Page 13 - World of Art Contemporary Art magazine: The 2023 Guggenheim issue

Romanian art myself and curator agreed to make respective
exhibitions. For example 50 years of Romanian graphics
exhibition organized at Oradea City Art Museum between
2019 and 2022 presented works by artists (75) who worked
between 1970-2020 in Romania. Another example is 100 artists
100 years of Romanian art exhibition which covered entire
20th century with painting sculpture and graphics works. Very
important for me is Romanian Artists on Mapamond event
which was organized together with Romanian Cultural Institute
and after Chisinau now it is in Vienna and will follow Budapest.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE ARTISTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN
YOUR EXHIBITIONS AND WHAT QUALITY AND ORIGINALITY
CRITERIA DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?
In all the exhibitions I organize, I provide works from my
art collection free of charge. As an exception, in two cases
- Suzana Fântânariu and Mircia Dumitrescu, together with
Alexandru Chitua, we organized exhibitions with their works
at the National Brukenthal Museum in Romania, as well as
in Chisinau, at the National Art Museum of Moldova. Both
Alexandru Chitua and I are great lovers of graphics and we
consider that the two mentioned above are the most important
contemporary artists, drawing and woodcut being their main
assets. In all the exhibitions I organize, the themes cover a
certain historical period, especially in Japanese stamping
GEORGE SERBAN COLLECTION: ION ALIN GHEORGHIU (29.09.1929- 11.12.2001
and European engraving. We propose to the public works SUSPENDED GARDEN (GRADINA SUSPENDATA) 1970 OIL / MIXED TECHNIQUE
106 X 121 CM.
that illustrate the beginnings of the respective techniques
(engraving /woodcut). If we refer, for example, to European I have a museum project for my collection that I started
engraving, the works in exhibitions are subgrouped by working on about 10 years ago. I can make available for
countries of origin, authors or centuries. As for Japanese this project my property from Cotroceni neighborhood but
stamping, grouping of works is done according to authors, my current priorities are in professional area. In reality as I
centuries or schools. answered above my activities related to my art collection fall
within objectives of a museum. More precisely I do exactly
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK YOUR EXHIBITIONS HAVE ON what a museum does - exhibitions catalogs other publications
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTEMPORARY ROMANIAN ART AND meetings with artists as well as promoting art collection online.
ON EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THE ARTISTIC FIELD? As for online environment I can say that currently a new
My exhibitions are held in museums or exhibition spaces of project I am working on is George Serban Virtual Art Museum.
institutions (such as the Senate of Romania, Darvas La Roche
Oradea House, Bucharest National Theater or Cantacuzino WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU INTEND TO OPEN GEORGE SERBAN
Castle in Busteni), where students are also invited. Also during ART COLLECTION MUSEUM?
events raffles are organized with works from my exhibition I have a museum project for my collection that I started
which are offered exclusively to this category of students. working on about 10 years ago. I can make available for
Moreover on several occasions I offered young people free this project my property from Cotroceni neighborhood but
access tickets. I am interested in educating young generation’s my current priorities are in professional area. In reality as I
taste and attracting them to cultural institutions. answered above my activities related to my art collection fall
within objectives of a museum. More precisely I do exactly
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE GEORGE SERBAN BRAND AND what a museum does - exhibitions catalogs other publications
ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COLLECTORS OR meetings with artists as well as promoting art collection online.
GALLERY OWNERS? 33. WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU INTEND TO As for online environment I can say that currently a new
OPEN GEORGE SERBAN ART COLLECTION MUSEUM? project I am working on is George Serban Virtual Art Museum.

WORLD of ART 11