Art in Conversation
with Lisandru Neamtu
ABOUT THE ARTIST
LISANDRU NEAMTU’s works of art are part of an endeavor to research the pictorial, graphic language of a monumental nature. His studio preoccupation converges towards realizing his own vision, in which the feature of a gestural painting is combined with the graphic and decorative impact of the signs.
Producing, over time, series of large works of art (between 2 – 10 meters) has enabled the artist to develop in a way that requires a certain strictness of painting technique, resorting to formulas employed in monumental art (which the artist is teaching at the National University of Arts in Bucharest).
LISANDRU NEAMTU
Visual Artist | Romania
Artist Statement
Sometimes my works of art are an excellent example of art as an universal language that transcends through different cultures and traditions. Through my semi-abstract compositions, I’m empowering and challenging the viewers to find their own interpretation of my works and at the same time I’m inviting them to immerse themselves into their own cultures in the process.
The works are innovative as they showcase and promote new methods and media for visual expression, without disregarding traditional concepts and elements. This makes my work appeal to a broad range of viewers. I am constantly challenging myself to create works of art that can quickly and easily become an integral part of the space in which they are exhibited and therefore establishes a complementary and dynamic relationship between the art, the space and the viewer.
From this perspective – through continuous preoccupation - there are multiple approaches to various options for pictorial support, other than the classic ones (canvas on chassis), the experiment of rolled canvas becoming a preferred one. This way, irrespective of the size of the works of art, those can be stored and conserved as a roll and they can be unfolded for exhibitions. The visual impact is considerable, the size, colour and strength of the signs provide the measure for a unique aesthetic vibration. The creative vision includes figurative elements that are part of a repertoire of forms collected over time in sketchbooks in a dynamic balance with the well defined compositional recipes on which its own pictorial signs and chromatic structures rely.
Blue often plays a key role in the morphology of pictorial images, this colour being appreciated as unique and personal – “Lisandru’s blue”. Exhibitions in prestigious exhibition halls, such as Barbican Centre in London or the Millenium Centre in Beijing has encouraged the creation of private collections – ABS Art Collection in the Low Countries or some of the museums in Romania – Cluj, Bucharest, Barlad, Galati, Tulcea – to obtain the artist’s works. Constant exhibitions at all the group manifestations have placed the artist’s works amongst the first rows of contemporary art.
Personal exhibitions (“His Master’s Voice”, “Anagma”, “La Nave Va”) are milestones of personal artistic development, markers of emerging experiences.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
2018 - The Excellence Award at the International Art Exhibition “Dialoguri interculturale si artistice”- Iasi Romania
2016 - "Nicolae Tonitza " Medal offered by the Museum "Vasile Parvan" Barlad, Romania
2015 - The Excellence Prize at the National Art Exhibition “Aegyssus”- Tulcea Romania
2014 - SMB - First Prize for mixed media, (Salonul Mic) Centre for Visual Art Bucharest
2005 - The UAP/R (Romanian Artists Union) Prize for LISANDRU/desemne” (personal exhibition in 2004)
2005 - Award of the International Biennale of Experimental Engraving, Timisoara, Romania
1999 - Awarded with “Arcadia” Prize as a distinction in the painting exhibition “Nicolae Tonitza”- Barlad/Romania
1996 - The prize for a work in the “Gheorghe Petrascu” Biennale of Painting in Targoviste/ Romania
1995 - The Highest Award of the Ministry of Culture "Moldavian Exhibition”- Art Museum of Bacau & Chisinau
1993 - “Voronetiana” Art Prize – Museum of Arts Suceava, Romania
EXHIBITIONS
2020 - Biennial of aArts, Camil Ressu, Museum of Visual Arts Galati
2019 - Enescu’s Images Intl. Festival „George Enescu” Bucharest
2019 - Via del Mare, group exhibition 2Art Gallery, Bucharest
2019 - Intl. Blue Biennial Brasov / Romanian Painters in France – ICR Bucharest
2018 - Couples, Families, Companions, group exhibition UNA Galeria Bucharest
2018 - „La Nave va” personal Exhibition at Mogosoaia Pallace
2018 - Post Brancusi Draw, group exhibition, Targu Jiu, Romania
2018 - Il Dio delle Citta, group exhibition Urbino / Italy
2017 - Retrospective of Contemporary Painting in Paris, Cultural Space Christiane Peugeot Paris
2017 - Litera Group exhibition, Lisbon, Portugal
2017 - Il Dio delle Cita, group exhibition, Vicenza, Italy
2017 - Metropolis Art Collection, personal exhibition, Bucharest
2017 - 5+1 Group Exhibition, Casa Matei, Cluj Napoca, Romania
2017 - Personal exhibition, Museum „Vasile Parvan” Barlad
2017 - Retospective Soleil de L’Est in Rome, Italy
2016 - Balkan Breeze , Summart Istanbul
2016 - 5/5, 6/6 Intl group exhibition, CAV / Bucharest
2016 - National Painting Exhibition / Bucharest
2015 - Personal Exhibition at the Visual Arts Museum, Galati, Romania Art
2015 - Safari Art Fair, Bucharest Romania Art Biennial Aegyssus – Tulcea, Romania
2015 - 100 Artisti per L'Expo at Palazzo Citadini Stampa-Abiategrasso, Italy
2015 - Brera Academy of Arts, library group exhibition
2014 - Maimeri Foundation, Milan, group exhibition
2014 - Lisbon The Masks of the Poet, group exhibition at ICR
2014 - Safari Art, fierra di Bucharest
2014 - Korea , K Gallery, group exhibition, Seoul
2013 - Spazio Ex Ansaldo Milano, group exhibition Venature
2013 - XXV VENATURE Bucharest CAV and Buzau Art Gallery
2013 - Olympic Fine Arts / London
2012 - Barbican Center, Creative Cities, International group exhibition
2012 - Mail art Vicenza Italy
2012 - Salon de peinture roumaine contemporaine, Paris
2012 - International Biennial of Arad
2012 - Cultural Exchange Project, US Embassy Bucharest, (mural painting)
2012 - A Decade of Artistic Explorations, 2001-2011, Mogosoaia Palace, Romania, group exhibition
2011 - Contemporary Romanian Artists, group exhibition, European Patent Center, Den Haag
2011 - Personal Exhibition HIS MASTER'S VOICE, at Center of Visual Arts
2011 - Artist's Residence, 40 days in Briare, France
2011 - Contemporanea III group exhibition Torino Italy
2009 - AEGYSSUS Group exhibition Museum of Arts Tulcea
2008 - Personal exhibition at Brancoveanu Palace Mogosoaia organized by The International Biennial of Engraving
2008 - Personal Exhibition in Anagma Gallery, ValenciaSpain
2008 - International Biennale of Beijing (BIAAB 2008) China
2008 - Art Exhibition of the Olympic Fine Arts OFA Beijing, Forbidden City
2008 - 30th Festival franco-anglais de poésie Sculpture sur prose Europa, arte&linguaggi Fondazione Rudh Rozzano Milano, Italia
2008 - Romanian artists group exhibition in Koga / Japan
2007 - Group exhibition RGB at Castello Alfieri/Italy
2007 - Public arts and murals performance Luci da Oriente Torino Italy
2007 - Romanian Exhibition in Hanoi, Vietnam
2006 - Romanian Group Exhibition at the University of Toulouse
2006 - International Biennale of Beijing
2005 - BIAAB / “My Dream K” group exhibition Seoul
2005 - International Biennale of Experimental Engraving, Timisoara
2005 - Personal exhibition “LISANDRU / desemne”, “Orizont” Bucharest