Theatre Photography news
(R)Evolution of Paintings
The 9th edition of the Interferences International Theatre Festival will open this year with the launch of the exhibition “(R)Evolution of Paintings,” the first multimedia project in Romania to bring together recent Romanian art and history in a unique photo-video exhibition. This exhibition features 11 prominent Romanian actors from the National Theatre in Bucharest.
They tell the stories of paintings that were shot during the 1989 Revolution and subsequently restored through video materials created by the National Theatre’s photographer, Florin Ghioca. The actors present the fortunate case of paintings that were saved and reintroduced into the exhibition circuit after years of meticulous restoration. They embody and become the voices of these paintings, and through their voices, the project draws attention to the enduring effects of actions from that time, embedded in the layers of paint. The “Revolution of Paintings” project includes the participation of actors Emilia Popescu, Amalia Ciolan, Monica Davidescu, Ileana Olteanu, Cosmina Olariu, Ion Caramitru, Mircea Rusu, Alexandru Potocean, Lari Giorgescu, Richard Bovnoczki, and Daniel Badale.
Face to face with the restored paintings, the actors recount, feel, and convey the emotional weight of these artworks. The recollection of the tragic events from 35 years ago, the reexamination of each piece, and even the simple viewing of stages before and after restoration transform this project into a true historical manifesto that appeals to collective conscience.
Shot head-on, in bursts, these paintings underwent a long and complex restoration process, during which they were subjected to multiple actions of rescue, reconstruction, and repair, thanks to the efforts of the restorers from the National Museum of Art of Romania (MNAR). The multimedia project, conceived and created by renowned photographer Florin Ghioca, is inspired by a temporary exhibition dedicated to the restoration of these shot paintings. Each photograph is imprinted with a QR code, which, when scanned, directs the public to the filmed and animated story of the shot paintings, narrated by the actors from the National Theatre.
Among the painters whose works were restored and presented in this project are Ștefan Luchian, Theodor Aman, Ioan Andreescu, Sava Henția, and G.D. Mirea.
“(R)Evolution of Paintings” represents the first direct collaboration between the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre in Bucharest and the National Museum of Art of Romania and was created during the pandemic to facilitate public access to works displayed in the temporary exhibition dedicated to paintings restored after 1989. The exhibition was first displayed in December 2020 on the exterior fence of MNAR, and in 2023, it participated in the Romanian National Theatres Reunion at Mihai Eminescu Square near the National Theatre in Chișinău, and was also exhibited at the Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
The “(R)Evolution of Paintings” exhibition will open on November 3 at 18:30 in the foyer of the Hungarian State Theatre in Cluj, with the presence of the photographer Florin Ghioca and director Gabor Tompa. The guest of honor will be actress Oana Pellea. The exhibition is supported by Banca Transilvania and the International Association of Theatre Photographers (IATP).