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| Newsletter Galeria Posibila |
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| Galeria Posibila at the Contemporary Art Fair from Bologna |
| stand B 73 / sala 22
Ion Dumitriu
Matei Bejenaru
Nicu Ilfoveanu
Vlad Nanca |
| For the Arts Fair from Bologna, Galeria Posibila presented a series of 18 works of the well-known artist of the eighties Ion Dumitriu (1943-1998). Made in 1975, the works present a harsh reality of the time, Romanians and Rroma people who live their life rummaging in a landfill located by the leaders of that period around the ruins of Chiajna Monastery. The richness of readings allowed by these images, apparently conventional for the image of dirt, fascinates and challenges. Aged 32 at that time, the young artist Dumitriu uses this technique, new and atypical at that time for the artistic environment, in order to produce not only an X-ray photograph typical to the Italian realism or a superficial but sharpening journalistic perspective but to question the grotesque and misery in the light of the human and aesthetics.
Two other works belong to Matei Bejenaru and were made in 2005 and 2007. They refer to the economic context and illegal emigration from Romania between 1990 and 2006. Apparently ironical, but tragic in reality, Bejenaru’s works invite us to a “cold” analysis of a social experience which is important and special, new and free.
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Vlad Nanca marks the year 2009, even though only virtually, this psychological barrier, this foreseen limit of a TRANSITION period from communism to capitalism, actually a transition from myth to reality. 2009 represents the moment from the near future, the measurable, even tangible future, an easily delayed present, the moment of the revolution’s “final judgement” – unanimously recognised as the last frontier of the transition. The phenomenon of transition read in Romania is a sort of passage from pathetic to pragmatic, from ideal to concrete. Vlad’s gesture presents therefore an overwhelming simplicity. A repositioning on stage of the revolutionary graffiti from nearly 19 years ago. FREEDOM, this word which needs now a semiotic analysis made either by a philosopher or an advertiser, was then thoroughly understood by any child.
Just like Dante Gabriel Rossetti, WJ Turner, Caspar David Friedrich were experiencing the ecstasy of the romantic contemplation in front of the anonymous ruins of the Roman antiquity, Nicu Ilfoveanu is also inviting us to empty out the significant from the recent history of the communism with its demagogic and aberrant politics of shaping the landscape, “forced industrialization, forced urbanization – destruction of villages, individual property and creation of the only ideal, the APARTMENT” and look with a contemplative and romantic detachment with which the inhabitants of this country will also look at it in
the “non-tangible” future.
The conclusion is given right from the beginning by the third and latest movie of Matei Bejenaru, Impreuna/Together, whose Romanian-English title is not a translation, but a symbol of the new reality of the Romanians from London. Ordinary people just like us or like you, gathered together by Matei for a breathing exercise in front of the Tate Modern Museum. These xxx Romanians introduce themselves, and through this simple gesture, full of sincerity, of acknowledging that they are Romanians, they become at the same time British, integrated into the natural, sharing the same small joys and euphoric ideals as the other subjects of Her Majesty. |
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| The Dump - a book with photos by Ion Dumitriu |
| "The Dump" is the most recent art book we have published and launched in November 2007 at the occasion of the opening of Ion Dumitriu's exhibition. |
| Known mostly as a painter, Ion Dumitriu had a very special approach toward photography that he used as a very fresh and concise sketch book. The photography as a way of seeing reality had a major role in his creative process that lead to other expressions (as painting or water colour).
That is why we start promoting the artist with an photo exhibition - photos made after slides dating from 1975-1978 when Ion Dumitriu was a teacher at the 161 elementary school from Giulesti-Sirbi (a suburb of Bucharest that still exists). "The Dump" started with the same titled series of photos and tried to open an exciting view on the works bu also on the story behind. The book has grown as texts and images were added and it is now a debate between them. 14 authors (Ramona Caramelea, Mircea Cartarescu, Matei Caltia, Simion Caltia, Mariana Celac, Caius Dobrescu, Vasile Ernu, Cornelia Florea, Delia Grigore, Ion Grigorescu, Adrian Majuru, Constantin Patuleanu, Oana Tanase, Rodica Zane) were invitated to participate and to write. Each of them saw the images as a reflection of a personal history. The result was a very rich material, with insights and speculations, with ironies and contemporary views. |
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| The dump is a very provoking subject, a strong reason for being both sensitive and realistic. The dump from Giulesti exists today an it continues to collect our remains and to add it to those of the past. What did saw Ion Dumitriu, how did he saw it and what of him resisted in the photos quoted in the black and white photo details of the book is the question that rises. The author chose to focus on their selves perceiving the images as a keyhole to their own personal history.
Together with texts and photos, the book offers a new perspective through the press cuttings selected by Ramona Caramelea and Simion Caltia from the media of the years 75-78. "The Dump" is not a book about Ion Dumitru's photos, but a collection of texts and images brought together into a single vision. "the Dump and children's park are two stories in images that each and every one will read in their own way. Still, we wanted to add some more readings which, however diverse and complementary they may be, are highly interesting. We thus wanted to expand the perspective that these images open in each of us." Matei Caltia // extract of "the Dump" The book can be found at Galeria Posibila. ---------------------------------------- Technical information: 200 pages bilingual ro/eng 12 texts, press cuttings from 75-58 and over 50 b/w photo details ---------------------------------------- Editors: Matei Caltia and Radu Dumitriu Book design: Matei Caltia Partner: Ion Dumitriu Foundation The book was published with the support of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. |
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| Matei Bejenaru at Tate Modern Level 2 Gallery |
| "The Irrsesistible Force" - group exhibition
"Together/Impreuna" - performance and film
During a residency at the Romanian Cultural Institute from London in September last year, Matei Bejenaru participated at the first event of the series Artist Platform initiated by Tate Modern at Level 2 Gallery.
