Iskra Velitchkova entered 2023 with a clear goal—to slow down. After two frenetic years she needed to take a step back and focus on developing her technique and art practice. ESCAPE is the product of this pace change, its icon, and a map guiding us towards this same freedom.

For Velitchkova the relationship between artist and machine is deeply collaborative, nurturing unexpected elements that emerge from the code. This algorithm began in systems that balance order and chaos. First a distinctive style reminiscent of architectural maps emerged. From this grew the brutalism characteristic of former Soviet cityscapes of the artist’s early childhood in Bulgaria. Ultimately stifled by this rigidity and repetition, Velitchkova pushed the algorithm further—breaking it and in the result discovering the form of an opera house, a structure that had become a symbol of freedom to the artist, the promise of losing oneself in art.

The overwhelming superstructure of architectural lines breaks the picture plane and seems to go beyond three dimensionality. By avoiding easy categorization, the viewer spends time considering the forms and making sense of the composition. It becomes possible to escape everyday concerns for a moment longer, lost in the almost mathematical task of viewing these geometries. The opera house icon emerges as an antidote to these illusive structures. This central figure is suddenly recognizable as a flat or three dimensional shape. Whether in dense black or highlighted as a central white figure, it is a condensation point, a place for our mind to rest. The images combine the icons of this escape but also serve as a visual guide to achieving it.

We are reminded of what art can offer us—mental freedom. Yet ultimately this is an illusion. Just as the opera is a staged fiction with its own rules and schedule, this composition is not real; it is a staged performance specifically created to evoke this reaction.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• PRE-AUCTION PURCHASES of a limited number of available works will be available starting on Tuesday, May 16, 10AM PT. During the pre-sale only, you will be able to select which work you would like to buy.
• PRE-REGISTRATION OF BIDS using a credit card can be executed anytime before the auction begins. Bids can be set at any available price level and will execute on a first-come-first-served basis when the auction reaches that tier. Use the pre-bid button on this page to submit your pre-registered bid, starting on Thursday, May 18, 10AM PT until 24 hours before auction start. Learn More.
• HOLDER REBATE: Click here for list of qualifying wallets. Collectors who hold ANY Tonic work will receive a rebate to the auction sell-out price. Wallets must hold one Tonic NFT 24 hours before the auction. Note that all rebates will be issued in ETH, regardless of original payment method, after the auction concludes.
• SEASON ONE SET HOLDER BENEFIT: Click here for list of qualifying wallets. Collectors that hold at least one Chromesthesia: Ascend, one Intimità, AND one Strands of Solitude work will receive free shipping up to $1,000 on all prints and framed works, including those from Iskra Velitchkova’s ESCAPE.
• PRINT OPTIONS: If you buy at mint, you are entitled to a complimentary 16 × 12-inch print with the option to upgrade to a larger size or add a frame for an additional fee. You can request one more print after the complimentary one. If you buy on the secondary market, you also have the option to purchase a printed version of the work.
• RESERVED WORKS: The first 10 pieces will be minted in advance and not available for sale during the auction: 5 for the artist and 5 for Tonic.
• COPYRIGHT LICENSE: At the artist's discretion, this specific collection is governed by the copyright license: CC BY-NC 4.0. Under this license, you are allowed to (1) Share the material in any format and (2) Adapt and transform the material. You must attribute the artist, indicate any changes, and use the material only for non-commercial purposes. Click here for collection-specific terms.