2025
Many architectural elements are intricate and intentional, patiently waiting to be noticed by passersby or admirers. Yet, with time, these details begin to deteriorate, gradually losing the identity they were meant to express. As decay sets in, a new character emerges — one we, as casual wanderers, often overlook in our daily routines. This particular building stands on a quiet central street in Sofia, seen by thousands but rarely truly observed. It rises as a proud mansion, its facade adorned with secession-style ornamentation and layered terraces that speak of craftsmanship, history, and care. For years, I passed it without pause. To me, it was one of those buildings destined never to receive the restoration it deserves. The materials crumble, exposing the brickwork beneath, while the wooden canopy above takes on the raw hues of natural decay. It deserves to be returned to its former glory yet somehow, in its state of elegant ruin, it has entered a new phase of existence. It stands now in the still, quiet company of the forgotten buildings of my city — silent, dignified, and full of untold stories. In the drawing, the empty spaces are filled with static, imperfect dots — symbols of material decay threatening to one day disintegrate and erase the building's identity. Depth and shadow maintain a strong sense of intensity throughout the composition. What began on a single A4 sheet soon outgrew its bounds; the drawing was extended vertically with another A4 page. Once the finer architectural details were complete, collage cutting, layering, and integrating parts of the original photograph introduced static lines as representations of emptiness and void, allowing the building to push forward, proudly occupying the foreground of the piece.