The trend toward Slavic aesthetics stems from fatigue with globalization and a desire to reconnect with one’s roots. People are drawn to authenticity and objects with history, and social media amplifies this interest, transforming individual imagery into viral aesthetics, while Slavic mythology increasingly inspires creativity. At the same time, businesses are actively utilizing ethnic motifs, meaning the trend blends cultural curiosity with commercial viability.

Beyond the popularity of this topic, I have been interested in Slavic mythology since childhood: I am fascinated by studying various rituals, demons, and gods. Therefore, this is also a personal interest combined with a relevant subject matter.

«The Phenomenon of Unknowing”—an interactive multimedia installation that explores the fear of the unknown through Slavic mythology, projections, and human interaction with space.

Explain it in simple language, without overwhelming details or jargon.

Provide a comprehensive overview: exactly what is being offered and what it consists of.

After this section, the viewer should be able to briefly summarize the core of the solution.

The project is based on the idea that an unknown threat is scarier until it is given a name, a form, and understandable characteristics. In Slavic tradition, supernatural beings were assigned names, personalities, and weaknesses to make the incomprehensible more familiar and thereby reduce the fear of them.

Two interconnected projections are created in the space: the floor displays an overhead view of a forest, complete with roots, soil, grass, and other natural textures, while the wall features a forest landscape that makes the viewer feel as though they are walking through it. As a person steps into the floor projection, the image begins to decompose, and the silhouette of an unknown creature gradually appears on the wall. Its visibility depends on the visitor’s behavior—the quieter the person is, the clearer the silhouette becomes. Thus, the viewer is not merely observing what is happening; they are directly influencing the development of the visual narrative.

For the installation, the following will be required: — Two laser projectors with a brightness of at least 5000 lm and short-throw lenses for projection onto the floor and wall, with subsequent image stitching performed in specialized software. — Motion sensors and a directional microphone; signals from these will be processed on the media server (TouchDesigner) to dynamically alter the content. — An acoustic system for background and reactive sound. — A darkened space with a level floor.

The project is designed to adapt to an exhibition space, allowing for zoning and lighting control. Submissions are planned for venues that have experience working with multimedia and immersive formats: Blazar, Intervals, and MMAM.

The result will be a multimedia environment that allows the visitor to physically interact with an unknown image and to re-evaluate the relationship between fear, curiosity, and the human drive to explain the inexplicable.