Petru Augustin Rusu (aka Petru Russu) born January 27, 1955 in Reghin /Transylvania, is an Romanian /Swedish professional fine artist and art editor graduated from the prestigious UAD /University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca /Klausenburg 1979 and later, in 1986 via an Italian Government Studentship to support the most talented and ambitious young artists, Petru get involved in world-class cultural events with museums, galleries and creative technology. Through this he has succeeded to meet the most interesting and influential curators, art critic and art historian as Dan Haulica, Franco Maria Ricci, Achillle Bonito Oliva, Ingrid Rose, Enrico Crispolti, Carmine Benincasa, Giancarlo Politi and so many others, including here the semiotician, essayist, philosopher, critic Umberto Eco.
 

Petru's Love, Sex and Death series is a Middle Ages Trilogy on thousands of works and inspirations from Giovanni Boccaccios' 707 year-old pre-Renaissance book IL DECAMERONE, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Pilgrinages or THE CANTERBURY TALES and, Francis Petrarcha’s Story of Griselda or TALE OF GRISELDA. As Petru's work developed he also drew great inspiration from the only Ancient Roman novelist Apuleius and his novel THE GOLDEN ASS, and from the finest author of the twentieth century, Umberto Eco's THE NAME OF THE ROSE and FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM.

 

Briefly, Petru Russu has realized around 200 individual and international exhibitions. His artworks are in museums, public, corporate and private collections. Petru's unconventional method of etching in aqua-tinta-aqua-forte in DECAMERON depicts on 100 erotic-to-tragic novels 100 non-usual hand painted engravings, as the same on Umberto Eco's first and best books, THE NAME OF THE ROSE and the  esoteric FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM represented in etchings, drawings, and other art objects.
 

Petru is also the founder and director of ART ADDICTION (Stockholm 1992-1997), Piccola Galeria Correr (Venice 1997-1999) and Art Addiction Online Gallery (artaddiction.net) with over 1750 contemporary artists members. Founded in June 1992, Art Addiction is the first ever art website on internet (on 6 August 1991 Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the first website).

From 1999 Petru is the founder, publisher and editor of WOA Publishing (Stockholm) and WORLD OF ART - the global art magazine (worldofartmagazine.com). WOA's distinguished collaborators are leading art galleries and art museums including Guggenheim in New York, Las Vegas, Bilbao, Berlin and Venice, Museum of Moderan Art /MoMA in New York,  TATE Galleries in London, Rivoli Museum and Gallery in Torino, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Musée D’Art Moderne /ARC in Paris, The Getty Foundation in Los Angeles, Art Basel, the Venice Biennial, Documenta in Kassel and many others around the world.

 

