I tell myself every once in a while that I will go see exhibitions more often. I tell myself this rarely, and even less often I actually do anything about it, at least for a short time.
However, there is the first weekend in October when Galleries’ White Night takes place (which lasts for three nights like a fairytale). I usually take a tour of the galeries at this time if I’m in Bucharest, and not busy with something else …or there isn’t a pandemic…
Because I didn’t want to get an art overdose I planned to go only to three events per day …ahem…
The first night was a fail from that point of view.
I went to the first exhibition I selected at Arbor.Art.Room by Moldavian artist, Nadya Izosimova, called Animal in me. I resonate very much with this artist and what she wants to express and her view on art.
When I got there, I was invited in by the galerist who explained that the names of the paintings/ video performances are on the flyer not on the walls. It seems to be a new trend for the galleries for some time now.
I was transfixed by the central video performance since I got in. The video showed the artist in a clearing in a forest painting white circles one inside the other and then laying down like a baby in the middle. I could relate instantly with that need to create a safe space for oneself.
The photos and paintings were also relatable, especially since I can also identify different aspects of me. She pictured them as animals. I have no idea how mine would look like. This made it even better to see hers. One of the animals was more alouf, one was tired and one was down right angry, but they all had a suspicious look on their faces as if …
“The animals in my forest were cheated by me not only once.
They do not like when they are disconsidered,
When they are hidden in corners,
When they are ignored, when they become objects of shame,
When their right to exist is denied.
They do not take orders,
They are wild and honest,
They want to live,
They want to be free,
They want love,
And it is hard to believe that this thing is possible.”
– by Nadya Izosimova
While I was going to the next exhibition I planned to see, I passed by Galateca, and decided to stop although I was on quite a tight schedule.
There I saw that a call for artists was made, for projects that combine art and science. My eyes went wide, but alas! I’m over 30. Nonetheless, it is great they do this. The project is called Neo Art Connect.
I did not stay long enough with the exhibition to appreciate it, but I retained this habit I found funny: there was a tradition when there was a pandemic, for some women in a village to gather and create a blouse in one night and place it at the entrance in the village and it was believed it would protect the village from the disease. I wonder if any village did this in the last two years and if they had any success.
Afterwards, I went to the exhibition I was supposed to get to although I only had 30 minutes to stay there at most. I went in not sure what to feel about it. It became obvious from the first steps that I would love it. So much so, that I will speak about it in a separate post. 🤞
One minute older is a project meant to draw attention to the over use of plastic. There is a joke that all Romanians have a plastic bag with plastic bags (just so you know I also have a tote bag with tote bags 🤷🏼♀️). This exhibitions shows how much this bag with bags can cover and impact, as the inside of the house hosting Rezidenta9 was covered with them.
The last place on this art trip was SAC@Malmaison where a docu-fiction/ performance was taking place.
However, it started fashionably late, and I could go see the exhibition at Sandwich as well, called Make a strong ending by Anaïs Touchot.
I loved everything about this exhibition. The gallery was decorated like a room. It was strangely inviting. On one table there was a glass with its contents spilled and a beer bottle with a flower in it. That would make a great decoration for my room. There were all sort of paintings on the wall with all sorts of punch lines and scattered words. The exhibition is centered around the necessity for good speach skill to succed.
The docu-fiction film, (I’ll call you later, now I’m on this) EGO TRIP, was about narcissistic abuse. It was a bit triggering, but I left the room feeling ok with myself, even if a bit shaken. At the end of the film I looked around and most of the people were also shaken, but a lot were also blissfully unaware of the garvity of what was depicted in the film, which is good. Before and after the film, Corina Sucarov created the atmosphere through a sound performance which I found eearie and appropriate, and that it completed well the film.
The second night I set out to go to three galleries also, but then I saw a friend posting something interesting from another gallery , so I ended up seeing four.
