Taking as the starting point the disruptive anxiety disorder that I have suffered from for several years, my art explores the oppressive environment I grew up in back in communist Romania, and the ways politics shapes our psychological development and well-being. I believe that one of the paradoxes of totalitarian regimes is that the more crushing and hopeless the environment, the more people turn to humour and creativity as forms of survival and resistance. To read between the lines and see glimpses of comedy in drama, and of tragedy in comedy, are deeply embedded in the way I interact with the world. This gives rise to my preference for exploring darker themes in a lighter tone and highlighting the involuntary humour that arises from life’s absurdities.

 

In my work, which draws on memories and emotions, I combine painting and collage, integrating meaningful, content-driven writing, asemic text, and items from my personal archive to explore both clear narratives and abstract expressions.

 

My dual belonging - to both my native Romania and adoptive UK – enables me to investigate identity and transformation from a unique perspective. It also shapes the contrasts in my art: abstract vs. representational, personal vs. collective, text vs. imagery. A strong autobiographical element unifies my work. The most personal often carries the most universal, and sharing lived experiences can be a catalyst for connection and dialogue around the collective realities we navigate.