The local art scene was always a good scene. Whether they are musicians or photo newcomers (let’s be honest, mostly photo newcomers!), 2020 has been a fruitful one, at least for CVLTARTES. We’ve connected with and featured so many incredible people that we lost count. We made a list of 10+ awesome or gruesome, emerging local artists we recommend you should probably follow this year.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Bianca Paulescu

Back in September, we talked to Bianca Paulescu, a photographer born and raised in Romania, a location that has influenced her photographic style since she first picked up a camera several years ago. After first experimenting with photography, Bianca devoted herself to the craft. She says: ‘When it comes to my art, I try to blend realism with elements of surrealism through my unique use of color, composition, and effects. My aesthetic vision is simply based on how I perceive the world around me. However, I don’t deny that it can often be interpreted differently. I hope my work evokes many emotions for each viewer.‘ Definitely an artist to check-in 2021.

Instagram | Facebook

Eduard Gross

Eduard Gross is a Romanian photographer born in Sighisoara and currently living and studying in Cluj-Napoca. The 23 years old artist describes himself ‘as an incurable nihilist, finding bad in every good‘ and seeing things as they actually are. His work is a mysterious world, where dreams and reality merge and serve as equal counterparts to their surreal existence. He told us: ‘Everything started pretty natural, I was looking for a way to express myself and I found photography to be the perfect medium for that. The first 10.000 pictures were a failure, but I kept learning and, even now, I am still finding myself learning new things every day. I hope everyone who is just starting out will persevere and bring their vision to life; with every person speaking out their mind, our knowledge grows. My purpose is to inspire people in finding the courage to express themselves. Most of my images are inspired by trivial things.

Follow Eduard’s work on: Facebook

Cristina Vâjâean

Cristina Vâjâean explores the female side of sensuality through her provocative, yet sophisticated nude photography. It is evident that the artist’s photography has undergone a certain transformation over time. Her earlier pieces featured mostly landscapes and portraits, while her recent work focuses mainly on the female body. In our conversation with Cristina, she said: ‘ My motto is Reveal the Hidden You – because this is what I’m trying to do with my photography, to highlight a less visible side of the woman, a confident and sexy one.

Follow Cristina on: Instagram

Răzvan Frangache

Răzvan, an insane creature with a passion for photography is one of our favorite socially awkward lunatics. You’ve probably seen photos that make you want to scream: “wow, how cinematic!”. Romanian photographer Răzvan Frangache has an air of the old world, in his richly dynamic photography. His work is characterized by the use of color, shadow, yet it’s the stunning way in which he places his subjects against and beside dramatic natural scenery that sets his work apart. Răzvan told CVLTARTES: ‘Photography came naturally, seeing the many ideas on media I said I should give it a try. I can describe what I do through art direction, improvisation, and expressiveness. My models are relatives or friends, the light I use is mostly natural combined with flash and I like to think there is a mutual love between me as a photographer and my models.’

VISUAL

Andreea Dumuta

Looking at the work of Romanian illustrator Andreea Dumuta is like opening a long-lost storage unit packed to the brim with objects, characters, and memes. Andreea started illustrating when she was in high school and works mostly digital, using a drawing tablet and programs as Wacom Intuos and Photoshop. When she works traditionally, she goes for watercolors or brush pens and Posca markers. She collaborated with a punk band from the USA, a brand beer from Timisoara, KISS FM, and many more.

Follow Andreea Dumuta on: Instagram | Facebook

Andrei Purcărea

Another good name on the list. Andrei Purcărea‘s poems are concise, each word and line carries tone, texture, weight, and meaning. Transforming them in nothing but a prompt ‘let your eyes explore a melancholic, surreal world’ makes for an inspirational way to take in the art nowadays. Of course, Andrei’s videos capture the same elements as above: tone, line, texture, but with every word and frame he takes, he adds mystery and beautiful suspense. He does that simply by sharing his inner thoughts with the viewers, letting us explore the interplay of poetry and video art.

Follow Andrei on: Website | Youtube | Instagram

Corina Andrian

Corina is a London-based photographer, film director, and contemporary dancer and her images imprint themselves on your mind. When Cultartes asked about describing her style, she told us: ‘A self-defined Surrealism. My art is inspired by reality in its rawest state or as Magritte would put it <>. I like to look at the things people would usually overlook, the simplest of things, and rearrange them in a way that makes you question reality, makes you wonder and create. My surreal is not part of the realm of fantasy, but I wish to make it part of a realm from which my viewers could confidently come back to reality prepared to face it, instead of escaping it temporarily then returning to a not so happy life.’

Follow Corina on: Instagram | Facebook | Vimeo

DESIGN

Ioana Noir

Overall, Ioana Noir is a complete mystery. Gothic romance emanates from the women wearing Ioana’s brand Noir Morphosis, but their femininity and natural beauty are highlighted. Her collection implies freedom of transformation, to inspire mankind, channeling emotional power and sending pure feelings and vibrations. Romanian artist takes the misconceptions of wearing black and breaks them down by simply creating fetishistic garments for independent souls. Bringing together simplicity, contemporary design, and experimental form, Noir Morphosis creates clothes inspired by paradox and enigma.

Follow Noir Morphosis on: Facebook | Instagram

MUSIC

DOOMPOP

The Romanian band DOOMPOP is the project of Costin Dănăilă & Sabina Costinel, and it has officially cemented their status as a hot, keeping-an-eye-on project with their first track ‘Black Dress‘. The song is an innovative production with passionate writing that makes for a euphoric journey for the listener.

Follow DOOMPOP on: Facebook | Youtube

FAUNLET

Formed in 2012 in Bucharest, Faunlet is the moniker of Petru Stoica, the singer and the songwriter helming the act. Initially described as darkgaze, his music is a bold mixture of goth, post-punk, and shoegaze. Petru initially launched a jewelry collection called PSYFI. You probably should take a look!

Follow FAUNLET on: Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

INITIATIVES

Bloody News Online Fest

Adrian Sasu is the mischief-maker of Bloody News, a Romanian metal webzine that promotes pretty much everything, including interviews, news about the metal scene,s or reviews. Within his passion for music, it slowly developed an interest in keeping in touch with artists and spreading their music to the world. The abundance of information can only show his dedication to the webzine.

What took us by surprise was the announcement of the first-ever Bloody News Online Fest.After spending so much time in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic over the world we decided that the best way to handle the situation is to bring back the Metal shows and there is no better way in this time to do it, then making a big online streaming Metal Fest.’

Cover photo: (c) Christine-Meyer, ‘Self-portrait’

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Still can't tell exactly my origins because of my suspiciously ‘Chinese eyes’.