Air Fresheners Made in Bulgaria
For Ilian, the chushkopek is not just a household appliance but a cultural symbol—of locality, inventiveness, and a distinct kind of humor. His idea originates from the smell, not the form. From there, the process becomes a playful dialogue between design and irony — how to transform something so domestic into a pop-art object. The challenge he faces is creating three-dimensional, realistic objects that look like giant air fresheners yet retain the visual charm of real peppers. His interest lies in the tension between kitsch and empathy. The installation is an ironic yet affectionate commentary on scent as a national code and on how design can smell like nostalgia.
photo: Mihail Novakov