Visual ode to Brâncuși’s inspiring tangible heritage

‘Finis Africae’, by Alexandru Crișan, the starting point of the exhibition ‘Roots’, a visual ode dedicated to the immovable material heritage, a meditation on the unchanged world that served as a source of inspiration for Constantin Brâncuși, can be seen until 6th April at the Dacia-Romania Palace, within Art Safari #16.

The work from 2014 is the one that ‘best captures the idea of raw language or lyrical abstraction, which is, in fact, the subject of the contemporary artworks in the exhibition’, explained Ana Maria Crișan, curator of ‘Roots’.

The message eventually focused on materiality and the vibration of the material, the vibration of light, as is visible in the works on display. Moving from chiaroscuro to brighter works.

‘Finis Africae’ is acrylic on paper, applied in a very thick layer, which gives it depth, and traces of the artist’s tools can be seen.

‘Roots’ is an exhibition that talks about Constantin Brâncuși’s world and about what raw material actually means in the old world and about heritage.

The exhibition organised by the National Heritage Institute, which celebrates the archetypal image of the traditional home and household as a source of inspiration for artistic creation, also includes an archive of images on which Alexandru Crișan worked for about 15 years.

Alexandru Crișan is an internationally recognised and award-winning architect and photographer, specialised in art and architectural photography, with a passion for vernacular architecture and the promotion of national heritage. He is an active specialist in the field of visual arts, architecture and academic education, lecturer at the University of Architecture ‘Ion Mincu’ in Bucharest, researcher at Culture Reserve Association, promoting non-formal education, exploration through the visual medium, strengthening the dialogue between tradition and innovation.