Mirror

Interview with Merrick d’Arcy-Irvine & Julia Bajanova

“Mirror” created by Merrick d’Arcy-Irvine and Julia Bajanova and published by the contemporary publishing house DCV, is an art book where two artistic disciplines, photography and textile design, reflect and amplify one another. This project explores the concept of fluidity and connection, blending manual processes with a visceral inquiry that evokes vital and biological elements. Through a tension between beauty and unease, the artists subvert the delicate qualities of the materials to create works that evoke emotional and sensory intensity. With an aesthetic that touches on the primordial and the abstract, Mirror represents a reflection not only on form but also on the relationship between matter and life.

What lies behind the choice of the name “Mirror”? What led you towards this name? Was there a specific inspiration, whether cinematic, artistic, or a life event? Can you recall the exact moment you decided on it?

We felt that the name Mirror represented how our ways of working on this project reflected and amplified each other across photography and tulle silhouettes. It seemed the right word to symbolise the ongoing dialogue between our practices, where one discipline mirrored the essence of the other. The exact moment wasn’t planned; it was an organic realisation that our creations were not separate but interconnected, constantly echoing and reshaping each other’s forms. The project became a reflection, both literally and figuratively, of this shared creative vision.

You both seem to share an interest in manual, tactile ways of working. Where does this come from? Is it more of an internal investigation or one directed outward? And how does this reflect in your personality and approach to life?

We both work with mostly manual processes, whether sewing tulle or printing with chemicals, and that is an important part of both of our practices. Working this way allows space for contemplation and is a very intuitive interaction: between one’s body and the materials one is working with, and that awakens something very essential – it makes one feel alive.

“We are deeply interested in how artistic forms can suggest life itself, where abstraction captures something essential and vital”

At first glance, the aesthetic of the artbook might evoke scientific or, more specifically, biological imagery, such as a reference to vital sap, or the origins of life. Is there indeed a connection to this theme and an aesthetic reference?

Yes, absolutely. The organic nature of the materials and processes, whether the tactile quality of tulle or the primordial qualities of photographic chemicals, evoke something biological. We are deeply interested in how artistic forms can suggest life itself, where abstraction captures something essential and vital. The connection isn’t scientific, but visceral – a gesture toward life’s flow through form and matter.

The theme of fluidity is widely debated in today’s society, with many meanings attached to it. But for you, what does “fluid” really mean, in the truest sense of the word, free from common definitions or societal conditions? Feel free to share also unpopular opinions.

For us “fluidity” suggests freedom, whether in terms of how people feel about their identities or how they express themselves artistically. Art is experienced in a fluid way, and a lot can be learnt through finding commonalities between different artistic forms. It can be especially inspiring and exciting for artists working in different media to collaborate.

“We share an interest in art in which there is a tension between beauty and horror”

Do you prefer an art that satisfies senses and elicits a pleasant reaction, or art with a critical note, with a more disturbing taste?

We share an interest in art in which there is a tension between beauty and horror. In our own practices we both make things with quite delicate qualities, but we also share an interest in disrupting and subverting those qualities. In this project we wanted to explore this tension through certain forms and textures, such as hair, which we used in the designs themselves, as well as in still lifes, since hair can seem both beautiful and repulsive. In the more abstract imagery we also played with not only ethereal, sweeping forms but also more visceral, almost disgusting ones.

Are you working on something in particular right now? Can you give a little anticipation?

M: My energy has recently primarily been focused on an artist-led gallery and cross- disciplinary collective I run with my friend Hannah Grennell, which is named Flux Projects and showcases the work of artists working in different media. In my own photographic practice I’ve been primarily exploring abstract forms, especially through experimentation with photo- chemical techniques.

J: Yes, I’m currently working on a project that takes a more detached, almost soulless approach by excluding human presence entirely. The focus shifts to the objects and materials themselves, allowing the pieces to communicate in a more abstract language. This project explores the concept of absence and investigates how removing the human element changes how we perceive and engage with the work.

Mirror is available to order from DCV Books: https://dcv-books.com/en/produkt/mirror-collaborative-pictures-by-merrick-darcy-irvine-x-julia-bajanova/

Mirror

Credits:

Concept : Merrick d’Arcy-Irvine / @merrickdarcy
Julia Bajanova / @julia_bajanova
Published by: DCV / @dcv_books Martin Holz / @martinholz_dcv
Interview: Annalisa Fabbrucci / @annalisa_fabbrucci
Editor: Maria Abramenko  / @mariabramenko
Mirror Team: Alethia Antonia / @alethiaantonia, Arthur Vickery / @art___vic, Chie Fujimoto / @chie__fujimoto, Claudia Fischer / @claudiafischermakeup, Dion Adam / @dion.jae, Eliza Goldsmith / @eliza_goldsmith, Elizabeth Kwan, Grace Aluko / @ayoyiimika, Hannah Ekholm / @hannahekholm, Jayla O’Connell / @jayla0connell, Jess Maybury / @jessmaybury, Julian Brinkmann / @juliank.brinkmann, Kinga Czynciel / @czynciel, Mariya Boyko / @mariya_____boyko, Mimi Dey / @mimi.dey, Neil Blackman / @vxscubadaddy, Nic Roques / @the_french_nic, Pietro Lazzaris / @lazzarispietro

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