Lilia Topouzova's "The Neighbours" Featured in The Guardian

The ICCIT's Lilia Topouzova's multimedia installation and ethnographic artwork, The Neighbours, was recently showcased in The Guardian.

The Neighbours brings to light the silenced and faded memories of survivors of political violence during the Communist era in Bulgaria by partially recreating their homes as an interactive installation. Staged within these private spaces are fragments from oral history interviews conducted by the artists, field recordings, and videos from two former camp sites—Lovech and Belene.

Created by Krasimira Butseva, Lilia Topouzova, and Julian Chehirian, the project is the result of 20 years of historical and artistic research. The Neighbours was chosen to represent Bulgaria at The Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy this year, curated by Vasil Vladimirov.

In the interview with The Guardian, however, Topouzova is already thinking of the project beyond the event.

“The biennale should just be the starting point of this conversation,” says Topouzova. She looks forward to the day when DIY museums and the un-silencing of victims is no longer necessary. “I hope that eventually we are able to exit these rooms as the memories become part of the public space instead.”

You can read the full article on The Guardian. You can also learn more about the exhibition on the Bulgarian Pavilion website.