We warmly invite you to the official opening of the exhibition, which will take place on Wednesday 9 December 2026 at 6.00 pm.
The subtle soundscape of nature, interwoven with the artist’s original musical composition, forms the foundation for the unique sound installation Secret Life of Ants (2026). Artist Mirian Kolev opens up to the listener the acoustic world of an anthill, which normally remains hidden from human hearing. Listening through headphones allows us to focus on details that easily escape our attention amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Using microphones designed to capture ambient sounds, Mirian Kolev made field recordings of the subtle vibrations, movements, and interactions that accompany the lives of ants. “One autumn day, while walking with a recorder and a contact microphone, I witnessed a scene from life that boils in an anthill. It was somehow hypnotizing to stand still for an hour, closely observing and listening to what is happening in the microworld of these insects. I would call this auditory contemplation,” describes his experience. He works with the recordings sensitively, making minimal alterations to the original audio material. The piece is complemented by subtle instrumental layers added by the author.
The work encourages us to slow down and pay attention to creatures we normally overlook. When the sound field of an ant is amplified, not only the sounds of the fleeting movements are heard, but also sounds that, as it turns out, ants produce with their abdomens in order to communicate. The fleeting movements of ants among pine needles, in the dust, or on leaves and tree bark do not appear here as a quiet backdrop of nature, but as an environment full of movement and auditory interactions. Sounds that we would hardly notice under normal circumstances thus come to the front and create an unusual soundscape. With this work, the author also raises the question of how our relationship with nature might change if we begin to perceive it not as a distant environment, but as a network of living worlds that surround us.
Mirian Kolev (b. 1982) is a Bulgarian musician, composer, and multidisciplinary artist whose work moves between experimental, electroacoustic, ambient, and improvisational music, as well as sound art. He lives in the Bulgarian mountains, where he draws inspiration for his distinctive approach to working with sound and space. He is using sound as a tool to explore different environments. His work focuses on uncovering hidden soundscapes; sound becomes the intersection between the man-made world and the organic world. He has always been inspired by nature and environment in his music, but in his recent projects, he has engaged with the environment directly through field recordings and sound-generating devices. He is the creator of the solo project E.U.E.R.P.I., through which he focuses primarily on drone ambient music. He has performed regularly at festivals and music venues across Europe and Asia. He collaborates with musicians, visual artists, dancers, and performers, and composes music for art installations, videos, and dance performances. His live performances are based on improvisation and create ever-changing soundscapes in which minimalist structures, atmospheric textures, and melancholic moods intertwine.
Curator Team
Adéla Machová, Markéta Müllerová
Graphic design
Ludmila Půr
PR
Jan Čihák
Production
Hana Žalmanová