Valentin Bakardjiev Explores the Geometry of Emotion in a Multidimensional Exhibition Tesseract – Universe Geometry
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Exhibition Dates: 10 - 19 September, 2025
Location: The Mission Gallery, 2 alexander Zhendov Street
Opening Reception: September 10, 2025, 6 pm
This fall, acclaimed Bulgarian-Dutch artist Valentin Bakardjiev presents Tesseract – Universe Geometry, an immersive exhibition that transcends time, texture, and dimensional boundaries. Merging traditional weaving with cutting-edge photographic techniques, Bakardjiev invites viewers on a journey that is as emotional as it is conceptual.
At the center of the exhibition is the tesseract—a four-dimensional cube—as both form and metaphor. Through this enigmatic symbol, Bakardjiev explores themes of expanded perception, inner transformation, and the layers that construct our lived realities and the worlds beyond them.
In both theoretical and artistic contexts, the tesseract can also be conceived as a conceptual portal, offering the possibility of transition between different ontological planes and dimensions of perception. In this sense, it functions not only as an abstract mathematical model of four-dimensional geometry but also as a symbolic mechanism for transcending linear time and three-dimensional space. Within the framework of the exhibition, each work may be interpreted as a fixed moment in the process of “opening” such a portal—a process in which the structures of familiar reality disintegrate or are reformulated in order to reveal new, more complex configurations of matter and meaning.
The exhibition features two distinct bodies of work: intricate handwoven compositions crafted from indigo-dyed corn leaves, and high-definition photographs of natural textures, printed on aluminium. Together, these works create a dynamic interplay between the tactile and the ethereal—where geometry meets memory, and ancient materials echo contemporary concerns.
“What is our personal tesseract?” Bakardjiev asks. “Is it a sacred object, a portal, or something deeply familiar that holds meaning only for us?” In Tesseract – Universe Geometry, the artist doesn't offer definitive answers—instead, he invites reflection, interpretation, and connection.
Rooted in a sustainable art-making practice, the exhibition draws from science, myth, and the natural world, offering a sensory-rich space where each fiber and surface becomes its own dimension. The exhibition Tesseract – Universe Geometry is a reflection not only on the way we perceive the world, but also on our ability to inhabit it.
The project was implemented with the financial support of the National Culture Fund - Dissemination Program and in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bulgaria. The event is part of the program of the State Institute for Culture on the occasion of the celebration in 2025 of 20 years since its establishment.
About the Artist
Valentin Bakardjiev (born in Sliven, Bulgaria) is an award-winning multimedia artist holding both Bulgarian and Dutch nationalities. A committed advocate for sustainability in art, he works primarily with natural, recycled, and upcycled materials—creating contemporary works that connect the past with the present and frame nature as both subject and source.
Educated in Bulgaria, Bakardjiev has lived and worked across the globe—in Bulgaria, the Dominican Republic, Italy, and now holds residency in Amsterdam. His practice reflects a deep engagement with global cultures and a desire to unite them through art—presenting a vision of the world as a place without borders.
Over the course of his career, Bakardjiev has exhibited widely in solo and group shows in cities including Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva, Shanghai, Rijswijk, Toyota City, and Chicago, among others. His work has been the subject of numerous publications and lectures, often centered on sustainable materials and ancient techniques from eras when the planet was still clean.
Bakardjiev’s work not only highlights the beauty of natural forms but also serves as a reminder: we are part of nature. His art is a quiet but urgent call to preserve it.