Curator
Marie Maertens
She is an art historian, independent curator, art critic, and journalist. Recently, she was the artistic director of Bordeaux Art & Design and worked with resident artists at the Fiminco Foundation, resulting in the exhibition Urban Odysseys. In 2022, she curated Power Flower at 109 as part of the Nice Biennale and In this World, I’m a Stranger at Hiflow in Geneva. In 2020, she conceived the exhibition American Women, the Infinite Journey at Patinoire Royale in Brussels, exploring American women artists.
Her work can also be read on her website: mariemaertens.com
Artists: Yasmina Assbane, Aurora Kiraly, Yana Bachynska, Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van Der Pol, Megan Dominescu, Anetta Mona Chișa, Kamruzzaman Shadhin, Tanja Boukal, Željko Beljan, Bogdan Rata, Dan Visovan, Delia Popa, Mihaela Moldovan, Loredana Ilie, Ilie Mihali, Donald Simionoiu
22.10-5.12.2024
Artistic Director: Anca Poterașu
ARAC, Anca Poterașu Gallery
26 Popa Soare Street, Bucharest
In the summer of 2024, around twenty artists from different practices and nationalities gathered in Săcel, in the Maramureș region, in a residency hosted by Anca Poterașu. During the residency, the artists had the opportunity to learn traditional techniques in weaving, sewing, and textile dyeing from local craftsmen, applying these skills in contemporary creations.
After days of observing and discovering the area, workshops were quickly organized, allowing participants to learn ceramics or weaving techniques. Focused on environmental respect and sustainability, the residency project required the artists to work with local materials. A kiln, built on-site, allowed for the firing of ceramics made from regional stoneware, while the wool for the weavings came from village sheep, along with the pigments used to color them. Alongside this respect for the land was the discovery of each artist’s customs, a sort of geographical initiation and personal exploration. The project was then set to travel to Vienna, Zagreb, and simultaneously to Bucharest, continuing the tradition of revisiting ancient customs with reflections on territorial and gender assignments.
The exhibition not only preserves and protects intangible cultural heritage but also promotes more sustainable and eco-friendly practices. The showcased works include textiles, ceramics, wood, and recyclable materials, reflecting a unique blend of tradition and contemporary innovation.
here you can find more details on the exhibition
Artists for Artists Residency Network (AFAR) is an EU cofunded project, also supported by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The residency program aims to improve the mobility of contemporary visual artists and curators in Romania, Germany, Croatia, and Austria. The project is led by the Romanian Association for Contemporary Art (ARAC), in partnership with Goethe Institute Network, the Croatian Association of Fine Artists, and Künstlerhaus Vienna.
The AFAR Network project is co-funded by the European Union. “The views and opinions expressed, however, are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
More information on the website: www.afarnetwork.com
The project is also supported by the financial contribution of the Maramureș County Council.
Partners: Goethe Institute Network, Croatian Association of Fine Artists, Künstlerhaus
Vienna, Austrian Cultural Forum, French Institute Bucharest.