The fifth edition of SOFIA LIGHTS will take place from March 1 to 22 at a new venue—the park of the G. S. Rakovski Military Academy, right in the heart of the city. We are honored to host world-class visual artist Amanda Parer as our special guest. Together, we are creating something unique for everyone in need of silence, a slower pace, and a true mental reset.

In a world that feels increasingly out of balance, caught between global turmoil and the noise of social media, SOFIA LIGHTS creates a fleeting, magical reality. What we do is tangible and anchored in the physical world—a place we so rarely inhabit these days. This is an experience that brings you back into your body, breaks the hypnosis of the screen, and places you before something so monumental you can feel it on your skin.

Three years in the making, this collaboration brings one of the most significant names in contemporary light art to Sofia. Based in Australia, Amanda Parer uses monumental scale to turn the urban environment into a stage for reflection. Her work has traveled to over 300 cities across every continent, reaching millions.

Within the park, you will encounter six monumental human figures—“Man” and five sculptures from the “Fantastic Planet” series—set in symbiosis with the art installations “Particles” and “Presence 2.0” by EMPATIA studio. Together, they create an environment where you are truly present. Everything is right there in front of you—vivid, real, and alive.

“Man.” We all remember Rodin’s idealized Thinker. But Amanda’s version is different. He is one of us. He looks a little lost, weighed down by overconsumption and our endless expectations of the world. He simply sits there in the quiet of the park, trying to figure out where exactly things went wrong. Meanwhile, the figures from “Fantastic Planet” appear like visitors who have just landed to quietly observe our world.

But here is the most important part: this magical world is fleeting. It exists only once—from March 1 to March 22—and then it’s gone forever. It’s worth being there. While it’s real, while it’s tangible… and while it’s still glowing.

The event is part of the Sofia Municipality Cultural Calendar.