MoBU 2024

The second edition of the Bucharest International Contemporary Art Fair known as MoBU was held between the 29th of May and the 2nd of June at the Central Pavilion of Romexpo exhibition venue in the capital city

Eugen Cojocariu, 30.06.2024, 14:20

A complex, multifunctional exhibition pavilion was unveiled for this second edition, spanning a total of 22,000 metres inside and outside. The programme featured all the activities specific to a contemporary art fair, from cultural mediation exhibitions to guided tours and related events, all of which made for a diverse cultural programme that brought together art galleries from Romania and abroad. We talked to MoBu 2024 ambassador Mihai Zgondoiu about this year’s edition:

Mihai Zgondoiu:  “Compared to last year, this is a much bigger and more extensive edition. The number of stands almost doubled. There are 50 stands for contemporary art and heritage. On display we find works from the likes of Tonitza and Luchian to emerging artists. The figures are good. We hope that both these figures, which went up, and quality remain in constant equilibrium at the future editions. The feedback so far has been good. People are clearly seeing progress made from the first edition. We all know that the first edition of an event, be it a fair or festival, yearly or biannual, is often not perfect, but we are trying to create a welcoming environment for visitors to accomplish what the fair is all about: selling as much art as possible, which is how we can support contemporary art.”

Petru Lucaci, the president of the Union of Fine Artists in Romania says a lot of wonderful things are happening on the Romanian contemporary art scene:

Petru Lucaci: “It’s wonderful that there is an increasing number of initiatives seeking to put a spotlight on contemporary art, different movements, different generations and even involving the international scene and international artists. It’s wonderful that the public has the chance to be exposed to the work of contemporary artists. From across all generations, all forms of expression, the idea that various events can coexist that have different formats, different challenges, including from the area of experimental art, as is the case here, an alliance of small art galleries and artist-run spaces, demonstrates a very interesting potential for expression that changes the contemporary landscape almost radically because these are young energies, these are artists who are abreast with what’s new and who are extremely competitive. Alongside these new art galleries we also find the established art schools, which constantly provide us with surprises, renewing the contemporary scene and contemporary expression, and that’s something extraordinary.”

One of the major contemporary artists present with an exhibition at MoBU, visual artist Francisc Chiuariu, has made some revelations about his exhibition and the meaning of his works within MoBU:

Francisc Chiuariu: „ I am inside the MoBU Fair, its second edition, with a brand new project. It’s called “No Limit”. It’s a project where I started to introduce an older passion of mine, geometry and spaces reduced to geometry, the human face and very clean plans of colour, geometrical forms, parallelepipeds, circles and this idea of resetting a world, a need, which runs very deep, I believe. Society needs this kind of resetting, you know and this is exactly what I tried to do in this new project. It’s some sort of virtual space hinting at metaphysical aspects. Every visitor can find here their interior, philosophical explorations, do all sorts of interpretations on this project.”  

Francisc Chiuariu has admitted the importance of MoBU’s existence for contemporary art lovers:

Francisc Chiuariu:” I believe that the public is still getting trained, and it needs some time to get to maturity, you know. Events of this kind is somehow forcing the art lovers to get some visual culture so to say. I am referring to both passionate art lovers and amateurs who may become art collectors.”

Another notable presence is that of visual artist ATOMA. She talked to us about the works she displayed during MoBU. ATOMA has also told us a couple of things about her exhibition “Sevrajă 2.0” currently underway in Brașov (central Romaniei):

ATOMA:” Part of the works displayed in the “Sevrajă” exhibition, dealing with the theme of addiction, our relation with technology and the feelings we have part of this addiction.  Part of the works are here and a bigger part in Brasov, at the art museum there. I see this exhibition as a roving one, going, meeting the public and conveying further messages. It was for this very reason I began doing street art, because a work of art in public spaces communicates directly with the viewers. And this is what I wish for my works, to speak directly to the public and convey messages. 2.0 also comprises a second stage, an intermediary one, of the project on addictions. There are three new works on view in Brasov. An experiment I started to make with resin paste as I want to deeply explore this area and get ready for the new exhibition, which is going to be much more detailed.”

CM & bill