We opened an exhibition dedicated to this year’s first sculpture auction. Visitors to Artmark Galleries can see (from March 12 to 28) the works of the pillars of modern Romanian sculpture – Oscar Khan, Ion Jalea, Mac Constantinescu, Romulus Ladea, as well as the works of important representatives of postmodernism and modernity – Paul Nyagu, George. Apostu, Aurel Vlad, Napoleon Tiron, Ion Irimescu. A century of sculpture! Including younger artists Lucian Smau, Daniel Redulescu or Costin Ionice, whose “Hydra” was recently one of the central works of the “Month of Romanian Sculptors” in Iasi.

It caused a sensation from the first appearance and does not disappear. For the first time in front of the public in 2012, on the pedestal on which the statue of Lenin was located in the former Piață a Scănteii – the current Piață a Presa Libere, the “Hydra” by the sculptor Kostin Ionice, similar to “a seven-headed dragon”, is a criticism of the political class, as evidenced by the artist himself. The controversial reaction to it has not abated, especially since it has once again found itself in the spotlight this election year. “The idea of ​​the newspaper is that after all, the political class has only changed in appearance, but in essence it has remained the same. It’s a theme that represents post-December politics. Why Hydra? Because Hydra is a mythological monster with poisoned blood and infinite regenerative powers. Hydra’s seven rose-shaped heads emerge from the decapitated body of a statue of Lenin. The work was part of “Project 1990″ and was exhibited for the first time directly on the pedestal of the statue of Lenin in Piața Presei Libere,” Kostin Ionice explained. “Hydra” impressed from the first moment and continues to cause surprising, sometimes violent reactions, being perceived on several levels…

​​​​​​​Ion Jalea “Face of a child”

The work, represented by a bunch of seven carnivorous plants growing directly from Lenin’s body, is an artistic metaphor that can cause controversy. As it happened this year, when the sculpture returned to the public in February at an exhibition organized in Iasi as part of the “Month of Romanian Sculptors” project. Mistaken for a demon, Kostin Ionice’s Hydra was defaced by a woman who punched and kicked the impressive work. Others said they feared her and shunned her at a distance, claiming she “scares children”. And all these recent cases have prompted the police to take action.

“Kostin Ionice clearly creates a body, still full of the life of communism, which supports the seven heads of roses, apparently severed but well connected, the Hydra – a mythological creature, a reference, this time symbolically, to the political present. The individualization of seven flower heads in a random body demonstrates the regenerative capacity of the system, a careful and clear observation transformed by the artist Kostin Ionice in his ambitious work (…) an ethical reminder useful for the Romanian political space. Not having a moralizing character, the sculpture essentially captures the reality, hidden for many, and reveals on a large scale the moral and human path of our politics,” – notes Claudia Zidaru in the catalog of the first exhibition of the work. And the work about which I have given all these details is also reproduced in the “Dictionary of Sculptors from Romania” published by the Publishing House of the Romanian Academy.

​​​​​​​Felix Aftene “About Escape”

Artists Oscar Hahn are also well-represented in the same auction, with many works, some even sized to fit in a home or office space, from which we represent “kiss” (with a starting price of €1,200), Ion Jalea, of which we offer only one example here, “Image of a child (King Michael)” (from 400 euros), Felix Aftene, from whom we remember “About flight” (from 5,000 euros), George Apostu – “Victim” (from 4,000 euros), Ion Alin Georgiou – “Chimera” (from 1,000 euros), as well as Vlad Olariou, who participates in the event for a charitable purpose, with “Masks” – after the sale, the funds received from this work with a starting price of 2,000 euros will be donated to one of the causes represented by the Romanian Red Cross.

All these works and many more can be found at Palatul Cesianu-Racoviță at CA Rosetti Street no. 5, at Artmark Galleries. The schedule is daily, admission is free, from Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The sculpture auction will take place on March 28 at 7:00 p.m. both at the Artmark Galleries headquarters and online on the Artmark Live platform.

Article supported by A10 by Artmark