Page 11 - World of Art Contemporary Art magazine: The 2023 Guggenheim issue

years also for organizing exhibitions with such works. I have Although I haven’t bought Romanian art for about 5 years, I still
several contemporary Romanian art works, painting, graphics follow such auctions and sometimes some exhibitions, but all
and sculpture made by established artists, whom we also meet from Bucharest.
in auction houses: Grigore Vasile, Florin Mitroi, Alin Gheorghiu,
Georgeta Naparus, Magdalena Radulescu, Margareta Sterian, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS AN EXHIBITION ORGANIZER IN
Sorin Dumitrescu, Horia Bernea, Stefan Câlaia, Petru Russu, PROMOTING ROMANIAN ART AND HOW DO YOU SELECT
Paul Neagu, Vasile Gorduz, George Apostu, graphic artists from LOCATIONS, THEMES AND ARTISTS FOR THE EXHIBITIONS YOU
Kazar school and others. The most valuable ones, including ORGANIZE?
financially, are those of European graphics, starting with For several years now, together with Dr. Alexandru Constantin
Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Chagall, de Chirico, Giacometti, Chitua and the National Brukenthal Museum, I have an
Dali, Max Ernst (etc.). Some Japanese prints that I have in excellent partnership for organizing exhibitions with works
my collection are also very valuable, made by artists such as from my collection. I discuss the themes of the exhibitions
Hokusai, Utamaro, Kuniyoshi, Kunisada etc.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN
ROMANIAN ARTISTS AND WHY?
I was interested in the graphics area and managed to make a
consistent collection over time from which I selected works
and organized exhibitions in museums in the country and
abroad. Among my favorite artists I would exemplify: graphic
artists from Kazar / State School including Mircia Dumitrescu,
Dan Erceanu, Ion Panaitescu, Nicolae Saftoiu, Harry Guttman,
Peter Pusztai, Casia Cshesi, etc. I can also list Florin Mitroi,
Sorin Dumitrescu, Petru Russu, Paula Ribariu, Florin Ciubotaru
as well as artists from the interwar period.

WHAT FASCINATES YOU ABOUT ROMANIAN SPANISH AND
JAPANESE ART AND HOW DOES THEIR INFLUENCE REFLECT IN
YOUR ARTISTIC TASTE?
In the great museums of the world are present every year
GEORGE SERBAN COLLECTION: PABLO PICASSO (25 OCT 1881-8 APRIL 1973)
Goya’s works which I saw in Madrid Paris or other museums ‘‘IPAINTER N THE STUDIO AND MODEL EXAMINING HIS PORTRAIT’’. 1965.
AQUATINT, DRYPOINT AND SCRAPER. 249 X 385 (BLOCH 1223 BAER 1205 BB 1).
in Europe. As I have a collection of Goya engravings including
THE PRINT MADE ON VÉLIN RICHARD DE BAS, FOR THE LOUISE LEIRIS GALLERY,
series - Caprices Tauromaquia and War Disasters - I was NUMBERED AND SIGNED IN PENCIL. EX. 28/50
inspired to bring them to exhibitions in museums in the
country as well. The same was true for Japanese prints. After together with Dr. Alexandru Constantin Chitua - who is always
the 90s when it was possible to travel outside Romania I saw the curator; I select the works from my personal collection
many exhibitions and started buying Japanese prints (so now I and get involved in everything that means organizing the
have over 2300 copies). Starting with 2018 I opened exhibitions exhibition, including making its catalog, which always appears
of Japanese prints from Edo and Meiji era on various themes in at the National Brukenthal Museum publishing house. It is
Romania in museums from Bucharest and other counties. appropriate to show here that most of the themes of the
exhibitions made so far are original, premiering in Romania,
HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE CURRENT STATE OF THE both in the field of Romanian art, as well as European and
ART MARKET IN ROMANIA AND WHAT ARE THE MAIN Japanese. There is a permanent dialogue between me and
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR ROMANIAN ARTISTS the managers of museum institutions where I organize or will
AND COLLECTORS? organize exhibitions with works from my own collection.
There are 3/4 auction houses in Bucharest and Cluj that
promote and sell works by interwar and contemporary WHAT WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EXHIBITION YOU
Romanian artists. I see this as an opportunity for art ORGANIZED OR PARTICIPATED IN AND WHAT IMPACT DID IT
collectors, who have the opportunity to see the works, receive HAVE ON THE PUBLIC AND ART CRITICS?
information about them and decide on their future acquisition. There have been several exhibitions that I consider successful.

WORLD of ART 9