It is a great pleasure for me to introduce the Moldovan gallery “Lutnița”, which for the second time takes part in the main contemporary art fair in Belgium, “Art Brussels”. The gallery in the heart of “old Chisinau”, on my favorite street named after architect A. Shchusev, is engaged in the difficult task of popularizing contemporary art, explaining to the general public its narratives and trends, why it should not be feared, how to look and think about it. And, of course, it promotes talented artists of different nationalities and religions, creating in different techniques and styles inherent in contemporary art. It also develops international collaborations, promoting critical thinking, interdisciplinary practices and artistic research. This time Lutnița brought to Brussels two Romanian artists, very different but mutually complementary to the contemporary art world.

 Carpet with egg craquelure, speaking the language of art historians, Flaviu Cacoveanu, only lazy on the foot-trodden – an unobtrusive performance with the participation of the audience. How fragile is our life (the egg is a symbol of life), in the invisible hand of the Creator, if you are a believer, or a political puppeteer, if you blindly follow a strong leader, or indifferent nature, on whose cataclysms we depend and which we mercilessly exploit. The word “Politica,” Flaviu has long hammered paint into the canvas as the politically engaged media hammer their propaganda into the minds of readers and viewers. We remember how Romanian ultra-right-wing politician Călin Georgescu spread his right-wing, not from the word “right”, views via tic-toc. The artist combines observation with intuitive reflection in his work, striving not to interfere with the natural course of events. He calls himself a “Con&Temporary” artist: “con” as a reference to concept and context, “temporary” as a key element of his artistic approach.

Alex Bodea is a true multimedia artist, a nomad in creation and in the truest sense of the word. With her charming partner Lumina they make a harmonious couple, traveling around Europe in a small camion, which depends on the size of the canvases and the number of colors, and which carries all their luggage. Alex is a true contemporary art artist working at the intersection of visual art, journalism and poetry. What a comic book she has! Her practice is fueled by a desire to observe, capture and communicate what she sees, using a language based on drawing and text (written or spoken), reducing both mediums to their minimal, expressive essence. Bodea focuses on urban everyday life, random passersby, and the theatrical and visual art scene in Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, and other European cities. Her drawings are not just exhibited – they have to be spoken aloud, they become part of a performative action. She also performs fragments of her archive in the format of live readings. In her native ultra-Orthodox Romania, the queer couple sometimes raises questions, but Alex’s unusual visual and verbal work sweeps away all artificial obstacles of misunderstanding.

Lutnița Gallery’s project at Art Brussels as a whole is called “Ego System”, – explores the image of the self as a fragile yet stable construction, on the borderline between the internal perception of the self and the external social image. The characters created by Alex Bodea form a single “ecosystem” ensemble, which reflects a humanistic worldview. Flaviu Cacoveanu’s works organically complement this dialog, revealing the vulnerability of the ego as a source of strength and resilience. The project invites reflection on how individual interests influence politics, social norms and personal histories, opening a space to discuss alternative, common good-oriented structures in an era of global interconnectedness.

Lutnița Gallery, based in Chisinau, was founded by Moldovan artist Andrei Sclifos in collaboration with the Plan B Foundation from Cluj.

Participation in the art fair is supported by Institutul Cultural Român.

Watch the video interview with Alisa Bacalova, gallery assistant.