There is a genuine tradition of collecting in the business world\u2014one that has become institutionalized and has even given rise to a specific market. In Romania, this tradition began in the last century, particularly among lawyers. After the Revolution, the relationship between the lawyer-collector\/promoter and the artist was revived, and the last few decades have allowed for the formation of major collections, marking a revival of a historical cultural model. One of these is the PNSA.<\/p>\n
![\"PNSA](\"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/colectia-PNSA.png\")
Works from the PNSA Collection<\/p><\/div>\n
How and when did you discover art?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> My passion for art actually dates back to my childhood. In the early 1980s, I discovered Ilya Repin in an album published with exceptional graphic design\u2014or at least that\u2019s how I perceived it at the time\u2014by a Russian publishing house; I believe it was called Aurora Publishing. It\u2019s incredible how we remember details like that. I think the subject of the painting was a religious procession.<\/p>\n And what exactly impressed you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> What still impresses me\u2014presence. My connection to art is defined by the artist\u2019s presence. I truly believe\u2014I\u2019ve even heard Lucian Freud say this\u2014I truly believe that art is life. It\u2019s a concept, an idea, or it\u2019s life. I experienced that moment as if I were part of the work; I internalized the idea. Now I can say that I\u2019ve internalized the idea and that I experienced that work\u2014I lived it alongside the artist. I think that\u2019s what sparked my passion. And from that moment on, I\u2019ve been interested in every form of artistic expression. And I\u2019m interested in practically every form of artistic expression\u2014absolutely every form. What was the first work of art that made you view art not just as a beautiful object, but as a form of cultural heritage?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> I think the Romanian artist who first made an impression on me was Corneliu Baba. As it happened, before 1989 I had access to reproductions and was also able to see a few original works. I believe this encounter with Baba was formative. And when it comes to reproductions, I think Henri Matisse is the artist who really excited me as a child. Again, it has to do with that initial exposure. Otherwise, I\u2019d probably name a hundred artists. As a lawyer, as a professional in this field, what do you look for in a work of art when you\u2019re collecting\u2014precision, a story, emotion, or rarity?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> In everything I\u2019ve bought or commissioned, without exception, I\u2019ve looked for the idea behind it. Sometimes, perhaps, I\u2019ve chosen based on the artist. I firmly believe that art without an idea is just decoration. I\u2019ve often supported artists and their projects because I thought they had interesting ideas and exhibition concepts, even if the end result wasn\u2019t something I liked\u2014but that doesn\u2019t matter. So, I\u2019ve done these things, but I\u2019ve never bought a piece because I thought it would be marketable or would have value later on. Which ones are the most important?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> Either we organized them just for ourselves\u2014such as the Dragon Gallery and the exhibitions in our gallery\u2014or we organized them in collaboration with various cultural groups. How different is the company’s collective collection from your personal collection?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> At home, I have many pieces that are a bit shocking\u2014as art generally is\u2014but they aren\u2019t necessarily sordid; still, they\u2019re not really to everyone\u2019s taste. In a professional setting, you can\u2019t propose ultra-avant-garde themes or the most radical of the avant-garde. My personal collection also includes many extremely daring themes. Do you work with an art consultant or a gallery owner?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> I haven\u2019t actually worked with anyone as a consultant. But I\u2019ve consulted\u2014and still consult\u2014with many friends, collectors, and gallery owners. There are several important private galleries in Bucharest, with very good owners and curators. I think I know all of them, to a greater or lesser extent, and of course you seek their advice. There are also groups of artists who work with a specific gallerist and a specific curator or who have specific agents. Works from the PNSA Collection<\/p><\/div>\n Returning to the collection currently on display at the gallery, there are few sculptures. Have you decided to focus more on painting?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> That comment is correct. It\u2019s much harder to make an event or exhibition centered on sculpture accessible\u2014that\u2019s the truth\u2014because, apparently, the public is better equipped to appreciate painting than sculpture. How do your visitors react when they see the works on display? Do they spark conversation?