The Blossoms of the Beast is a multimedia installation based on an ancient ceremonial stage play. The original material, focused on a grand state celebration and supernatural encounter, has been reconstructed and expanded here. The combination of image, sound, and text creates a stylized narrative infused with mythology and rocket explosions, set in a space where past and future, dream and reality intertwine. As a whole, the work reflects the mood of the present historical moment – a deep anxiety that surrounds us as individuals, as a society, and as a civilization on the edge of the abyss.

Dario Šolman (b. 1973, Split, Croatia) received his diploma at the Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb, Croatia (1998) and MFA from the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio (2001). He was awarded various grants and awards including the ArtsLink Fellowship (1998), P.S.1 International Studio Program (2001-2002), Jerome Foundation (2009) and Culture Programme of the European Union (2013). Solman has exhibited at numerous solo and group exhibitions. More information about his work is available at: filmlog.org.