From 2007 Petru is the founder, publisher and editor of MOT Publishing and Masters of Today Contemporary Artists Book Series, a professional artist-to-artist publishing that runs from London (mastersoftoday.com). As a fine artist, art publisher and editor, Petru Russu has selected, edited and published over 1000 contemporary artist profiles in 35 art books (search inside at Amazon.com)
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Selection of Petru's exhibitions: 1997-Contemporary Graphic Art from Finland and Sweden, University of Virginia / Fayerwather Gallery, USA. 1996-The 8th International Print Triennial - Creativa-, Alvar Alto Museum, Finland. 1994- International Impact Art Festival, Kyoto, Japan. 1994-The 3rd World Print Triennial, Chamalieur, France . 1994-The 14th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain. 1994-The 2nd International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Stockholm, Sweden. 1993-"Viking Erotica -glass" Individual exhibition, Gallery Glass I, Stockholm, Sweden. 1993-The 1st International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Stockholm, Sweden. 1993-"Alternativ", group exhibition, Gallery Glass I, Stockholm, Sweden. 1993-International Summer Art Colony, Gällivare, Sweden. 1992-The 10th Norwegian International Print Triennial, Fredrikstad, Norway. 1992--The 8th Norwegian International Miniature Exhibition -Miniature 8-, Fredrikstad, Norway. 1992--The 12th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain. 1991-"New Paintings" Individual Exhibition, Pulchri Gallery, The Hague, Holland. 1991-The 11th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain. 1991-International Graphic Art, Darien, Connecticut, USA. 1991-The 7th Norwegian International Miniature Exhibition -Miniature 7-, Fredrikstad, Norway. 1991-" Viking Erotica -100 glass" Individual Exhibition, Risse Gallery, Munches,Germany. 1990-The 11th Print International Award, Biella, Italy. 1990-The 5th Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto, Canada. 1990- The 10th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain. 1990-The 9th International Print Triennial, Berlin, Germany. 1989-"Il Pendulo di Foucault" Individual Exhibition, Gummeson Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden (opening by U. Eco). 1989-"Il Nome dela Rosa" & "Decamerone -100 etching" Individual Exhibition, Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, Sweden. 1989-"Il Nome dela Rosa" Individual Exhibition, Centro Lavoro Arte, Milano, Italy. 1989-The 5th International Art Biennal, Couven, Belgium. 1989-The 3rd Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto, Canada. 1989-The 8th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain. 1989-International Miniature Print Biennial, John Szoke Gallery, New York, USA. 1989-The 6th International Biennial of Graphic Art, Lods, Poland. 1989-The 9th Norwegian International Print Triennial, Fredrikstad, Norway. 1989-The 9th International Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts, Gabrovo, Bulgaria. 1989-"Il Nome dela Rosa" Individual Exhibition, Arta Gallery, Arad, Romania. 1989-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1988-The 2nd International Exhibition of Visual and Experimental Poetry, San Diego, USA. 1988-The 5th International Biennial of Graphic Art, Heidelberg, Germany. 1988-The 2nd Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto, Canada. 1988-The 4th Norwegian International Miniature Exhibition -Miniature 4-, Fredrikstad, Norway. 1988-International ExLibris Prize "D'Annunzio", Pescara, Italy. 1988-International Drawing Exhibition "Drawing 88", Pecs, Hungary. 1988-"Decamerone -100 etching", Individual Exhibition, Art Museum, Craiova, Romania. 1988-International Exhibition "Author Love", Centro Lavoro Arte, Milano, Italy. 1988-International Exhibition "Author Love", Art Fair, Bolognia, Italy. 1988-International Exhibition "Author Love", Eugenio Mondale, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 1988-Romanian Contemporary Graphic Exhibition, Gallery Konstnärhuset, Stockholm, Sweden. 1988-"Il Nome dela Rosa" Individual Exhibition, Italian Institute, Bucharest, Romania. 1988-Romanian Contemporary Art, Belgrad, Yugoslavia. 1988-Romanian Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 1988-The Annual National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1988-Group Exhibition "Photography", Oradea Art Gallery, Romania. 1988-The Young Artists National Exhibition, Baia-Mare Art Gallery, Romania. 1988-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1987-The 4th International Biennial of Graphic Art -Art Prize-, Stuttgard, Germany. 1987-"Decamerone on 100 etchings" Individual Exhibition, D'Arts Gallery, Milano, Italy. 1987-The 17th International Biennial of Graphic Art, Ljubljana, Slovenia. 1987-International Exlibris Competition, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. 1987-"Decamerone on 100 etchings" Individual Exhibition, Campuslibri Gallery, Torino, Italy. 1987-"Asino D'oro" Individual Exhibition, Galateea Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1987-The 8th International Graphic Triennial "Intergraph", Berlun, Germany. 1987-"Decamerone" Individual Exhibition to Romanian Academy Gallery, Roma, Italy. 1987-The 4th International Triennial of Graphic Art, Vassa, Finland. 1987-The 5th International Biennial of Graphic Art, Lods, Poland. 