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The Eye
Stoyan Dechev
- Name of work: The eye
- Author: Stoyan Dechev
- Created: 2024
- Мaterial: stainless steel
- Size: 400 х 240 х 210 cm
The EYE
The circular foyer is a space that guides the visitor to move around the center of the hall. The surrounding wall encloses three-quarters of the circumference, creating a sense of rotation and centrifugal force. This is the main reason for seeking a turbulent, spiral-shaped form in the center of the hall, designed to focus and complete the movement of the surrounding wall. The circular clerestory in the ceiling is another interior element that finalizes the idea of the sculpture’s vortex-like expansion upwards. Natural forces are an essential element in the work of Stoyan Dechev. The tornado is a natural phenomenon, increasingly associated with climate change and human intervention, but it is also a deeply rooted concept in Bulgarian mythology. “Yudata,” the folkloric embodiment of the tornado, appears in local legends and tales in the region.
About the author
Stoyan Dechev (b. 1978, Smolyan) lives and works in Sofia, Bulgaria. He holds a Master’s and a Doctorate degree in Sculpture from the National Academy of Arts, Sofia. In his work, he combines sculpture, drawing, installation, animation, and video. In his attempts to understand and respond to contemporary events, his projects often address existential, political, historical, and scientific issues. His works have been presented, among others, at: CJC – Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center, Gabrovo, Bulgaria (2023); 5th Art Encounters Biennial of Contemporary Art, Timișoara, Romania (2023); Toploцентрала, Sofia, Bulgaria (2022); Frieze Sculpture, Regent’s Park, London, UK (2021); SAMSI Museum of Contemporary Art, Sofia, Bulgaria (2021); GAM – Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Turin, Italy (2020); Tranzit.ro/Bucharest, Romania (2019); Week of Contemporary Art, Banya Starinna, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (2019).
My practice involves long-term research and large-scale sculptures including antique and new technologies, drawing, actions or constructions, in response to specific materials, sites and contexts. Experimenting at the edge of scientific knowledge, speculation and even provocation in an attempt to bring historical or mythical artefacts into current topics such as: weather, nature, astronomy, feminism, languages, resources, activism or the role and work of the sculptor in society.