Filtered Reality: Art as a Shield Against False Reality
In a world dominated by filters and social networks, Tsveta Angelkova and Rada Vulevska managed to create something real and captivating. Their project turned the stage into a space for critical reflection on the digital world in which today’s youth live.
Project Goal
The main mission of the initiative was to explore the boundary between the false reality of social networks and real life. The project aimed to provoke young people to think about the tension caused by the desire to meet unrealistic standards imposed by the phone screen.
Who is it aimed at?
The project was aimed at Generation Z – young people who grow up with the internet. However, it also reached a wider audience, including parents and cultural figures seeking answers to the question of how technology affects our mental health and self-esteem.
Power and Impact
The impact of the project was felt even during its creation:
- The young people designed and sewed their own costumes, putting their personal vision into every detail.
- The team went through the entire process of cultural management – from mobilizing a large team of volunteers to successfully negotiating a partnership with the French Cultural Institute.
- During the performance itself, something rare happened these days – for almost an hour, the audience did not look at their phones, completely absorbed in what was happening on stage and the conversation that followed.
- The discussion that followed opened up important topics about teamwork, the challenges of managing a large group of people, and how to reach agreement between creative partners.
Recommendations and conclusions
We can draw valuable lessons from the experience of Tsveta and Rada:
- When young people create content that reflects their own fears and dreams, they manage to engage their peers in a way that no institution can.
- The project proved that team management and negotiation with partners are just as important skills as creativity itself.
- The success of the event shows the huge need for events that “tear” our eyes off the screen and connect us in real life
This project is implemented within the framework of the competition for youth initiatives with a focus on critical thinking, supported by the Open Space Foundation and the British Council in Bulgaria.