1987-The 8th International Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts, Gabrovo, Bulgaria. 1987-The 4th International Art Biennial, Couven, Belgium. 1987-International Art Exhibition, Osaka, Japan. 1987-The 2nd International Art Exhibition "Arts of Today", Budapest, Hungary. 1987-International Mail Art Exhibition "Shadow Project", Milano, Italy. 1987-The 1st International Exhibition of Contemporary Authors, Abruzzo and Molise, Italy. 1987-International Mail Art Exhibition, Kassak-Schwitters", Zamky, Czechoslovakia. 1987-The 1st Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto, Canada. 1987-The 2nd International Biennial of Visual and Alternative Poetry, Mexico Tijuana, Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Xalapa City, Mexaly, Ensenada. 1987-The 1st International Print Biennial, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 1987-"Small Prints", Group Exhibition, Cluj-Napoca, Bistrita, Romania. 1987-"Prints", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1987-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1987-The Annual National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1989-"Il Nome dela Rosa" Individual Exhibition, Centro Lavoro Arte, Milano, Italy. 1987-"The Portrait", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest. 1987-"Collisions", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest. 1986-The 12th International Biennial of Print, Kanagawa, Japan. 1986-The 7th International Triennial of Graphic Art, Frechen, Germany. 1986-The 7th International Biennial of Art, Mouscron, Belgium. 1986-The 25th "Juan Miro" International Drawing Contest, Barcelona, Spain. 1986-The 1st International Triennial of Drawing, Kalisz, Poland. 1986-The 1st International Art Exhibition "Arts of Today", Budapest, Hungary. 1986-International Print Exhibition, Hautefeuille Gallery, Paris, France. 1986-"Decamerone on 100 etchings" Individual Exhibition, The Italian Culture Institute, Bucharest, Romania. 1986-International Mail Art Exhibition, Noumea, New Caledonia. 1986-"Decamerone on 100 etchings" Individual Exhibition, Hellios Gallery, Timisoara, Romania. 1986-International Graphic Exhibition, Espace Delpha, Paris, France. 1986-"Decamerone on 100 etching", Individual Exhibition, Art Museum, Craiova, Romania. 1986-"Paintings Drawings" Individual Exhibition, Alfa Gallery, Arad, Romania. 1986-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1986-"Prints", Group Exhibition, Podul Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1986-"Mirror-Space", Group Exhibition, Architecture Institute, Bucharest, Romania. 1985-The 24th "Juan Miro" International Drawing Contest, Barcelona, Spain. 1985-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1985-"Prints", Group Exhibition, Tulcea Art Museum, Romania. 1985-The Annual National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1985-"Voroneteana", Competition/ Exhibition, Suceava Art Gallery, Romania. 1985-Mail Art Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1984-Romanian Contemporary Art Exhibition, The Hague, Holland. 1984-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1984-"The Attic 6", National Print Exhibition, Podul Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1984-"Lithography'84", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1984-"Drawing-Poetry", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery Bucharest Romania. 1984-"Drawing'84", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery Bucharest, Romania. 1984-Romanian Contemporary Art Exhibition, Jerusalem, Israel. 1983-Romanian Contemporary Art Exhibition, New York, Washington, Detroit, Columbus, USA. 1983-Romanian Contemporary Art Exhibition, The Hague, Holland. 1983-International Art Exhibition, La Rochelle, France. 1983-Romanian Contemporary Art, Corner Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark. 1983-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1983-The Annual National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1983-"Studio Section", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1983- "Graphic-Sculpture", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1983-"Painting Sculpture Drawing", Group Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1983-"The Print", Group Exhibition, Baia-Mare Gallery, Romania. 1982-The Annual National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1982- "The Attic 5", National Print Exhibition, Podul Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1982- The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1981-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1980-"Drawings Objects Gouaches", Individual Exhibition, Tribuna Gallery, Cluj Napoca, Romania. 1980-"Drawings Objects Gouaches", Individual Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1980-The City of Bucharest Annual Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania. 1980- The National Graphic Art Exhibition, Dalles Gallery, Bucharest, Romania. 1978-"Paintings",Individual Exhibition, Architecture Institute, Bucharest, Romania. 1978- "Paintings", Individual Exhibition, Students Culture House in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 1977-"Paintings", Individual Exhibition, Apollo Gallery, Tg. Mures, Romania. 1977-"Paintings", Individual Exhibition, Student Culture House, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 1975- "Paintings", Individual Exhibition, The Corporate Artists Club, Cluj-Napoca.