Je Suis Je, 2016
00:03:05; B/W; Silent; 16:9; Full HD video
author of видео: Venelin Shurelov (SubHuman Theatre)
cameraman Vesselin Hristov
Je Suis Je
author of text: Vessela Nozharova
A Man in the Path of the Blast Wave. This freeze-frame scene seems like something we’ve seen a million times in action movies, documentaries, and news reports from crisis zones. We imagine it the moment we see the first frame of destruction caused by explosions—whether from attacks, wars, or local and global disasters. Yet, inevitably, we remain mere spectators, allowing ourselves the minimal comfort of detachment. We are the untouched, spared from the fate of thousands of others. But is that really the case?
In his video installation Je Suis Je (I Am I), Venelin Shurelov places himself—physically and in reality—directly in the path of the blast wave. The scene is carefully choreographed, even theatrical, yet it clearly unfolds outside a studio or stage, following distinct dramatic rules: a beginning, a tense middle, and a final recapitulation. The artist’s body undergoes a physical trial, but more than that, it becomes a collective image of a human being in crisis. A person experiencing an extreme state of mind, surviving an attack, enduring destruction—only to emerge still as themselves.
The title itself invites contemporary interpretations. The phrase Je Suis, or I Am, has gained widespread use in recent years as an expression of solidarity with others’ suffering. But here, it takes on a much deeper, cathartic meaning—because it is in the first person, directed inward: Je Suis Je (I Am I).
Through his own body, Shurelov constructs a universal image of a person in extremis. He compels us to truly experience our empathy—not just for those who endure physical violence, but also for those battling internal storms and the emotional devastation of daily life, often in complete solitude.