Ivelin Penchev – Ivicha is the founder and driving force behind RadLab Studio. In this role, he is dedicated to advancing RadLab’s organizational mission while also allocating energy for the development and research of alternative processes and personal projects.

In his interpretation of the Personal Reality, Ivicha delves into a metaphysical realm of reflection as portrayed in his artistic work, “I Swear, I Saw That.” He explores the intricate connections between inner and outer worlds, highlighting the challenge of comprehending the immanent processes that shape our experiences. This separation of the two spaces is emphasized, as they resist fusion due to the potential fragmentation of subjective perception. Existing beyond the confines of objective reality and vulnerable to external influences, the legitimacy of this personal reality persists, even if one were to swear they witnessed it.

Ivicha presents his work through silver-gelatin prints on glass plates, employing a technique reminiscent of traditional analogue printmaking. This process involves familiar chemistry such as print developer, stop bath, and fixer. The unique demands of the medium—transparency of glass, a 30-year-old emulsion with fogged highlights, and a limited supply of working glass plates—prompted manual “retouching” of the images during printing to achieve the desired final aesthetic. Additional techniques and chemicals, including burning and dodging, as well as the incorporation of contrast-modifying additives and restraining agents in the developer, were employed to shape the contrast and tonal reproduction of the final image.


I Sweat, I Saw That
Technique: Silver-gelatine print over glass plate
Negative used: 35 mm
Print size: 13×18 cm

Ivelin Penchev – Ivicha is the founder and driving force behind RadLab Studio . In this role, he is dedicated to advancing RadLab’s organizational mission while also allocating energy for the development and research of alternative processes and personal projects.

In his interpretation of the Personal Reality, Ivicha delves into a metaphysical realm of reflection as portrayed in his artistic work, “I Swear, I Saw That.” He explores the intricate connections between inner and outer worlds, highlighting the challenge of comprehending the immanent processes that shape our experiences. This separation of the two spaces is emphasized, as they resist fusion due to the potential fragmentation of subjective perception. Existing beyond the confines of objective reality and vulnerable to external influences, the legitimacy of this personal reality persists, even if one were to swear they witnessed it.

Ivicha presents his work through silver-gelatin prints on glass plates, employing a technique reminiscent of traditional analogue printmaking. This process involves familiar chemistry such as print developer, stop bath, and fixer. The unique demands of the medium—transparency of glass, a 30-year-old emulsion with fogged highlights, and a limited supply of working glass plates—prompted manual “retouching” of the images during printing to achieve the desired final aesthetic. Additional techniques and chemicals, including burning and dodging, as well as the incorporation of contrast-modifying additives and restraining agents in the developer, were employed to shape the contrast and tonal reproduction of the final image.


I Sweat, I Saw That
Technique: Silver-gelatine print over glass plate
Negative used: 35 mm
Print size: 13×18 cm
The original artworks created by Ivelin Penchev – Ivicha as part of “PERSONAL REALITY: photography studies” you can see in Sofia Arsenal – Museum Of Contemporary Art till 14/01/24. Don’t miss that out!
“PERSONAL REALITY: photography studies” is part of the project “Alternative Photography in Contemporary Art and Education”, which is implemented with the financial support of National Culture Fund, Bulgaria.

The original artworks created by Ivelin Penchev – Ivicha as part of “PERSONAL REALITY: photography studies” exhibition has been exposed in Sofia Arsenal – Museum Of Contemporary Art between 02.11.2023 and 14.01.2024.

“PERSONAL REALITY: photography studies” is part of the project “Alternative Photography in Contemporary Art and Education”, which is implemented with the financial support of National Culture Fund, Bulgaria.