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> First of all, foreigners are amazed. There are many businesspeople who are collectors. Art is a passion for many people in the business world. And now, based on what\u2019s displayed in the store, what exactly are you trying to promote? <\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> The central idea is that, although Romania is on the periphery in many respects, in reality the avant-garde is born on the periphery. It\u2019s not an original idea; it\u2019s the idea of an American researcher who wrote a book. I\u2019m adapting his thesis on Dadaism in Romania, which states that \u201cDadaist\u201d means \u201cDada comes from the East<\/em>.\u201d To paraphrase, I\u2019d say that even though we\u2019re on the periphery, we can still be at the forefront. We may be outsiders, but we\u2019re not necessarily marginal. Of the 700 works in the collection gathered over the past 30 years, which one would you consider the most emblematic\u2014one that could define the collection\u2019s evolution?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> I can\u2019t really point to any iconic works. But I think what endures\u2014what defines these 30 years of interest in Romanian art\u2014is that I\u2019ve learned that, in the end, everyone collects their own kind of art. I mean, even if you\u2019re interested\u2014let\u2019s say you have the financial means\u2014you\u2019re not going to buy Anish Kapoor. No matter how sensational Anish Kapoor is in many respects\u2014in terms of sculpture and how his work is displayed\u2014you\u2019re not going to collect Frida Kahlo, for example. As a Romanian, you\u2019re more likely to collect Adrian Ghenie. Because, whether we like it or not, there\u2019s a sense of identity at play, and once again, the work and the artist\u2019s biography are inseparable. And so, after 30 years, you look to see what the prevailing trend is or what the defining element is for Romanian art during this period. Why wouldn’t you leave your job, no matter what offer you receive?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> There are many works I could never part with\u2014by Horia Bernea, Mirel Zamfirescu\u2014both because I knew them personally and because I share a personal connection with them. I was very close to Mirel Zamfirescu; I was privileged to be his friend\u2014he was an extraordinary man, a great painter, and a great teacher. I have works by Mavrodin that I would never part with.<\/p>\n Maybe not even that Baba, the first one.<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> Yes, I have that Baba that I wouldn’t part with. But, again, not necessarily because of its artistic value, as I was saying. And what does the future hold for the collection? Are you thinking of making it accessible to the public at some point?<\/strong><\/p>\n Florian Ni\u021bu:<\/strong> It will certainly become public, because it was never motivated by economic considerations. So, it is the fate of any collection to become public\u2014all the more so for a collection that was not motivated by economic interests. It\u2019s just a matter of time. With more than 700 works gathered over the course of three decades, the PNSA (Popovici Ni\u021bu Stoica and Associates) collection is one of the most important selections of postwar and contemporary Romanian art. It focuses on artists who were active […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":68351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6965],"tags":[7312,7121,7051,7092,8583],"class_list":{"0":"post-68949","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-art","8":"tag-colectionar-en","9":"tag-collection","10":"tag-inspiration","11":"tag-interviu-en","12":"tag-newsletter-02-09"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nTastes can certainly be cultivated, and the process of cultivation never ends, because the new and the shocking in art are constantly emerging, so there\u2019s no risk of ever being too well-educated in art. So happiness lies before us, and the sources of happiness are never exhausted if you strive to cultivate your artistic sensibility. I\u2019ve traveled a lot; I travel the world frequently to experience new phenomena and see exhibitions.<\/p>\n
\nThe first piece in my collection was a Baba. It was a sketch I bought at a flea market in Obor around 1995\u20131996, when I was a student. It\u2019s a gouache by Baba, a portrait of his wife, which cost me a fortune back then. I remember that the seller had $100 in cash, and since I didn\u2019t have any, I had to come up with the money. I was afraid he\u2019d sell it before I got back with the dollars\u2026 This is the first piece, which I still have today.
\nOtherwise, I had artist friends\u2014and always have, because I was interested in the field\u2014and I used to buy art from them. I\u2019ve always been surrounded by artists, and I made all kinds of purchases back when I was a student.<\/p>\n
\nI’m not saying it’s right or wrong; we haven’t done that. And since we have cultural projects at the company, our goal isn’t to collect for the sake of collecting, but to support cultural projects.<\/p>\n
\nAbout two years ago, I worked on a project with the \u201cI Believe in Romania\u201d Association called \u201c35\/35\u201d\u2014marking the 35th anniversary of the Revolution, featuring 35 artists under the age of 35. A very interesting project that generated a lot of buzz, I\u2019d say. And, at the same time, a show of support for young artists here in Romania.
