“TRAGEDY IN THREE ACTS” Graphics Exhibition: Art Review by Reka Lapohos, 2nd year Conservation

            The BA and MA students of the Department of Graphics at the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca had an exhibition on Tuesday, 28th of May, 17:30, at Tranzit House.
 A "Tragedy in three acts" about the relation between human and nature in the contemporary world, as understood and imagined by: Andreea Hoha, Flavia Chicin, Lőrincz Tímea, Petra Barta, Erdély Bálint, Adriana Mihaela Pop, Cătălin Tăvală, Laura Trăilă, Zsófia Bernát, Biborka Fejer, Vass Kamilla, Ioana Turcu, Moldovan Time, also featuring the BA students of the Department of Art History of the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca: Ioana Trușcan and Cristina-Iulia Ciulei. The exhibition was open between 28-29th of May.
            These 13 artists created an ecosystem of images and symbols, where every artwork is a milestone from the path Nature-Human intervention-The end. Personal micro-narratives: own fears, nightmares and worries are a part of the “Tragedy” where the characters-artists are faced with a superior force: the degradation of the environment in inevitable relationship with the degradation of their own body and psychic.
            The artists used many different techniques: colography, linocut, aquaforte, aquatint, serigraph, cold needle, mezzotint, indigo, monotype and mixed.
            The title is a reflection on the “Three Act Tragedy” which is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie. When the visitor of the exhibition faces this title s/he might think that the exhibition is about something frightening. This expectation is not fully completed by the artworks, because only some of them represent the tragedy (ex. Changes- Bernát Zsófia, The end of the road- Erdély Bálint, Overturned- Cătălin Tăvală)
            From the effects that our actions have on the future, such as the fragility of an aluminium sheet that is not applicated with the right pressure, to the seduction of ideological currents that do not keep up with the real challenges. From the renunciation of the ego to the reorientation of the discourse to a cause, to the reflections on its own degradation. We pass through a multitude of forms and expressions and adaptations of techniques, in fact, a number of coping mechanisms that each alert person develops in what happens to the environment. The open question is how we assemble the mechanisms so that they act as a blasting system,  not just suffocate, which create, not only destroy. 

            There were two works of art that seemed to be the most interesting for the receivers:

                The first one is the Labyrinth, Ravaged by Adriana Mihaela Pop, which was created in cold needle and mezzotint techniques. The Labyrinth gave the people the opportunity to get involved and be a part of the creation by the action of scratching down all the things they want to change in the world presented by the artist. This was only an illusion because in a short time all the vanished parts got back to the original.
In half an hour the artwork got vandalized with a key and was damaged permanently.                                                  

    Labyrinth, Ravaged
           

             The other interesting artwork was “I also give up the title” by Laura Trăila. Through this installation, the artist attempts to take the first step towards giving up the ego (at least artistically), destroying the multiplication plate without printing it for the audience. In addition to the actual destruction of the work, any option of archiving this facility will be avoided. The public has access to a private moment of reflection. The content of the work is linked to the stories of the martyrs who have been martyred by decapitation, who then lifted their heads and continued to walk and preach, in the same way that this work would take the message further after it melted. The used techniques are mixed.
            I also give up the title

            Every artist had a unique style and a different way to create. Some of them made installations from different materials like wax or T-shirts, combined with the graphic techniques mentioned before. The common point was the path itself: Nature-Human intervention-The end. This made the experience whole.