• Art Safari announces the first temporary exhibition of the season from February 16th to March 5th, on the occasion of National Constantin Brancusi Day. Visitors are invited to meet 10 artists who continue the legacy of the great sculptor;
• Together with the new exposition, you can visit 4 exhibitions of the 11th edition: a retrospective dedicated to the artist Ion Teodorescu-Sion (1882-1939), the masters of Spanish painting, including the famous impressionist Joaquin Sorolya, the Marcel Duchamp Prize – the Prestigious Prize of France and the Romanian Super Modern Art .
• The art safari continues until May 14 at the Dacia-Romania Palace (Bucharest City Museum), Lipscani Street, no. 18-20. The palace is also open at night, every Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 1am.

Ioana Ciocan, CEO of Art Safari and Commissioner of Romania at the Venice Biennale:

“For the first time, Art Safari is open to the public on the National Day of Constantin Brancusi, when we want to draw the attention of our visitors to something more about the artist, who no longer needs to be introduced. Brancusi had neither direct pupils nor disciples. Those who worked in his workshop at Impasse Ronsin learned from him just by watching him sculpt, watching him live. Who are the 10 descendants of Brancusi who passed on his legacy? We invite you to find out on Art Safari!”.

Konstantin Brancusi (1876-1957) made a revolution in plastic language. He created a new way of thinking and sculpting and conveyed the consciousness of pure form. It provided a transition from a figurative representation of reality to an expression of the essence of things. His sculptures are distinguished by their elegant forms and sensitive use of materials, combining the simplicity of Romanian folk art with the sophistication of the Parisian avant-garde. Verticality, horizontality, weight, density, as well as the importance of light and space define Brancusi’s work.

The most outstanding Romanian sculptors after Brancusi

Brancusi’s work deeply influenced the modern concept of form in sculpture, painting and drawing. The 10 descendants of Constantin Brancusi, selected by Ioana Spiridon, curator of the exhibition, are: George Apostu, Florica Ioan, Vasile Gorduz, Napoleon Tiron, Gheorghe Iliescu Calinesti, Ion Vlasiu, Geza Vida, Paul Neagu, Iryna Codreanu, Ingo Glass.

At Art Safari, you will also find the famous work “Century Cross” by Paul Nyagu (1938-2004), later transformed into a public forum monument, commissioned by Andriy Pleš, Minister of Culture since 1991, in honor of the Revolution of 1989. Domestic and foreign critics Paul Nyaga was considered the most important Romanian sculptor after Brancusi.

The works of another artist present at the temporary exhibition, George Aposta (1934-1986), revolve around the myth of the primordial couple, of motherhood, fatherhood, divinity. From the beginning, George Apostu distinguished himself as a supporter of heritage and the archaic, which he transformed into stylistic innovations full of mystery.

Also for Napoleon Tiron (b. 1935), the tree has a deep meaning, which evokes the first experiences of the artist’s childhood, which he remembers with nostalgia.

Gheorghe Iliescu Calinesti (1932-2002) was a representative of avant-garde sculpture. “Homage to Brancusi” is the most eloquent work that illustrates the artist’s position on the influence of the Romanian sculptor on a whole generation of artists.

Being in direct contact with European avant-garde artists, Iryna Codryanu (1896-1985) regularly visited the Parisian studio of Constantin Brancusi. Beginning in 1919, he settled in Paris and attended the Académie de la Grand Chaumière under Emile Antoine Bourdel. One of the most famous works “Mermaid” is presented at Art-safari.

Admiring the works of Vasyl Gorduz (1931-2008), the viewer is moved by a sense of nostalgia for the human condition. The artist represents two important trends in his work: one in the style of Constantin Brancusi’s sculpture, an ancestral inspiration, and another in the direction of Dimitrie Pachurea, a mythical, fantastic inspiration.

The great woodcarver and storyteller Geza Wied (1913-1980) is a continuation of the folk tradition where origin, man and ancestors meet. Along with them, visitors can also see the works of Florica Ioan (1923-2008), Ion Vlasiu (1908-1997) and Ingo Glass (1941-2022).

“Art Safari” program (February 10 – May 14, 2023)

• Thursday-Sunday – 12:00-21:00; Night tours – every Friday and Saturday 10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. (guide, live music and prosecco)
• Tickets: https://tickets.artsafari.ro/e?lang=ro or directly at the entrance (Palatul Dacia-România, street Lipscani, no. 18-20, Bucharest)

4 Romanian and international art exhibitions in the 11th season

“Ion Teodorescu-Sion. History of life”, curator Dr. Olena Olariu – Frthe retrospective is marked by the Art Safari and the Bucharest City Museum, which draws attention to the great art master. Monumental neo-Romanian compositions, grandiose images of peasants, women in the image of forest goddesses, still lifes, rich in details.

“Masters of Spanish painting. 19th century and the birth of impressionism”. curator Dr. Helena Alonso – the exhibition is built around the famous Spanish impressionist Joaquin Sorolla (1863-1923), “Master of Light”, in the context of the international celebration of his centenary, and Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) – a multifaceted artist who had great international success.

“Palace of Memory. Focus on the French art scene with the Marcel Duchamp Award” curated by Daria de Beauvais, with the assistance of Dr. Lisa Colin, an exhibition created in partnership with the Association for the International Diffusion of French Art and the Institut Française. The Marcel Duchamp Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious awards in the field of contemporary art.

“Young blood 2.0. What’s new in art?”, curated by Mihai Zgondou – an x-ray of ultra-modern art, which includes 65 artists from major cities in Romania, as well as from the Republic of Moldova. From paintings, video art, digital art, NFT to installations, object and textile art.

About Art Safari Bucharest

Art Safari, supported by Lidl, GLO, Porsche and Garanti BBVA, specializes in creating exhibition pavilions. Now in its 11th year, the annual organizer of the Bucharest Art Pavilion – the largest conglomerate of art exhibitions in Romania – in partnership with Romanian and international art museums and private collectors, organizes large-scale retrospective exhibitions that offer a revival of heritage values. With a strong educational side, its mission is to bring art closer to the public and educate new generations by organizing art workshops for children, tours and contemporary art exhibitions in non-traditional locations such as Henri Coanda Airport or the Bucharest Metro. The art safari is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and in partnership with the Bucharest City Museum, the National Art Museum of Romania and the Romanian Cultural Institute. The official partner of Art Safari is BCR. Over 350,000 visitors have registered so far in 10 editions. More information: artsafari.ro.