{"id":542,"date":"2025-08-14T12:57:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T12:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.arac.ro\/?post_type=exhibition&p=542"},"modified":"2025-09-24T15:34:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T15:34:02","slug":"ecology-after-life","status":"publish","type":"exhibition","link":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/exhibition\/ecology-after-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecology after Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Aurora Kir\u00e1ly<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aurora Kir\u00e1ly<\/em> is one of the best-known Romanian artists of her generation, exploring how the mind record, relives, remembers. The artist works with photography and installation in a variety of media, at the intersection of photography with textile art, drawing or installations. She is particularly interested in exploring feminist theories in relation with identity-making and the status of women in society. Her works relates to complex connections between events, public and private sphere of experience. During the 1990s and the 2000s, her projects explored the capacity of photography to record the quotidian, by combining auto-referential fragments with documentary aspects of day-to-day life (e.g. Melancholia, 1997 \u2013 1999). The self-reflecting images have provided an interesting point of departure for further installations that included collage (Viewfinder 2014 \u2013 2015 and Viewfinder Mock-ups, 2016 \u2013 ongoing), text (News Convertor, 2016 and News Remix, 2016 \u2013 2017), textiles (Soft drawings, 2020), and even painting (Heroines, 2013 \u2013 2015). Her most recent works question the sources or artistic inspiration depending on the context, the recent history as well as the references in art history of the status of women artists. Between 2001 \u2013 2009 Aurora Kir\u00e1ly ran one of the most significant art-spaces for photography in Romania, Galeria Nou\u0103 and since 2007 she has been teaching at the department of Photography and Dynamic Image, at the Bucharest National University of Arts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Matei Bejenaru<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Matei Bejenaru<\/em> is a visual artist who lives and works in Ia\u015fi, where he teaches photography and video art at the \u201cGeorge Enescu\u201d University of Arts. In his projects, through photography, video, performance and inter-media installations, he analyzes how the ways of economic production, technological knowledge, mentalities and lifestyles have changed in the last two decades in the post-communist countries. The Romanian workers\u2019 immigration towards the West was analyzed in his artistic projects Travel Guide and Maersk Dubai, selected for various international exhibitions, like the ones in Tate Modern, Level 2 Gallery in London in 2007, The Taipei Biennial in 2008. His choral music experimental project, started in 2010, Songs for a Better Future, was presented at The Drawing Room and Tate Modern in London, Western Front la Vancouver, Kuenstlerhaus Buchsenhausen Innsbruck, Laakteater Haga. The most recent episode of this project, Ode of the Matter, was exhibited at The National Museum of Contemporary Museum in Bucharest and at the Art Encounters Biennial in Timi\u015foara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Iosif Kir\u00e1<\/em>ly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Iosif Kir\u00e1ly<\/em> is one of the most renowned artists working with photography in Romania. His work investigates the relationship between perception, time, synchronicity and memory through photography, installation-art, drawing and more recently, video. He has initiated, coordinated, and, together with architects, visual artists, and anthropologists, participated in research projects related to the changes having occurred in post-communist Romania: D-Platform, RO-Archive, Triaj, Tinseltown. During the 1980s, Iosif Kir\u00e1ly became active in the mail art network, an international underground movement established by Fluxus. After 1989, he exhibited both individually and within