More than meets the eye:New photo gallery
Rich and strange images are now on sale in the capital’s first photo gallery, finds Michael Bird March 2009 - From the Print Edition
So far erotic art and landscapes are selling best in Bucharest’s newly-opened photographers’ gallery, Karousel.
Situated in a small house a few steps from the capital’s phalanx of nouveau riche coffee shops on Piata Dorobanti, this commercial space does not cater for cute. There are no soft-focus portraits of babies, puppies and flowers. Few would consider hiring these photographers for their wedding.
“I wanted to challenge the visitor with aggressive artworks,” says store founder Violeta Sarbu. Experiments in camera movement and exposure and collages sit alongside photojournalism of Indian river culture, Cuban musicians and Roma graveyard rites. The most popular pictures are Romanian-born Cristian Crisbasan’s surreal and adventurous nudes, which have attracted the eye of US collectors, while sparse landscapes from fashion photographer Cosmin Bumbut are also a hit among buyers. Most of the photographers are Romanian, including Gicu Serban’s witty portraits of health tourists covered in mud from Transylvania’s Lacul Negru. For this month the shop is opening a green exhibition with images of unspoilt nature. This aims to be a “stimulus” for people to take better care of the environment, says Sarbu. There will also be solo shows and possibly another exhibition where photographers take on architecture.
Hanging on the walls are not blown-up photos stuck to a piece of cardboard with a hefty price tag. Sarbu says that the lambda prints, backed onto aluminium, are resistant for at least 100 years. They are part of a limited edition run of around 40, each signed by the artist, with prices of about 400 Euro.
Through the shop, Sarbu is creating a market in photography in Romania which has no precedents. Part of her job is to formulate a commercial framework for the works and some pieces may even appreciate in value.
With the global economy capsizing and the planet’s smartest brains in economy and business clueless as to what anything is worth anymore, buying photos of a pair of fat Romanians covered in dirt may one day prove to be a sound investment.
Karousel
5A George Calinescu, Bucharest
Tel: 0742 055 888, www.karousel.ro
|
|
| |
|
Daily Info |
Smart city is not a fad, it's a necessity In June 2018, the ranking of the most "smart" cities in the world was published. In other words, the most advanced cities in terms of human capital, social cohesion, the econo... |
Ondrej Safar, CEZ Group: "Romania can become a hub for international smart solutions providers" "We are already in the digital age, so the upward trend of implementing smart solutions is inevitable in all areas," he tells The Diplomat-Bucharest. "Especially in terms of u... |
Telekom Romania, a strong supporter of Smart City development in Romania Just like many other countries in the world Romania is now facing an unprecedented growth of the urban population, which can be both beneficial and detrimental for the society... |
In the industrial era, the fight was for finite material resources. Not anymore Now organizations fight and develop themselves for and around their talent.
In a nutshell, getting ahead in today's business world is all about attracting and inspiring an e... |
Richard Sareczky, Mol Limo: "We look at expansion locations across CEE including Romania" Consumer mobility behaviour is changing, leading to up to one out of ten cars sold in 2030 potentially being a shared vehicle and the subsequent rise of a market for fit-for-p... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
advertising
advertising
advertising
|
More on News |
President Iohannis urges Romanians to be more united, stay involved in modernizing Romania Romania's President Klaus Iohannis urged Romanians in France to be more united and stay involved as much as they are now in helping modernise Romania. |
ArcelorMittal receives binding offer for European assets from Liberty British-owned Liberty announced a conditional agreement to buy four European steel plants, employing more than 12,500 people. |
The Romanian labour market needs a well-thought approach, says FIC The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) has signaled in the past 2-3 years that its members are anticipating increasing strains on the Romanian labour market because starting w... |
Revolut gets European banking license Fintech startup Revolut is now officially a bank. While the startup initially expected to get its European banking license during the first half of 2018, the company has fi... |
EBRD cuts economic growth forecast for Romania Romania's economy will grow by 4.2 per cent this year and by 3.6 per cent in 2019, according to the most recent forecast released by the European Bank for Reconstruction an... |
Dacia receives 115.8 million RON in state aid from the Finance Ministry The Romanian Finance Ministry has signed five more grant agreements under the state aid scheme, and among the beneficiaries are Automobile Dacia, with RON 115.8 million. |
OTP Bank Romania signs investment funds distribution deal with Eurobank Fund Management Luxembourg OTP Bank Romania signed a partnership with Eurobank Fund Management Company (Luxembourg) for the distribution of investment funds in Romania. Thus, from December 1st, OTP B... |
|