deyana stareva

Through ink and thread, natural forms are reimagined and reconstructed

If the Weight of the Ink explores botanical impressions drifting between representation and abstraction—where plants gain symbolic weight, fragile yet resonant. The Thread as Language continues this inquiry, using embroidery as a tactile syntax of memory and care. Together, the works form a dialogue between mediums, inviting to see nature not as a specimen, but as a metaphor: mutable, emotive and intimately entwined with memory.

The Two Threads explores embroidery as a visual language shaped by shared stories and narratives, focusing on the space between the visible and the invisible.

Embroidery is chosen for its inherent duality: a visible, composed front and a hidden, chaotic reverse. On the back remain knots, tension, and traces of process — a space where emotions, doubts, and the lived realities behind the image reside.

Working with a sewing machine introduces an element of incomplete control. Deviations in the line become part of the narrative, embracing uncertainty as a natural part of the journey. The thread remains a gesture of connection, memory, and language.

The Two Threads was developed within Direction Strong, an art project by Emprove bringing together Bulgarian and international artists through a five-day residency developed in collaboration with women survivors in January 2026. The resulting works are presented at festivals and cultural events in Bulgaria and abroad, creating spaces for dialogue through art. The photographs shown here were taken during Emprove’s British residency in Sofia, Bulgaria, in May 2026.