Flor et Lavr Gallery presents the exhibition-installation Deaimono (出会い物) by Anna Kondratyeva at the Soma restaurant space, supported by the Russian skincare brand The Act with its perfumed Virgin series.

The installation and works on reflective high-tech fabric continue the artist’s Elusive Beauty series. Inspired by Japanese prints and the concept of mono no aware—a deep sensitivity to transience, where beauty lies in the very process of change—the project explores chance as an artistic gesture through the viewer’s interaction with the ever-shifting surfaces of the works.

The title Deaimono (出会い物) in Japanese means unexpected encounters—between people, ideas, or even flavors. This concept permeates the project in all its aspects, from the audience’s meeting with art in the restaurant space to the fusion of scents in the specially curated cocktail menu and the interaction with The Act’s Virgin skincare series, inspired by the fleeting bloom of cherry blossoms. Like petals carried away by the wind, moments of beauty are ephemeral yet leave an indelible imprint in memory. Virgin embodies this idea in its fragrances and textures—light, delicate, vanishing on the skin but leaving behind the perfection of a fleeting instant.

The project transforms the Soma space: fabric panels on the walls and ceiling continuously shift under the influence of light, revealing new imagery depending on the viewing angle. Light becomes a co-creator, emphasizing the works’ ephemeral nature.

Deaimono—an invitation to witness the beauty of chance encounters—the play of light on surfaces, the collision of flavors in a cocktail, or the moment of contemplation itself. The essence of Deaimono lies in the encounter itself.

The project is supported by The Act, a Russian skincare brand, with its perfumed Virgin series, inspired by the moment of cherry blossoms in a Japanese garden. At its core lies the cultural significance of cherry blossoms (sakura) in Japanese tradition. This tree has become the symbol of Virgin, embodying the idea of beauty as one of the six human senses. The Virgin series includes body lotion, hand cream, massage oil, and a candle—scents and textures designed to capture and extend the fleeting beauty of a moment. Crafted by blind perfumers, the Virgin fragrance blends delicate notes of blooming cherry blossom, the sweetness of almond milk, the sensual depth of cherry, and the slightly bitter whisper of pink grapefruit. These accords are reflected in the cocktail menu developed by head bartender Misha Pugachev and bar manager Bat Olegovich. The special cocktail selection will be available at Soma throughout the exhibition. The Virgin Manifesto—"Beauty Is a Feeling"—encourages turning skincare into a meditative ritual, heightening the senses and opening a new perception of beauty. It’s an experience of beauty in moments of relaxation.