Art in Conversation
with Vali Irina Ciobanu
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in 1976 in a small village called Valea Popii, from Romania, VALI IRINA CIOBANU was an apprentice in the studio of a painter (Dan Botezan) from the age of 15 until 22 when she opened her own painting workshop. She studied Philosophy at the University of Bucharest and painted at the same time collaborating with the UAP galleries from Bucharest.
She likes to experiment with various older or newer painting techniques: she paints in oil or acrylic on canvas, egg tempera and watercolor on leather, tempera on wood, or oil on copper, and exhibits her artworks.
VALI IRINA CIOBANU
Painter | Romania
Artist Statement
My life has been dedicated to fine art and bringing life to forgotten, beautiful techniques such as the Dutch Painting styles or Renaissance technique. I am using acrylic on canvas, oil on canvas, oil on copper, egg tempera on wood, on vellum, watercolor on leather canvas, paper, or mixed techniques. Also, my works include painting big-size thematic maps, like the history of Coffee, the history of Chess, Wine, Danube Delta, and many more. These works started with extensive research of places and original stories that give way to imagination and retrospectives. I'm a full-time artist living in Bucharest Romania, passionate about movement, human gestures, and finding unique stories that I express in my painting. My hope is to bring those wonderful details of life to art lovers.
Vali Irina Ciobanu also made book illustrations for children, book covers, labels for wines Regno Recas and labels for the bag in box water 'La Fantana', mural painting for the Japanese Studies Center and Mihai Eminescu Cultural Center from Bucharest. She also made the decorative paintings for the headquarters of Neos Cosmetics, painted on glass for private houses, and painted artworks for an advertising film dedicated to Kafune coffee.
One-of-a-kind technique
Part from the "Grace and Mouvement" exhibition, these artworks have been painted by applying a one-of-a-kind technique. A piece of leather constitutes the base which was prepared in accordance with a formula inspired by the techniques of Leonardo da Vinci.
The Renaissance formula has been adapted to allow for modern materials to be used in the painting process, the artist opting for several techniques (watercolor, watercolor pastels, tempera accents, and ink) to portray the grace as well as the movement of her characters.
Vali Irina Ciobanu transformed her own studio in an alchemist s laboratory, experimenting for a long period of time to discover the right formula which would confer the artwork that intense color effervescence as well as durability. This style of painting came to her through the brief description of Leonardo da Vinci s painting La Bella Principessa, presented by Martin Kemp and Pascal Cotte in the book with the same name.
Thus, the leather was stretched on a wooden chassis with a cotton canvas prepared in advance for the protection of the leather. As for the leather base, it was prepared using a primer to enhance elasticity and strengthen the leather. Moreover, the primer is based on Gum Arabic (a substance also found in the color mixture) which makes for a proper overlap of pigments and the conservation of color vivacity over time. Finally, the artworks have been glazed with special kinds of varnish which do not allow for water to damage the painted surface.
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
2019 - "Celest, Marin, Teluric" - Qreator, Bucharest.
2019 - Summer solstice, Galeria 2 Art, Bucharest.
2017 - "Visual histories all around the World-From map to art ", Renaissance Art Gallery, Bucharest.
2017 - Love, especially, Milu Cafe, Bucharest.
2017 - Visual histories all around the World-From map to art, National Museum of Maps and Old Books, Bucharest.
2016 -Personal exhibition, Gallery 19 Hanul cu Tei, Bucharest.
2015 - Another kind of flight, Atelier Gallery, Bucharest.
2014 - Painting, Galeria 16 Hanul cu Tei, Bucharest.
2013 - Grace and movement, Cesianu Racovita Palace, Bucharest.
2012 - Personal exhibition, Galeriile Orizont, Bucharest.
2010 - Personal exhibition, Galeriile Orizont, Bucharest.
2009 - Personal exhibition, Galeriile Orizont,
2008 - Peinture", L'ille d'elle arte Gallery, Montreal, Canada.
2008 - Personal exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2007 - Personal exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2006 - Personal exhibition, April Triptych, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2006 - Personal exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2005 - Personal exhibition, The Senate, Bucharest.
2004 - Marines, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2004 - Polygons, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest.
2001 - Icons on vellum, Hanul cu Tei Gallery, Bucharest.
1996 - Selfportret and…, Museum of National History and Archeology, Oltenita, Calarasi.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021-“Figurativi in APCOR”-Centrul Cultural Mihai Eminescu,Galeria Calderon Art Studio.
2021-The life and work of the poet Mihai Eminescu- Calderon Art Studio.
2020- Beautiful Romania, Calderon Art Studio.
2020- the UNESCO patriarchy, Romania's National Commission for UNESCO
2020- Hope-Galeria Rotenberg Gallery.
2020 - Contemporary fine art in Romania, National Art Museum, Alba Iulia.
2020 - Hope, SMD Foundation, Museum Art Gallery Mumbai,India
2020 - Short oriental wander of, Orizont Gallery.
2020- Contemporary fine art in Romania, Corvin’s Castle, Hunedoara.
2020 - Collettiva di Pittutra-Focus Basilicata, Castrovillari, Italia.
2020 - Be pArt, Roma, Italia.
2020- Contemporary fine art in Romania, Cluj-Napoca.
2020- Contemporary fine art in Romania, Petrosani.
2020 - Mosescu Garden, Buzau.
2020- Contemporary fine art in Romania, Germany.
2020 - Coffee Paint, Prishtina, Kosovo.
2019 - Art salon, Galeria UAP Hunedoara.
2019 - Kleptuza, Historical Museum, Velingrad, Bulgaria.
2019 - Late in summer, Romana Gallery, Bucharest.
2018 - Plein Air to Maldarasti, Cula Duca ,Vâlcea.
2017 - Transfagarasan ,Valea cu Pesti, Arges.
2017 - Contemporary fine art in Romania, Govora.
2017 - Emotions, Renaissance Art Gallery, Bucharest.
2017 - Developments, Luceafarul Gallery, Bucharest.
2017 - The art of friendship, Tulghies, Maramures.
2017 -Danube Delta-Strength Trought Fragility, Renaissance Art Gallery, Bucharest.
2017 - The art of friendship Eri Criss Art Gallery, Bucharest.
2017 - "Malta", Romexpo, Bucharest.
2017 - The elves, Jean-Louis Calderon Gallery, Bucharest.
2016. - Maps, Art Safari- international art fair, Bucharest;
2016 - Contemporary fine art in Romania, Urania Palace, Cluj.
2016- Painted review " Antimemories of a muse, Carturesti, Bucharest.
2015 - Independent Artist's Fair, BMR Gallery, Bucharest.
2008 - Queen Mary's Heart at Balchik, Muzeul Sutu, Bucharest.
2007 - "Boddy, Mind and Spirit", Bucharest National Theater.
2007 - Carnival masks and medieval cities, Sibiu.
2007 - Young artists in Balchik, Muzeul Sutu, Bucharest.
2007 - "Maliuc", Tulcea.
2006 - Queen Mary's spirit at Balchik, B.C.U. Bucharest.
2002 - International Art Fair, World Trade Center, Bucharest.
1997 - Painting and graphics, Muzeul Dunarii de Jos, Calarasi.
1997 - Painting and graphics, Turtucaia, Bulgaria.
1995 - Painting, Museum of National History and Archeology, Calarasi.