'Appearance and Essence.' Art Encounters Timişoara/Arad

The first edition of Art Encounters opened to the public in the two neighbouring cities Timişoara and Arad in Romania. Taking place every two years it offers an insight into contemporary art in Romania within an international dialogue. This year the Art Encounters present works by the Sigma group, Geta Bratescu, Lena Constant, Ion Grigorescu and Ana Lupas, who were active during the communist area and worked more or less at home in isolation, or abroad in exile like Andre Cadere, Paul Neagu or Mihai Olos. It builds a dialogue with artists of the 1990s transition period, as Dan Perjovschi or Sub:real and the younger generation of the 2000s as Ioana Nemeș, Ciprian Mureșan, Adrian Ghenie, Iulia Toma or Mircea Cantor, to name but a few.

'Appearance and Essence' shows works by nearly 100 artists in different locations including the Museum of Art, the Museum of the Revolution, a former Synagogue, a warehouse, an 18th-century army barrack and a former textile factory in the neighbouring city Arad. All venues transform the city of Timișoara into a large-scale contemporary art museum.

Halele Timco, a former industrial hall, welcomes the visitor with a big drawing by Dan Perjovschi. It covers the entire glass front, and works from both sides - wether you are outside the building or inside. Entering the building there is a walldrawing by Hortensia Mi Kafchin with five paintings by her. Vlad Nancă und Ciprian Mureșan are presented with sculptural works.