An exhibition of scenographic art combines 100 years of theater on the national stage in Chișinău. This event is about promoting art in times of restriction and celebrating scenographic artists who are no longer among us, but who created over the course of a century and conveyed an independent message even in times of repression. Romanian art critic Pavel Șușară described the exhibition as one of the largest collections of avant-garde art in the Chișinău cultural space.
According to Pavel Șușară, scenography is very similar to architecture in terms of its configuration and its ability to take over the real world, which generates realities and enters into the space of mysteries, allowing us to experience closely, even directly, the emotions conveyed by the actors. "Well-established visual arts, during periods of oppression, did not tell the whole story. Gestures of insurrection, of avant-garde, were repressed in the public space. In sketching, things are somewhat different - scenography, like the decorative arts, easily evades that system of propaganda and censorship", said the art critic.
Culture minister Sergiu Prodan said that it was necessary for a director to communicate his ideas with the set designer in order to produce the play or film. "We directors often, if not every time, come up with ideas, with projects and we talk to set designers. They write it down, they sketch some pictures and then we figure out what we want to make of it in the play or in the film. I am particularly happy to say that today we are celebrating one hundred years of National Theater", the official said.
The National Theater "Mihai Eminescu" director, Petru Hadârcă, said that the idea to organize an exhibition was the result of a discussion about the collection of sketches of stage designers from the early 20th century with Tudor Zbârnea, director of the National Art Museum of Moldova . "We went to Romania trying to bring over 400 works from private collections signed by the scenographer Theodor Kiriakoff. However, we didn't succeed. Then Tudor Zbârnea revealed to me the museum's collection that has over 135 works, which are now on display. This exhibition is an attempt to recover the memory of the scenographic artists, who's works, unfortunately, disappear after the show discontinues from the repertoire. Today, and throughout the month, we will remember those great artists who created scenography on the stage of the national theater".
The exhibition is designed by Tudor Zbârnea and symbolically begins with the sketches of Auguste Baillayre, the nationalized Frenchman who laid the foundations of art in Moldova. "The exhibition shows that professional theater and scenography occurred in this region. Many of these works were a personal discovery for me", admitted Tudor Zbârnea.
The exhibition is open to the public until September 19. The price of a ticket is 10 lei.