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| The project "Together/Impreuna", perfomance and video installation, opened the artist\\\\\\\'s events in UK. Matei Bejenaru worked with a number of Romanian community groups in London. The composition of the figures evokes Socialist Realism, juxtaposed with the banks and financial institutions of the city in the background. In this way, "Together/Impreuna" reflects on the dramatic changes in Romanian society since the overthrow of the Communist state in 1989. The inclusion of all generations in the performance becomes a way of sharing memories, experiences and possibilities for the future. "Together/Impreuna deals with the visibility of the Romanian community in UK" the artist has said. "It is about tha way people can be united around a positive idea and the way they can express this in simple gestures. More than 200 people meet in one place and look together in silence at the camera. Many of them didn\\\\\\\'t know each other before. Their looks ralk to us about their identity, about their past and present." This concept generated the video that was projected at Level 2 Gallery on 8 and 9 September. |
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| The work continues another of Matei Bejenaru\\\'s projects - "Travelling Guide", a guide with information on illegal emigration from Romania to Western Europe (UK) before joining the European Union. "Travelling Guide" was also exhibited at Tate Modern (Level 2) in the same period as "Together/Impreuna", as part of the group exhibition "The Irresistible Force". Matei Bejenaru exhibited together with Conrad Bakker, Tim Davis, Claire Fontaine, Mika Rottenberg, Michael Stevenson and Judi Werthein. Curators of the show were Ben Borthwick and Kerryn Greenberg. Although it speaks about an ending situation - illegal Romanian migrant workers in the UK - "Travelling Guide" was selected by the British curators because it raised a general issue - that of illegal emigration from Eastern countries. "Travelling Guide" represent a receipe containing information about Romanians trying to get illegaly to UK and data about how to make this trip. The project was first presented in 2005 as an insert in "Idea" (contemporary art magazin); in 2006 by Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary in Vienna; in 2007 at the Prague Biennial and at Galeria Posibila. ----------------------------------
Matei Bejenaru teaches photography and video at the Art University from Iasi. Since 2003 he is director of "Periferic" Biennial and Vector gallery (Iasi, Romania). As an artist and a curator, Matei Bejenaru contributed to the development of the local art scene.
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| Nicu Ilfoveanu at Inbetweens |
| In May - June 2007, Nicu Ilfoveanu participated at the contemporary art exhibition with young artists from Balkans. The event was opened in Rome, Italy; curators: Ludovico Pratesi and Dobrila Denegri.
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| Inbetweens was considered the first major exhibition from Italy that focused on Balkans contemporary art. It showed works by young artists from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hertegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Turkey. The event presented the diversity of these territories, of their recent history, of major political, social and economical changes, of the present "transition" and of future perspectives after the European integration. The consequences of these changes were considered to be not only social or political but mostly mental and psychological. Redefining cultural identity is one of the great trial of these territories and that is also revealed by the concept of this exhibition. Nicu ilfoveanu exhibited together with Maja Bajevic, Maja Beganovic, Pavel Braila, Mircea Cantor and Gabriela Vanga, Nemanja Cvijanovic, Nezaket Ekici, Pravdoljub Ivanov, Sejla Kameric, Daniela Kostova, David Malijkovic, Ebru Ozsecen, Adrian Paci, Tobijas Putrih, Anri Sala, son:DA, Mica Staicic, Erzen Shkololli, Jelena Tomasevic, Slavica Tosevska, Nikola Uzunovski, Vesna Vesic, Natalija Vujosevic. Their personal stories reflect collective experiences of the continuous change and transformation of origin place. Their works analyze tragedies of recent past, question the uncertain present and try to create new perspectives towards the future. |
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| "Autochrome, first colored photography and SPA, Section Photographique de l'Armee, a revolutionary media detachment of the French army from the beginning of the last century, meet for the first time in War that meant to end all wars, WWI as it is known today. A wonderful technical discovery made possible that the image of this war could be passed on to us in a romantically view. The long exposure made impossible the reproduction of the war abomination as we are used today; more than that, the instability of the process gives a certain unique strangeness to the colors that creates more of a dream world. Nicu Ilfoveanu presents the contemporary ruins of a war too agitated and too stormy for being recorded, but it can be reconstructed as our grand- grandfathers did in their stories. Thus the sorrowful experiences become memories full of stories for those who never lived it. Steampunk is a dual process into which the present is related through elements of the past." Matei Caltia ----------------------------------------
Born in Romania in 1975, Nicu Ilfoveanu currently resident in Bucharest. He graduated the Art University of Bucharest and now teaches at the same university, Photo-Video Department while creating his own work with a wide range of themes and techniques, from photography to video.
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| Galeria Posibila |
| Contemporary Art from Romania |
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6 Popa Petre street
Bucharest 2 / RO
tel./fax 004.021.211.79.33
galeria@posibila.ro
www.posibila.ro
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