About Bucharest Air
Contemporary Romania seems to be characterized by a prolonged and seemingly permanent state of anxious and sometimes schizofrenic transition between Nicolae Ceausescu’s oppressive socialist regime and an imported, aggressive capitalism that often seems to lack defined moral guidelines or rules; this period of transition confronts citizens with new and specific challenges at every step, making Romania a place of discovery proper as well as a country which during the past 20 years has been in a constant and dynamic development.
Romania’s social, demographic and economic divisions would place the country in between second and third world countries: unbridgeable gaps between a relatively small but financially powerful ruling class and the common citizen, huge differences in living standards between industry and commerce orientated cities and the rural, agriculture based countryside as well as deeply rooted corruption and a lack of a practicable direct democracy being only a few criteria to name; Romania’s adherence to the European Union, soon to be as equal partner, contradicts the above, generating a specific kind of visual and culture-based conflict, between that which ‘is’ and that which is ‘hoped for’, generating in this way a rich source of information as well as inspiration.
Due to its history and geographic location, Romania could also be perceived as a melting pot of different European cultures and identities: with over 45 local dialects based on a mixture of Latin and Slavonic languages and minorities ranging from Russian speaking Lipoveni to a strong Hungarian, Turkish, German and Gypsy community, Romania is a strong example of the historical development of a truly multicultural society with both its flaws and positives to go along.
Viewed in this light, the artist best suitable for a residency in Bucharest would be found in the segment of art which deals with issues closely related to an analysis of society as either fragment or whole; research and on-site investigation, dialogue and a will to enter intellectual, cultural and artistic exchange on both an international level as well as a local one, a feel for context and a desire to work within a local scene or situation seem to be prerequisites.
The Residency program is open to all art professionals who have a genuine interest in a period of working and living in Bucharest and can host artists working with photography, video, new media and internet, drawing, performance, research based work, installation, site specific (public space) interventions and similar. The Residency is less suitable for painters and artists who work with large scale studio-based sculpture. However, if need be, there are opportunities for renting an external workplace which could suit specific artistic needs and projects.
Tudor Bratu
Romania’s social, demographic and economic divisions would place the country in between second and third world countries: unbridgeable gaps between a relatively small but financially powerful ruling class and the common citizen, huge differences in living standards between industry and commerce orientated cities and the rural, agriculture based countryside as well as deeply rooted corruption and a lack of a practicable direct democracy being only a few criteria to name; Romania’s adherence to the European Union, soon to be as equal partner, contradicts the above, generating a specific kind of visual and culture-based conflict, between that which ‘is’ and that which is ‘hoped for’, generating in this way a rich source of information as well as inspiration. Due to its history and geographic location, Romania could also be perceived as a melting pot of different European cultures and identities: with over 45 local dialects based on a mixture of Latin and Slavonic languages and minorities ranging from Russian speaking Lipoveni to a strong Hungarian, Turkish, German and Gypsy community, Romania is a strong example of the historical development of a truly multicultural society with both its flaws and positives to go along.
Viewed in this light, the artist best suitable for a residency in Bucharest would be found in the segment of art which deals with issues closely related to an analysis of society as either fragment or whole; research and on-site investigation, dialogue and a will to enter intellectual, cultural and artistic exchange on both an international level as well as a local one, a feel for context and a desire to work within a local scene or situation seem to be prerequisites.
The Residency program is open to all art professionals who have a genuine interest in a period of working and living in Bucharest and can host artists working with photography, video, new media and internet, drawing, performance, research based work, installation, site specific (public space) interventions and similar. The Residency is less suitable for painters and artists who work with large scale studio-based sculpture. However, if need be, there are opportunities for renting an external workplace which could suit specific artistic needs and projects.
Tudor Bratu
Tudor Bratu (1977, NL) is an internationally active artist currently living and working in Amsterdam and Bucharest. Besides his involvement with visual art, his activities include teaching, lecturing and critical writing. In March 2010, Tudor Bratu set up Bucharest AIR, an artist in residence project meant to facilitate international artistic production, research and cultural exchange in Romania. For more information visit Tudor Bratu.
Bucharest AIR collaborates closely with the Centre for Visual Introspection, The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB) and Transartists.
Bucharest AIR collaborates closely with the Centre for Visual Introspection, The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB) and Transartists.
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