ARTIST DESSI TERZIEVA
CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTIST
Thank you for joining us today Dessi, please tell us about yourself.
I was born in Sofia (Bulgaria) and immigrated to Detroit (USA) in 1997; I’ve been bi-continental ever since, traversing back and forth between the two. Currently, I am in Mexico, where I plan to spend my winters from here on forward.
My career requires me to travel in addition to allowing me to work from virtually anywhere, for which I am grateful. I am so used to a nomadic existence that I can’t imagine myself ever living in a single place.
Tell us about your greatest inspirations or influences?
The impossible question!
Inspiration is everywhere, on the sidewalk, in my grandmother’s garden, in junk drawers that tell more about their owner than they’d dare to share.
Urban environments are amongst the many things which fuel me. I’m enthralled by walking down the street of a vibrant city: one which has not been wiped clean of all of the flaws and inadequacies that give it character; but instead wears its faults on its sleeve, so to speak. I love the creativity and ingenuity of lack, functioning chaos, quirks, fissures, surprises, and sights that leave me delightfully puzzled. And most of all, I love love!
Tell us a bit about your creative process?
I am a sponge: I soak up experiences, sights, ideas until it’s time to ring myself dry and make sense of it all. The methods of expression vary from sculpture to installation, interactive performance to photography, etc.
The point is to not get too stuck on any one thing but to remain open to intuition leading me forward into the unknown. I do my best to ride the wave of faith in and love of the process. So long as I remain tapped in, the result will be honest: it may not always be good, but it is genuine, and the best I could do is express myself truthfully.
How has the pandemic affected your creativity and how do you see the world changing?
It did not affect my creativity; if anything, it completely demolished the already minuscule distinction I had between “art” and “life”.
As for the world — I have no idea. I have always placed importance in my intimate sphere of family and friends over society at large - this sentiment has only intensified in the past two years. As the brilliant Esther Perel said, “The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships”, and so even if the world around me is falling apart, I nurture my private life and find ways to thrive regardless of the circumstances.
Who do you consider to be an icon of our time?
To me, an icon must be timeless, and their words must ring true regardless of the era.
A perfect example:
“The whole future lies in uncertainty, live immediately” —Seneca.
Another one: “Because of the routines we follow, we often forget that life is an ongoing adventure… and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art: to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.” — Maya Angelou
What does wellbeing mean to you, and what do you practice?
Wellness means health, wealth, love, and perfect self-expression.
My practices change and evolve with the seasons, but a few things remain: I nurture and follow my intuition, listen to my body, stimulate my mind, laugh, dance and sing with people that I cherish.
Anything else you would like to share?
I recently began a Substack account to share some thoughts and ideas I didn’t feel were fit for any other social media platform. Check it out and subscribe if it speaks to you: slavadelic.substack.com