The Art of Living Pop-up Art Gallery

Bucharest, August 2013. The city seems deserted. And it is not as hot as it used to be – which is good, because we have some hard work to do today. Some sculptures to unpack, some paintings to hang.

 

We are driving towards the space we rented for setting up our pop up art gallery. The Art of Living Gallery – a place where you will find a fresh selection of Romanian artist’s works and our special September issue, dedicated to classic music, art galleries and art museums in Romania.

I keep thinking that this project was a match made in heaven – we were “cooking” this art gallery project for months now. Then we found this amazing space just across the Atheneum and shortly afterwards we became media partners for the Enescu Festival – whose concerts will take place mostly nearby the Atheneum.

The planets had definitely lined up. We rented this spectacular old building, with no electricity, no running water and, until some point, no doors, which we have to transform in an art gallery in less than two weeks. When we first entered the building it was like traveling back in time: majestic chandeliers, amazing stucco work, large mirrors, spider webs and thick dust.

The building has a fascinating story – built in the 19th century (1890), it was at first a private residence, then it became the National Institute of Fashion in the communist time. There is something magical about that place, and scary at the same time – the makeover seemed impossible at times. But we thought no more and just began to work.

The magic team of curators, artists, electricians, cleaners, architects, journalists and PR people. Here are some shots of us – totally enthusiastic and sometimes bedazzled –while taking over the place, step by step.

You’ll see the final result when you will visit us. Your turn now: insignificant or great, irrelevant or amazing you will decide.