Michail Michailov's 'There You Are' at the Bulgarian Pavilion in the 59th Venice Biennale

Michail Michailov presents 'There You Are' at the Bulgarian Pavilion for the 59th Venice Biennale, curated by Irina Batkova. The site-specific installation at Spazio Ravà in San Polo, Venice, responds to Cecilia Alemani's biennial theme 'The Milk of Dreams', inspired by Leonora Carrington's stories. Michailov's work integrates multiple ongoing series: 'Just Keep on Going' videos (Nos. 13 and 14), 'Dust to Dust' drawings, 'Headspacing' performative installations, and 'Cleaning Pedestals'. White is used extensively to camouflage the historic Venetian house's interiors, merging furniture with artworks to challenge spatial perceptions. The exhibition explores themes of consciousness, dreams, and posthuman identity, drawing on philosophical references from Giorgio Agamben. Michailov, born in 1978, studied at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University in Veliko Turnovo and later at the University of Vienna, gaining recognition in the Vienna art scene. His multidisciplinary practice includes hyperrealist drawings and performances. The pavilion's catalogue includes texts by Agamben and Batkova, emphasizing labyrinthine access to the space. Invigilators wear white suits to blend into the environment, guiding visitors through an immersive experience that questions Enlightenment concepts of the self.