MATEI ARNĂUTU: GICU: Museum of Ages - Filipescu Cesianu House, Calea Victoriei 151, Bucharest

On Thursday, 5th October 2023, between 17:30 and 19:30, at Museum of Ages - Filipescu – Cesianu House – Calea Victoriei 151, Bucharest - there will be the opening of the solo exhibition "GICU", signed by Matei Arnăutu, curated by Diana Dochia. 

 

The exhibition can be visited from 5th October until 29 October 2023, from Wednesday till Sunday between 10:00 and 18:00 at Filipescu – Cesianu House – Museum of Ages – Calea Victoriei 151, Bucharest. The exhibition project "GICU" is supported by Anaid Art Gallery in partnership with the Museum of Bucharest.

 

Matei Arnăutu is a graduate of the University of Art Bucharest, Faculty of Painting and in recent years has developed a coherent program, which gives a personal and unique touch in the area of anthropology and documentation of everyday life through photographs and ready-made installations. Matei Arnăutu holds a PhD in visual arts and is a lecturer in the Faculty of Fashion and Clothing Design at the University of Art Bucharest.

 

The exhibition project that will take place in the attic of the Filipescu Cesianu House is, in a certain sense, a continuation of the solo exhibition of 2022 entitled "Anonymous opus manuum artificis", that tooks place at Anaid Art Gallery; but this time the artist Matei Arnăutu documents the workshop of the mechanic G.S. (Gicu) nicknamed “The Carpathian Genius". Mechanic Gicu is trying to produce energy for free, which has led to two workshops over the last ten years crammed with objects, fragments of objects, tools, bearings, wheels, etc. all with the aim of eventually being used in the next utopian invention. The meeting between the artist Matei Arnăutu and the mechanic Gicu, nicknamed "The Carpathian Genius" by the locals, led to a photo session in the mechanic's workshop, the artist confessing: "It was 10 years ago that I first entered Gicu the mechanic's workshop. From the very first moment I was surprised. In the middle of the room, on a makeshift stand made out of leftover appliances, was an upside-down bicycle wheel. The image of Duchamp's wheel immediately came to my mind. Then I noticed certain details that made the difference between the two wheels. The mechanic explained to me that his wheel was actually a technical experiment, done in an attempt to get a perpetuum mobile, with the aim of generating free energy. I knew then that this is - scientifically proven - impossible. But the resemblance to Duchamp's work and the candour, inventiveness and humanity of the mechanic stuck in my mind. Apart from the surprise of the wheel, others followed as the mechanic introduced me to his inventions. I've wanted to photograph his studio ever since."

 

The exhibition develops on two coordinates, with a series of artistic photographs of different sizes taken by Matei Arnăutu, documenting the mechanic's workshop and some of the ready-made objects/inventions created by the mechanic Gicu.

 

In the course of time, the artist was invited to exhibit in important exhibitions organized by museums and cultural centers, among which we will name the National Museum of Art of Romania, the Eforie Cinematograph, the Bucharest Art Biennial, the Cultural Center of the Brancovenești Palaces. Matei Arnăutu is represented by Anaid Art Gallery Bucharest/Berlin since 2012.

 

For more information, please visit www.anaidartgallery.com or contact us at info@anaidartgallery.com.