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Letztes Jahr hatte ich das große Glück von Adrian Sutton, Direktor der Blain Southern Galerie in London, auf eine inspirierende Reise nach Cluj (Klausenburg) eingeladen worden zu sein. Zusammen mit einer kleinen Gruppe von Sammlern und Freunden verbrachten wir drei Tage in Ateliers, der Hochschule für Kunst und Galerien. Die meiste Zeit verbrachten wir in der inzwischen berühmten, ehemaligen Pinselfabrik, wo etwa zwei Dutzend Künstler ihr Atelier haben. Wie meine Mitreisenden erwarb ich in der Pinselfabrik einige Arbeiten von drei wunderbaren Malern – Ioana Iacob, Dan Macuica und Veres Szabolcs. Bald entstand die Idee, diese Künstler in Köln zu zeigen und ich bin Adrian sehr dankbar diese Ausstellung durch diese erstaunliche Reise überhaupt erst möglich zu machen und glücklich, dass Ioana, Dan und Veres diese schon in Frühjahr 2015 realisieren konnten. (M. K.)

“It has been my pleasure over the last year to introduce Martin Kudlek to the rich artistic centre of Cluj-Napoca, situated in the very heart of Transylvania, Romania, and in particular to three young outstanding painters;  Ioana Iacob, Veres Szabolcs and Dan Maciuca. I have over several years been closely involved with artists from this city,  previously representing one of the most important painters of our time, Adrian Ghenie. My first visit to Romania was in 2010 and since then I have increasingly admired their talent, tenacity and perservence. Cluj may well be isolated geographically but I have rarely come across such well-informed artists, the advent of the new media age has absolutely connected these individuals into a global discourse on contemporary painting. All three artists are based in an artist run and managed cultural space known as the Fabrica da Pensule, otherwise referred to in English as the Paintbrush Factory, this space is in the very heart of the city. The building houses artist studios, commercial galleries, a theatre and an archival resource centre.  Ioana Iacob remains one of the very few female artists working within the Fabrica da Pensule, a testament to her determination but also an accolade of her talent. Veres Szabolcs and Dan Maciuca have also enjoyed growing recognition on an international level, to have all three artists exhibiting in Cologne is a validation of their working practice but also of their shared Romanian heritage within the context of European contemporary painting.” Adrian Sutton

Ioana Iacob stellt kleinformatige, pornografische Arbeiten aus, die sie mit anderen Motiven mischt. Die Kraft dieser Malerei liegt nicht nur in der Explizität  der Motive sondern auch in der malerischen Umsetzung, die oft wie angedeutet daherkommt ohne das Eindeutige zu verbergen.

Veres Szabolcs bedient sich Methoden der klassischen Malerei, die er während des malerischen Prozess aufbricht und dem Bild ganz intuitiv eine verstörende meist überladende Bedeutung gibt, das sich auch in dem Format der Bilder widerspiegelt. Eine gewisse mystische-existenzielle Tiefe legt sich über seine Malerei, die sich dennoch nicht scheut ein extrem breites und vielschichtiges Farbrepertoire einzubeziehen.

Die Bilder von Dan Maciuca lassen sich, wie auch die Arbeiten von Szabolcs im existenziellen Expressionismus verorten und ebenso wie dieser verarbeitet Maciuca aktuelle Themen, die er abstrahiert und in bewusst gewählten Farben malerisch umzusetzen weiß.

I was very fortunate to have been invited on an inspiring trip to Cluj by Adrian Sutton of Blain Southern last year. Along with a small group of collectors and friends we spent three days visiting artists´studios, the university of art and art galleries. We spent most time in the famous Paintbrush Factory where around two dozen artists have their studios. Like my co-travelers I ended up acquiring some work by three wonderful painters – Ioana Iacob, Dan Macuica and Veres Szabolcs.
Soon the idea arose to show these artists in Cologne. I am very grateful to Adrian without whom this exhibition would not have been possible and happy that Ioana, Dan and Veres were able to realize this show for the spring of 2015. (M. K.)

“It has been my pleasure over the last year to introduce Martin Kudlek to the rich artistic centre of Cluj-Napoca, situated in the very heart of Transylvania, Romania, and in particular to three young outstanding painters;  Ioana Iacob, Veres Szabolcs and Dan Maciuca. I have over several years been closely involved with artists from this city,  previously representing one of the most important painters of our time, Adrian Ghenie.  My first visit to Romania was in 2010 and since then I have increasingly admired their talent, tenacity and perservence. Cluj may well be isolated geographically but I have rarely come across such well-informed artists, the advent of the new media age has absolutely connected these individuals into a global discourse on contemporary painting. All three artists are based in an artist run and managed cultural space known as the Fabrica da Pensule, otherwise referred to in English as the Paintbrush Factory, this space is in the very heart of the city. The building houses artist studios, commercial galleries, a theatre and an archival resource centre.  Ioana Iacob remains one of the very few female artists working within the Fabrica da Pensule, a testament to her determination but also an accolade of her talent. Veres Szabolcs and Dan Maciuca have also enjoyed growing recognition on an international level, to have all three artists exhibiting in Cologne is a validation of their working practice but also of their shared Romanian heritage within the context of European contemporary painting.” Adrian Sutton

Ioana Iacob shows small format, pornographic work which she mixes with other subject matters. The power of these paintings does not only lie in their explicitness but also in the painterly implementation which might often seem as seen through a veil without hiding the obvious.

Veres Szabolcs employs methods of classical painting, which he breaks up during the painting process, intuitively giving the picture a disturbing and supercharged meaning that is also reflected in the format of the works. A certain mystical-existential depth and darkness lies in his painting that nevertheless embraces a vast and complex color repertoire.

Dan Macuica’s work, like that of Veres Szabolcs, embraces a kind of existential expressionism. He focusses on current topics where he implements a very broad and deliberate use of color. His painterly approach hovers between the figurative and the abstract.