\nI worked with the Pangrati Association on a project that is very close to my heart, because we carried out many activities. The idea came from none other than the master Henry Mavrodin, who, of course, had a studio on Pangrati Street, and the goal was to create a video documentary on the history of the studios there and, of course, the work of the artists in residence at Pangrati. We managed to produce seven documentary films featuring seven artists and four albums, including an excellent album by Henry Mavrodin.
\nThe videos are available on YouTube. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to include them all, because many of the artists have passed away over the past 15 years.
\nBut it’s an ecosystem. Neither as a company nor as individuals are we particularly motivated by the idea of collecting for its own sake, but rather by carrying out cultural projects and supporting initiatives.
\nA lot of support is needed. Young artists need backing. Without the support of the business community\u2014and society at large\u2014they risk falling by the wayside. There are young people who need to spend a lot of time working in their studios but can\u2019t do so because they have to work at advertising agencies or in other fields. And while it\u2019s great that they\u2019re working, their time is limited.<\/p>\n
\nI generally focus on living artists. For me, the relationship with the artist is important. I want to understand the work; I don\u2019t believe in separating the artist\u2019s biography from their work. I am absolutely convinced that the work and the biography are inseparable. Getting to know the artist\u2014understanding how they think\u2014is essential to appreciating their work, first and foremost. I collect works by living artists or, in any case, postwar art. There are few pieces of a different kind\u2014a Petra\u0219cu from the 1930s and a Tonitza from the same period. I have a few pieces from that era, out of nostalgia for the early days. Otherwise, many young artists\u2014most of whom are still alive, including some who are still students\u2014whom I support and believe in. And because, obviously, I like what they do or see the potential in what they could do. But, again, it\u2019s not an investment. I didn\u2019t do this as an investment.<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s also a matter of access, at some point, because they want to work through galleries\u2014and I think that\u2019s a healthy approach\u2014and a matter of respect. I believe artists need this kind of support, and they should be helped.
\nEven though I have a personal relationship with most of the artists whose work I support and collect, if they have a relationship with the gallery, I also work with the gallery and respect that relationship, because it\u2019s important. My goal is not to bypass the gallery. I truly believe that\u2019s wrong for the market.
\nThe gallery needs to be supported because it puts on exhibitions and supports artists. At the end of the day, this entire ecosystem\u2014the gallery, the artist, the secondary market, the primary market\u2014benefits the final product. In other words, you have more and more high-quality art that inspires you, because the system makes it possible.
\nThe artist is motivated because he has to produce work for exhibitions and so on. Everyone benefits from this collaboration. I don’t see any other way.
\nRight now, we have a very strong secondary market\u2014it\u2019s not the primary market. I mean, there are still plenty of galleries, but not 300. Still, there are success stories. There are galleries that have managed, over time\u2014through exhibitions and international participation\u2014to elevate an artist from an average sale price of 5,000 euros per work to an average sale price of 30,000 euros per work. Just as there are auction houses that have succeeded in promoting such artists.
\nSo, the market has become much more professional, and that\u2019s thanks to the players. Auction houses have really professionalized the market. Even though gallery owners often complain that the auction houses have \u201ctaken their place\u201d\u2014that\u2019s not true; everyone has their own niche, and I don\u2019t think a respectful collaboration is detrimental to anyone. On the contrary, it benefits everyone. Of course, there are self-managed artists who represent themselves and exhibit their work on their own. There are even associations of independent artists who don\u2019t want to work with galleries. That\u2019s not a bad thing either; it\u2019s great that this approach exists as well. Economically, it requires more effort, but it offers greater freedom and so on. So, artists should be supported in every way possible, if feasible, and treated as fairly and transparently as possible from an economic standpoint.<\/p>\n![\"PNSA](\"https:\/\/curatorial.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/colectia-PNSA-1.png\")
\nI have works, for example, by Cornel Medrea, Ion Irimescu, and George Apostu, whom I like very much, but I believe that Romanian sculpture lacks the breadth that Romanian painting possesses. And from an organizational and logistical standpoint, it\u2019s also more complicated to put together a sculpture exhibition. Yes, it\u2019s a matter of perception and logistics.
