exaltation of the vision and the shattering power of viewing it, about looking inside and being looked at, and of the infinite power of this act.

Images