Galleri Image is pleased to present
the exhibition:
"Index Glass"
by Mariana Vassileva (Bulgaria)
20 February - 29 March 2009

In "Index Glass", Bulgarian
artist Marina Vassileva shows her of the latest video works, as
well as a mirror installation. The exhibition reflects how Mariana
Vassileva, in a combination of the video media and the mirror
as the material, seeks to interact with people. For Vassileva,
video art is very much a question of interpersonal communication
and her personal and artistic way of making contact in a society
where there is rarely time and energy to look into each others
eyes. The experience of settling as a stranger in Berlin is the
starting point of Mariana Vassilevas ongoing examinations of contemporary
loneliness and isolation.
Reflecting Vassilevas genuine interest
in the life of casual passers-by, the busy city dweller is the
theme of the video "Mirrorlight". Through the video
she regards strangers and their movements, while at the same time
interrupting their everyday walk by blinding them with a mirror.
The reflecting qualities of the mirror are used in the video to
create fleeting touches with light, displaying peoples spontaneous
reactions to her visual attempt to create contact.
The mirror is also used to create
connections with people in the video "Reflections",
in which Vassileva has asked the visitors in a park in Central
Berlin to reflect the sunlight in her camera by holding mirrors
in the air. By a stroke of magic, the park is surrounded by a
flashing light to the sound of street noise. Employing these simple
effects, Vassileva creates a poetic and mystic play of lights,
turning an ordinary day into a peculiar spectacle. Hence, a spontaneous
cooperation and unexpected sense of togetherness finds place between
the visitors in the park on this day - light and music mingling.
Pieces of mirrors put together are
seen in the vertical double projection "Index Glass",
which has approximately the size of a human being. With a brick
wall as background a complete reflection of a human is reconstructed
from several pieces. In short sequences with different persons,
Vassileva visualizes her fascination of the uniqueness of every
human being, which is often experienced in short moments and small
movements.
What interests Vassileva in Index
Glass is the mirror as a material and its dualistic qualities
in terms of fragility and hardness, as well as the way in which
the unique character of the mirror affects the perception of the
viewer. In the sculptural work "Broken Man", a human
figure, created by different pieces of mirrors, is reflected on
the wall. Working with mirrors in sculpture and installation,
"Broken Man" is an example of the latest turn in the
artistic practice of Mariana Vassileva.
Mariana Vassileva, born 1964 in
Bulgaria, lives and works in Berlin. She is a graduate from Hochschule
der Künste in Berlin (aka UDK). In addition to her video
works, Vassilevas works include installations and sculptures.
She has exhibited in Germany, USA, Mexico and Spain, and with
the exhibition in Galleri Image, her work is displayed for the
first time in Denmark. In connection with the exhibition, Galleri
Image publishes a catalogue with texts by Jette Lykke Jensen and
Fernando Galan, including Peter Funkens interview with Vassileva.
The exhibition will be opened by
Jesper Vestergaard Hansen, Honorary Consul of the Republic of
Bulgaria to the Kingdom of Denmark.
Welcome to the exhibition on Friday,
20 February, 2009, from 16 to 18
The Danish Arts Council, Kulturudviklingspuljen
Århus Kommune and www.projektorudlejning.dk have generously
supported the exhibition.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 13-17.
Mariana Vassileva will be present
at the opening
Galleri Image
Vestergade 29
8000 Århus C
Denmark
tlf: + 45 86202429
info@galleriimage.dk
www.galleriimage.dk