The first one I saw was at Gaep where there was an exhibitions called Ecologies of repair focusing on the resilience of nature. I loved the approach, from how nature manages to adjust to changes and develop new forms of life, to how plants adapt to the harshest environments like the desert, to how capitalism destroys land, and how accidents can produce unique environments.
I am grateful for the galerist who was very nice and explained some of the works to me.
Next I went to Suprainfinit Gallery to see a performance by Alina Ușurelu whom I saw last Saturday and I totally adored. She is like a fairy, so surreal and gorgeous.
At this gallery there was also an exhibition by Rebekka Stuhlemer, holding a shell walking a line, which was represented by four painting on large canvases, one on each wall. The paintings seem to flow and capture the viewer. I am glad I had more than a half an hour to spend with them.
The performance by Alina Ușurelu was about exhaustion and recovery. The one I saw last Saturday was only a out recovery. I am glad to have seen another interpretation of the theme. It took place in the showcase of the gallery so anyone from the street could see the performance.
There were two parts. On the exhaustion part, she started shaking more and more rapidly until she reached an apex and stopped abruptly. Or that was the plan. But then some kids came by. And they started shaking too. Which made Alina shake faster contaminated by their energy so she had to stop before it was time.
Haha. The perks of a performance in a semi controler environment.
I swear I am going to go to performances like this only to see the public. They are priceless.
Among the reactions:
- Among the three kids there was one, the smallest one, who actually tried to make sense of the performence and wanted to see it, but his friends were too bent on making jokes and didn’t want to stay. The smallest kid said when Alina stopped shaking and after a pause started moving her head right – left faster and faster that she seems in a trance and that she looks like she is dreaming and walking up. She had a bed sheet and pillow on the wall behind her. I loved that kid.
- Another funny thing was that all the kids that stopped by, including the three above, asked if she is a “real person” 😅
- There was an older guy who seemed to be from the neighborhood dressed all in black, who seemed to be more familiar with what was going on. He explained a bit to the three kids and then brought one of his drinking buddies to see the performance. His buddy said that the performer was pretty and talented “the way she was shaking for 15 minutes” .
- On the second part of the performance Alina rested, meaning she stood still on a chair looking at us. One guy came by and asked if he could take a photo of her. She consented. I found that really consideret of him. I didn’t even think that I should ask. I just took a photo of her. 🤷🏼♀️
On this second part of the performance, I shared a nice moment of connection with Alina as she was looking at the people on the street looking at her or just passing by. I looked her in the eyes and smiled and we stood like that for a couple of minutes. After the performemce she came straight at me and hugged and thanked me for the moment which was even nicer as it was a confirmation that the moment was special for both of us, not just for me. It is also refreshing to see someone express their emotions so freely. I still have a hard time doing that even if less so. Alina is also a person I can connect to easily it seems as we had a chat about how dance made me more comfortable to look people in the eyes.
The next two galleries I’ve seen weren’t that interesting. After Alina’s performence it would have been hard to get my attention anyways, since I wanted to keep the feeling I left with.
However, the last gallery I’ve went to wasn’t one I belonged in, either as viewere or artist. It was the kind of gallery I went to more than 10 years ago, when there were almost none of the galleries I go to now. I guess I didn’t belong in it back then either. Two things happened there. I passed by two ladies and one asked the other : “Who is this woman?” I was that odd for them. And I didn’t even wear anything too special. Must have been just my pink hair. After I took a tour, I went outside to find a place to sit down and decide whether I want to go to Reverse Discourse on the 9th or the 16th of October. Another lady came to me to ask if I want any refreshment. I didn’t. Nor did I decide on a date to see the performance. It would be too much to go on both dates right? I did see it twice this year already. Third time is a charm or something. Forth time is not ok. I don’t like even numbers, I would have to go a fifth time which means I would have to go to Bilbao and that’s not feasible. 😅
So, I bought a ticket “Iubeste-ma 5 minute” for the next night and went to a friend’s birthday party.
The joy of creating 
1 Comment