by Antigona Silvia Rogozea
You are one of the contemporary art collectors that are taking this hobby
very seriously and this is something, unfortunately, so far a rara avis in
Romania. How was your passion born?
Before being a collector, I am an art lover. I grew up with this. Since I
can remember, I was surrounded by library books and paintings on the walls.
They were both part of my normal childhood. Later on, I found it normal and
natural to spend hours and hours in libraries and antique shops, and I find it
just as natural today to spend whole days (as much as possible) in galleries,
museums and art fairs. When I started to be able to spend money, I became very
interested in the area of historical vanguard and I managed to collect mostly
books and documents from this time. Going towards the plastic art created by
these times was something unavoidable. And from this point and up to
contemporary art was only one step left…I made it, and it would have be
difficult for me to stop. Since then, I am closely and curiously watching the
scene of contemporary art. For me, collecting is not an objective in itself, it
is rather a consequence of the interest I have in this field. And, most and
foremost, it is a way to understand it better. Therefore, I don`t consider
contemporary art a hobby, but (in particular) a part of a certain life model -
a part that I live with lots of emotions and, at least, with equal passion.
What are the factors that influence the decision to buy something? Are
there many steps from the first purchase to the creation of a collection?
Definitely, (but not always irrevocably) I have to like the artwork I decide
to buy. I don`t necessarily have a set of rules that I find mandatory to go by.
And much less if they are very much alike with the ones that can be found in
the books explaining, for example “how to create a contemporary art collection
in 10 steps”; or if they come up in contexts like “ensuring the rapid growth of
the contemporary art investment profitability”. However, it is true that I
never jump in to make a purchase that could endanger my family budget, I don`t
seek to buy only a certain author signature and I always try to inform myself
as much as possible. All of the things I have just mentioned are connected to
the fact that I
enforced a direction for the way I form my collection, even if, once time
passes by, the objectives might change. It has happened to me already, so I
have had it re-designed twice. Yet, I hope, that my collection will get some
coherence at some point…
You are a fine connoisseur of the local contemporary art market. How
do you comment on the evolution of the Romanian contemporary art galleries?
Everyone knows that consequent emergences were followed by consequent
disappearances. The essential remains and this is that thenumber of new
galleries has exceeded the number of those who ceased their activity. Among many
of the changes I`ve observed in the last 15 years there is also the fact that
the lamentations of the Romanian visual art players (gallerists, artists,
curators, etc.) who have never ceased to accuse (even if they were right to do
so) the “system”, were exceeded by the enthusiasm, ambition and perseverance of
those who ignored its immobility. We can feel the effect in the unprecedented acceleration
of international fame that many Romanian artists have gained. I am absolutely
convinced the number of contemporary art galleries shall continue to grow. We
come a long way, so the progression rate remains considerable. In what concerns
me, I must admit that I have formed the most part of my collection due to the
existence of these galleries. My interest for the Romanian visual art of the
last 50 years
means that there are the works in my collection, of artists coming from different
generations. For example: from Ion Grigorescu to Mihuț Boșcu Kafchin, from
Constantin Flondor to Sorin Neamțu or from Florin Maxa to Radu Comșa. These
works can be increasingly found in temporary exhibitions of some museums that
are not located exclusively in Romania.
Besides the relative small number of galleries, the world of
contemporary art collectors is also quite limited. Are there in Romania any
private collections whom you admire?
Contrary to what is being said, contemporary art collectors continue to
emerge unavoidably, day after day. Each of them is making a selection, obviously
using their own criteria. These criteria are sometimes bluntly intimate, so I
cannot mention any collectors` names, from past or present, which I admire.
However, the number of the people I envy is sufficient.
I know that you are part of the MNAC Friends Association, and also take part in purchasing committees at the Tate Modern or Centre Georges Pompidou. Therefore, I only have one question left: were you ever tempted to have your own “artistic creation”?
Of course I was! I have also had some works, but they were literary ones. I got over this soon enough. Or, better said, in time, when I was 20 years old. My creations were slow and mediocre. I tried again, with some journalistic essays during the romantic post-revolutionary times at the beginning of the 90s. I had lots of enthusiasm back then, but it only lasted for a short while. I strongly believe in this simple advice: “If one can refrain from writing, one should do so”. I followed it.