\nUnfortunately, sculpture does not enjoy the same status as painting. And that\u2019s generally the case around the world. But here, in particular, sculpture does not have the same audience as painting.<\/p>\n
\nAnd I specifically chose themes related to our origins. The current theme is the origins of Romanian abstract art, Romanian conceptual art, and Romanian pop art. I wanted to shock a foreign audience that couldn\u2019t imagine that in the 1970s, people were creating serial painting<\/em> That\u2019s how it was in Bucharest\u2014no one could have imagined that Romul Nu\u021biu was creating, in 1975, a form of abstract expressionism that ranks among the very best of American abstract expressionism. In general, foreigners are absolutely shocked by the level and quality of Romanian art from the 1960s and 1970s.
\nWe also select themes for promotional purposes. In addition to the arts, we invest heavily in other Romanian artistic events.
\nWe have been partners with the Stradivarius Tour and Alexandru Tomescu since 2018, when the Romanian government launched a campaign to mark the Centennial of the Great Union. At that time, we produced an album, \u201cBalada,\u201d and managed to distribute thousands of copies to our contacts around the world\u2014a CD featuring Tomescu\u2019s performance, an exceptional recording, for which we received absolutely incredible feedback from all over the world.
\nWe often choose a theme with the aim of promoting a Romanian interest, which also encompasses our identity as a local company. We are an independent local company, and\u2014I don\u2019t want this to sound like anything other than what it is\u2014but it is a matter of identity. And promoting Ciprian Porumbescu or George Enescu\u2014or classical, art music from Romania that isn\u2019t widely accessible around the world\u2014is always a pleasant surprise.
\nSpeaking of Romanian cultural projects, I put a tremendous amount of effort\u2014unrelated to art\u2014into a study of the orchids that grow in Romania. That was an absolute success. I remember that the publisher I worked with even received congratulations from Prince Charles at the time. And I\u2019ve worked on many projects, ranging from music to nature and art.<\/p>\n
\nWe want to say that this is high-quality art, almost in tune with its time, right here.<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019d say that an element that comes to mind is the most enduring artistic theme and the most enduring artistic movement, embodied in an artistic work. That is, the Prolog group. In Romanian art, there is no theme that has endured for 40 years, no artistic concept that has been both expressed and renewed over such a long period of time as prologism<\/em>. Well, Prolog and the group\u2019s associates, such as Horia Bernea and Marin Gherasim. If there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s emblematic of a collection of postwar Romanian art, I\u2019d say that what\u2019s emblematic is prologism<\/em>. And I don’t think there is any other theme in postwar Romanian art that has such substance. And that is a form of ideological unity.
\nThere is another theme invented by critics and posterity: the Balchik School. But it never existed ideologically. It is a past that was never present. Artists would go there and paint, but on their own. Prologism, on the other hand, is a school, an ideology.
\nOf course, there are other movements, but none with this level of substance\u2014so consistent and long-lasting.<\/p>\n
\nAnd there are many. It\u2019s a matter of personal connection. For example, I have works by Gina Hagiu that I would never part with, even though they aren\u2019t, first and foremost, commercial at all. In fact, I remember Ms. Gina Hagiu\u2019s last exhibition at C\u0103minul Artei\u2014it must have been 20 years ago now\u2014which was essentially a retrospective. Some absolutely extraordinary pieces. I went to the opening; there were a few people there, but mostly friends. To me, she\u2019s a great artist, but she had absolutely no public success. And there are many like her. It\u2019s hard for me to make a list of 100 artists I like, whose work I collect, and whom I wouldn\u2019t part with.<\/p>\n
\nIt will be made public in stages and on a temporary basis, and at some point it will be made public in its entirety and on a permanent basis. It is essential that it be seen.
\nIn the standard art sales contracts we have drafted for artists, the buyer\u2019s obligation, for example, is to make the artwork available for exhibition at the artist\u2019s request. We support artists in asserting their rights.
\nAs a collector, it is your obligation and your duty to make these works accessible. That is the purpose of a collection: to be open to the public.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"