the subREAL* group. Iosif Kir\u00e1ly\u2019s works are found in numerous private and public collections such as the following: The National Contemporary Art Museum in Bucharest, 2000+ Arteast Collection, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana*; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Light Work, Syracuse, NY; Hamburger Bahnhof \u2013 Museum f\u00fcr Gegenwart, Berlin; Neue Galerie Graz am Landsesmuseum Joanneum; Museum of Contemporary Art, Ars Aevi, Sarajevo*. Since 1991 he has been teaching contemporary photography at the National University of Arts (UNArte) in Bucharest, Romania. In 1995, he was among the founders of the Department of Photography and Media Art at UNArte, where he is presently a professor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ioana C\u00eerlig<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ioana C\u00eerlig (n. 1987) a studiat Cinematografie \u0219i a \u00eenceput s\u0103 lucreze ca fotoreporter \u00eenc\u0103 din perioada studiilor. Din 2012, activeaz\u0103 ca fotograf independent, dezvolt\u00e2nd proiecte personale pe termen lung, axate pe peisajul industrial \u0219i pe rela\u021bia dintre om \u0219i natur\u0103 \u00een comunit\u0103\u021bile rurale din Rom\u00e2nia. \n\nDin 2015, dezvolt\u0103 proiectul Z\u00e2ne, explor\u00e2nd leg\u0103tura dintre om \u0219i natur\u0103, precum \u0219i miturile \u0219i tradi\u021biile comunit\u0103\u021bilor rurale. \u00cen 2016, a cofondat Centrul pentru Fotografie Documentar\u0103, sus\u021bin\u00e2nd produc\u021bia a peste 20 de proiecte \u0219i publicarea mai multor fotobooks, activitate pe care a continuat-o p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een 2023, c\u00e2nd a p\u0103r\u0103sit asocia\u021bia pentru a explora noi direc\u021bii artistice la intersec\u021bia dintre documentar, art\u0103 \u0219i activism. Din 2017, \u0219i-a aprofundat cercetarea asupra lumii botanice, abord\u00e2nd plante rare \u0219i merg\u00e2nd in parcuri na\u021bionale, precum \u0219i documentarea unui viitor imaginar care examineaz\u0103 simbioza dintre plante \u0219i de\u0219euri \u0219i colonii spa\u021biale speculative. \u00cen acela\u0219i an, a ini\u021biat \u0219i proiectul Accept all Happiness From Me, concentrat pe flora spontan\u0103 \u0219i cercetarea botanic\u0103, extinz\u00e2ndu-se \u00een expozi\u021bii, eseuri \u0219i colabor\u0103ri interdisciplinare. \n\nPe l\u00e2ng\u0103 proiectele personale, Ioana C\u00eerlig lucreaz\u0103 ca editor foto pentru o revist\u0103 cultural\u0103 \u0219i, din 2018, este editor foto al revistei Scena9. \u00cen 2024, a cofondat colectivul de arti\u0219ti FOC, dedicat proiectelor de mediu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Delia Popa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Delia Popa (n. 1980, Bucure\u0219ti, Rom\u00e2nia) de\u021bine un MFA \u00een Pictur\u0103 \u0219i Desen de la School of the Art Institute of Chicago, SUA (2007), un Diploma Postuniversitar\u0103 \u00een Arte Frumoase de la Goldsmiths College, University of London (2005), precum \u0219i un MFA \u00een Arte Vizuale \u0219i o diplom\u0103 de licen\u021b\u0103 \u00een Pictur\u0103 de la Universitatea Na\u021bional\u0103 de Arte Bucure\u0219ti (2004). Lucreaz\u0103 \u00een medii precum pictura, video, instala\u021bie, performance \u0219i proiecte participative.\n\nLucr\u0103rile Deliei Popa au fost prezentate \u00een expozi\u021bii de grup, proiec\u021bii \u0219i evenimente de performance prestigioase, at\u00e2t na\u021bionale, c\u00e2t \u0219i interna\u021bionale, inclusiv la Muzeul Na\u021bional de Art\u0103 Contemporan\u0103\/MNAC, Bucure\u0219ti (2023\/2020\/2014\/2005), Pragovka Gallery, Praga (2024), Galeria Anca Potera\u0219u, Bucure\u0219ti (2024), Toplocentrala, Sofia, Bulgaria (2022), Cologne Biennale, Germania (2022), Occupy Art Festival, New York City, SUA (2022), Kunsthalle Bega, Timi\u0219oara, Rom\u00e2nia (2021), WASP Studios, Bucure\u0219ti (2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Artists: Aurora Kir\u00e1ly, Matei Bejenaru, Iosif Kir\u00e1ly, Ioana C\u00eerlig, Delia Popa
Curator: Rafaela B\u00eerl\u0103deanu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

