As a multidisciplinary artist specializing in scenography, costume design, and drawing, my work is deeply rooted in the exploration of personal stories and emotions as tools for creative expression.
My practice spans theatre, film, and visual arts, with a strong emphasis on costume design that merges storytelling with material exploration. I draw inspiration from my surroundings, particularly through travel, where I engage with new environments that provide me with a lens to observe human interaction, culture, and the unseen narratives that emerge from each space. During my travels, I find that unusual situations and places hold a unique power, serving as catalyst for my work.
In my costume design, I often explore the relationship between identity, memory, and physical space, using materials as symbolic extensions of character and narrative. Whether through costume, scenography, or drawing, I strive to create work that evokes emotion and invites the viewer into a shared exploration of life’s complexities.
The intersection of trauma and nostalgia, joy and sadness forms the foundation of my creative exploration. Through this blending of opposites, I aim to craft a fictional yet emotionally authentic space, where contrasting feelings coexist.
©Photo 2: Martin Atanasov
©Photo 1: Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria
Qualification
Mag.art.
EDUCATION
2023 Living Museum Director by the International Living Museum Academy; Wil (CH)
2023 IEK Berlin, Art Therapy and Creative Therapy
2016 Scenography Diploma with Nomination for the Academy of Fine Arts by Prof. Anna Viebrock
2012-2016 Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Masterclass for Scenography by Prof. Erich Wonder, Nicole Timm and Anna Viebrock (AT)
2012 University of Vienna, Guest student, Theatre, Film and Media Studies (AT)
2011 State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, Guest student, Stage and Costume Design by Prof. Martin Zehetgruber (DE)
2008-2011 State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, Architecture (DE)
SET AND COSTUME DESIGN FOR THEATRE & FILM
2024 Costume design "Romantichnite pirati", dir. Bormir Ilkov-Bono; /in production/ Sofia (BG)
2024 Costume design "Sturm", dir. Michel Schröder; Sankt Gallen Theater/ Komiktheater (CH)
2023 Costume design "Shokolad", dir. Orlin Milchev; Sofia (BG) ( award for best bulgarian short film by SIFF)
2022 Set and Costume design assistant "Little Lives", dir: Christiane Pohle, design: Charlotte Pistorius; Munich Biennale (DE)
2021 Costume design "ANNA" dir. Borimir Ilkov-Bono; Sofia (BG) ( Nominated for best costume design by Bulgarian National Film Center)
2021 Costume design assistant "Giuditta", dir: Christoph Marthaler, design: Anna Viebrock; Bavarian State Opera; Munich (DE)
2021 Set and Costume design “onetone”, by: Laura Endres, Nathan Watts and Iva Ivanova; Sofia (BG)
2021 Costume design assistant "Orphée et Euridice", dir: Christoph Marthaler, design: Anna Viebrock; Opernhaus Zürich (CH)
2020 Costume design "Prerogative Lips", dir: Ulduz Ahmadzadeh and Myassa Kraitt (KdM); Vienna (AT)
2020 Costume design "Heidi", /in producion/ dir: Iva Ivanova and Sachiko Hara; Zurich (CH)
2019 Costume design "Hamburg- Salon in Osaka", dir: Sachiko Hara; Osaka (JP)
2019 Costume design "Der Reisende", dir: Manon Pfrunder; Schauspielhaus Zürich (CH)
2018-2020 Costume design assistant at Schauspielhaus Zürich (CH)
2018 Set and Costume design "BADABUM", dir: Bobby M.Klein; Berlin (DE)
2018 Costume design assistant "Hänsel und Gretel", dir: Tiit Ojasoo; design and dir: Ene-Liis Semper; Thalia Theater Hamburg (DE)
2017 Costume design "D-minor", dir: Sophie Renier; Wuzhen Theatre Festival; Wuzhen (CN)
2017 Set design "Die Frauen der Constantia – Emanzipation, Moderne und Nationalismus", dir: Bettina Henkel; Vienna (AT)
2017 Costume design "FremdKörper - The social life of strange", dir: Ulduz Ahmadzadeh; WUK; Vienna (AT)
2017 Costume design assistant "Nathan der Weise", dir: Nikolaus Habjan, design: Denise Heschl; Volkstheater Vienna (AT)
2016 Costume design "Ideal Paradise", dir: Claudia Bosse; Vienna (AT)
2016 Stage and costume design assistant “Hose Fahrrad Frau”, dir: Holle Münster, design: Thea Hofmann-Axthelm; Volkstheater Vienna (AT)
2016 Stage design assistant (internship) "Hallelujah (Ein Reservat)", dir: Christoph Marthaler, design: Anna Viebrock; Volksbühne Berlin (DE)
2013 Set design "Eisprung mit Papa", dir: Paul Ploberger; Vienna (AT)
PERFORMANCE
2022 “Revolve", by: Iveilna Dokova, Hristiana Yordanova, Iva Ivanova and Kalin Mihov; R84 Multifactory; Mantova (IT)
2021 “Onetone”, by: Laura Endres, Nathan Watts and Iva Ivanova; Sofia (BG)
2020 "Heidi", /in production/ dir: Sachiko Hara and Iva Ivanova; Zurich (CH)
2018 “Export”, art direction: Iva Ivanova; Vienna (AT)
2017 "Export", art direction: Iva Ivanova; Shanghai (CN)
2016 "Echotecture", co-production Klangforum Wien; Vienna (AT)
2015 "Kill Will", art direction: Iva Ivanova; Vienna (AT)
2014 "Will Will" group show; Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (AT)
ARTIST IN-RESIDENCE
2023 Little Bird Place; Leshten (BG)
2022 R84 Multifactory; Mantova (IT)
2022 Drama Pakt; Sinemoretz (BG)
2022 Baba Residency; Gorno Peshtene (BG)
2021 180° laboratory for innovative art; Sofia (BG)
2021 SPAM! (postponed); Lucca (IT)
2021 NY20+ (postponed); Chengdu (CN)
2020 Altes Spiral Solothurn (postponed); Solothurn (CH)
2020 Derida Dance Centre (postponed); Sofia (BG)
2017 Swatch Art Peace Hotel (6 months); Shanghai (CN)
EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Made in Leshten”, Little bird place, group show; Sofia (BG)
2022 “Weihnachtsbaum goes Wasserkirche”, Wasserkirche Zurich, group show and charity auction; Zurich (CH)
2022 “GERMAN”, former health center, group show; Gorno Peshtene (BG)
2022 “Climartistique”, Yought centre Vratsa, group show; Vratsa (BG)
2022 "fleisch 2,99", Creative cluster, group show; Vienna (AT)
2017 "Bobby the blue dog", Open Studio, Swatch Art Peace Hotel; Shanghai (CN)
2016 "Die Oma meines Bruders", Diploma exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (AT)
2014 "Sehen und sagen", Hotel Le Meridien, group show; Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (AT)
2010 "Der Tiger von Venedig", Architecture Biennale Venice, Austrian pavilion, group show; ABK Stuttgart; Venice (IT)
PUBLICATIONS
2020 "The coventgardener", winter issue cover competition, London (ENG)
2020 "Der Streik", rehearsal drawings published by Schauspielhaus Zurich (CH)
2017 "Flip me down", self -published artist book; Shanghai (CN)
SCHOLARSHIPS
2023 Internship in the Living Museum Wil (movement dedicated to the dissemination of art-asylums for mentally ill people)
2016 Scholarship for doing an internship abroad, European Union Erasmus (4 months in Berlin)
2016 Advancement scholarship ("Die Oma meines Bruders") from Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy