Journey to the South

Solo show at The National Museum of Maps, Bucharest
March - May 2021

Part of the Emil Racovita project

Oil and pastel on paper, watercolor, linocut and woodblock monoprints in choice color and custom accents of gold and burnt sienna with gold pigment dusted over.

This project is a discourse on how relative and magic things are with humans: from smallest detail to the bigger picture, we are completely emotionally driven in thinking, the place we live in being first and foremost the place our heart and mind lives in. The illusion of solidity and precision is nothing more than a state of mind and emotional coherence. However, when you "lose" your mind and come to your senses, the discovery of spell is recognized immediately. The cold of the South land, the sunshine over pristine scenery, is a shock and a bringer of peace over the tumultuous heart. The adventure to this point of being is The Journey to the South, a Surya path through the artistic realm. The parallels with Maria and Emil Racovita's expedition to the South Pole are maybe less evident, but there is a certain set of attitudes that connect, such as curiosity, perseverance, friendship and endurance. The "Real Room" at the Muzeul Național al Hărților și Cărții Vechi in Bucharest, tells the story of Emil Racovita. The adjacent "Imaginary Room" evokes Maria's travel on the footsteps of her grandfather to rediscover the marvels of the Earth. Temporarily, Genu's identifying himself with their journeys, imagining dialogs about the Sun, the Journey and the Soul Map topics.

Thanks to:
Andreia Petcu, Bogdan Taut,
Muzeul Național al Hărților si Carții Vechi din București,
Editura Frontiera,
Fundația Arte Vizuale,
Muzeul Județean „Ștefan cel Mare" din Vaslui,
Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală „Grigore Antipa” din București,
Kodex, Chromatone