09.05-01.07.2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARAC, Anca Potera\u0219u Gallery
Strada Popa Soare 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anca Poterasu Gallery presents Ecology of the After Life<\/em>, an exhibition that revolves around recurrent and obsessive questions regarding human existence, science, nature\u2019s resilience, and the echoes of our actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition serves as a metaphor for the regeneration of life as a whole, exploring not only human existence but also the intricate connections between organisms that sustain life on Earth. From Aurora Kir\u00e1ly\u2019s landscapes to Delia Popa\u2019s introspective reflections, Iosif Kir\u00e1ly\u2019s blurring of reality and fantasy, Ioana C\u00eerlig\u2019s documentation of coal miners, and Matei Bejenaru\u2019s chronicles of forgotten spaces, Ecology of the Afterlife<\/em> contemplates the interconnectedness of living beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aurora Kir\u00e1ly’s<\/em> latest series of photographic views captures ethereal landscapes where time seems to stand still. The artist transports us to places where the limits between humanity and nature are blurred, inviting us to contemplate our role in the grand tapestry of life. Her photographs serve as a reminder of nature’s remarkable ability to adapt and thrive in the face of environmental challenges. In these tranquil scenes, we witness the timeless beauty of the Earth and the intricate network of life that sustains it.

Delia Popa’s<\/em> video work, Letters to a Young Gardener<\/em>, initiates a conversation that highlights our deep connection to nature. Through her activities in the garden that once belonged to her grandparents and by recounting events in her life, the artist highlights nature’s healing role. She challenges viewers to reflect on the intricate layers of existence and the lasting impact of our actions.

Iosif Kir\u00e1ly’s<\/em> complicates the negotiation between reality and fantasy, inviting viewers to meditate upon the fluidity of perception and the fine separation between past, present, and future, while the visual representation challenges us to reconsider our understanding of time and space.

Ioana Cirlig<\/em>‘s portraits of miners at the Petrila coal mine in Romania shed light on the human impact on the environment. As one of the last working mines in Romania, the process of shutting down the activities in Petrila signifies not only the loss of jobs but also the end of a period. The closing of Petrila coal mine serves as a stark warning about the consequences of relying on non-renewable resources. It highlights the imperative for transition towards cleaner energy sources. Through this series of photographs, we witness the human cost of industrialization and the need for sustainable alternatives. The coal mines, with their towering structures and vast underground networks, symbolize humanity’s relentless pursuit of resources at any cost. Yet, in the aftermath of the closing out, what remains are scars on the landscape and communities left grappling with economic uncertainty and environmental degradation.

Matei Bejenaru’s<\/em> Between Two Worlds<\/em> is a poignant reminder of the impermanence inherent in human endeavour. With a keen eye for the melancholic beauty of abandoned spaces once dedicated to scientific exploration, the artist urges us to reflect on the ephemerality of our achievements and the legacy we leave behind. In his work, Bejenaru captures more than the physical decay of these places; he captures the essence of what they once represented. Through this careful visual narrative, he invites us to consider the inevitable passage of time and the impermanence of our existence.The artists question the complexity of our world by dwelling into the interaction between humanity, the surrounding environment, science and the forces that shape our collective destiny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecology of the Afterlife<\/em> invites the viewer to ponder on the cyclicality of life, the many shapes that the natural world can take, and our role in shaping the atmosphere around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ecology after Life<\/em> exhibition is part of Artists for Artists Residency Network (AFAR).<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 K\u00fcnstlerhaus Vienna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AFAR Network project is co-funded by the European Union. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More information on the website: www.afarnetwork.com<\/a><\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parteneri:<\/strong> Goethe Institute Network, Croatian Association of Fine Artists, K\u00fcnstlerhaus
Vienna, Austrian Cultural Forum, Aqua Carpatica
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The exhibition serves as a metaphor for the regeneration of life as a whole, exploring not only human existence but also the intricate connections between organisms that sustain life on Earth. From Aurora Kir\u00e1ly\u2019s landscapes to Delia Popa\u2019s introspective reflections, Iosif Kir\u00e1ly\u2019s blurring of reality and fantasy, Ioana C\u00eerlig\u2019s documentation of coal miners, and Matei Bejenaru\u2019s chronicles of forgotten spaces, Ecology of the Afterlife contemplates the interconnectedness of living beings.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":555,"template":"","meta":{"arac_exhibition_start":"2024-05-09","arac_exhibition_end":"2024-07-01"},"class_list":["post-542","exhibition","type-exhibition","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/exhibition\/542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/exhibition"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/exhibition"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arac.ro\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}