site.btaArtist Andonov Brings Nothing Is What It Is Exhibition to Sofia Theatre Foyer

Around 60 paintings from the past four to five years went on show in the foyer of the Tear and Laughter (Salza i Smyah) Theatre in Sofia as part of the exhibition Nothing Is What It Is, Artist Ivaylo Andonov told BTA on Friday. None of the works was made specifically for the exhibition, and Andonov said they were driven by personal experiences.

Andonov explained that the exhibition’s title was taken from a text by Crimson Velvet, the band he played with. “Over time, it became a kind of rule for what happens around us—the paradox and absurdity we live in. When I was putting the exhibition together, I kept wondering what to call what I do, and I decided it had to be exactly this: Nothing Is What It Is,” he said.

He chose to present his work at the Tear and Laughter Theatre because he had collaborated on several projects there. “The Sofia Theatre is the connection. While it’s undergoing renovation, performances are currently being staged here. The director of Tear and Laughter gave us permission to mount an exhibition and tie it to the performances, so that, in a way, everything is in dialogue,” Andonov said.

“In the Crimson Velvet album we recorded a few months ago, we set out some clear guiding principles. For me, that means becoming better people and understanding one another more clearly. That’s also the message we want to share with the exhibition’s audience,” he added.

Nothing Is What It Is is available to view until January 31, 2026.