Artists: Anamaria Monda, Ioana-Maria Strugaru, Diana Muncaciu, Luiza Alicu, Madalina Virgolici

OPENING: Thu., 06.08.2026, 18:00-21:00
The artists are present
The evening will be accompanied by a small buffet
DURATION OF THE EXHIBITION: 07-31.08.2026

In the exhibition THE FEMALE PERSPECTIVE, female students from the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca show their works made in 2026.

Anamaria Monda (*2004) explores the relationship between sound and colour in her paintings. When listening to music, she perceives sound as a flow of colours, intensities, and textures. These sensations transform into inner images, which she expresses on the canvas. The works capture the moment when perception becomes euphoric and almost instinctive—an inner celebration, a mental state in which sound, colour, and emotion merge.

Ana-Maria Strugaru (*2004) presents works from her series Incubation (BA thesis project). These works explore the conflict-ridden relationship between the unconscious and the conscious, particularly in self-portraiture. Here, it is no longer a matter of free choice or the exploration of physical appearance, but rather becomes a compulsive act. Identity strives to make itself visible, to have its existence confirmed through the gaze of others. The viewer unwittingly becomes an unintended participant in this process. Each painting acts as a trigger: it demands recognition, admiration, and reflection. The artist’s need for validation is ultimately nourished by the gaze of others. By reacting to the insecurity of others, we can experience our own vulnerability. The paintings thus become a means of recognizing oneself through another person.

Diana Muncacius’ (*2004) artistic practice explores the fragile relationship between life and death through the image of the city pigeon. An overlooked presence, it becomes a metaphor for vulnerability, memory, and human existence. By removing everyday objects from their usual context, she invites viewers to engage with what is often ignored. She transforms the memento mori into a memento vivere—a reminder that the awareness of mortality deepens our experience of life.

In her series “Transgressed Nature,” Madalina Virgolici (*2002) invites the viewer on a journey through the contemplation of nature, highlighting its dual value. She creates her own artistic universe by proposing a reinterpretation of the natural landscape in her own individual way, as a sign of human influence on the environment. Her figures now find themselves amidst a landscape altered by their past actions. It is no longer clear whether the landscape they inhabit represents the beginning or the end of a new story.

Luiza Alicu (*2002) is in a continuous process of development, open to exploration and change. Her artistic practice reflects this dynamism. She is particularly interested in the isolated human figure, captured in intimate spaces where the location is merely an extension of the inner state. The artist does not aim for a realistic depiction of the everyday, but rather for a form of visual introspection, an attempt to grasp the fragility of human presence. Avoiding a clear narrative, her work focuses on creating a space for reflection and contemplation.