White Cuib

We live in unsettling times—though, when in the history of humanity has it ever been otherwise? There has not been a century or decade without some kind of armed conflict. Even during periods of relative peace (such as a hundred years at a time), like in Europe, it is important to note that wars continued on the periphery or in other continents. Like everyone else, most artists today think about the present and future with concern. Anxiety is another fitting term, especially for the political and economic context beyond all borders. Yes, the planet seems much smaller since the invention of nuclear weapons. Times are usually reflected in works of art—either through recognizable descriptive realism or through evident escapism, an avoidance of reality. Whatever major catastrophe may or may not happen in the near future, through three group exhibitions, we will have a (symbolic) image of how some contemporary artists from different generations think today, responding to the hypothetical scenario—If war starts tomorrow, this is what I'll leave behind. Leaving something behind could concretely mean something tangible from their studios or homes. What they wouldn’t have time to take with them or what they wouldn’t want to save. Of course, it could also mean what they wish to leave as a symbolic legacy. All their works, just a few, photographs, various objects, tools, scraps, trash, or simply dust… We will see what they find relevant—relevant personally or for art, for society, for the viewers. We will see works that reflect moral and ethical conflicts, or on the contrary, their disregard. To what extent art can influence society or heal social wounds is another debate with endless controversial answers. Without pretending to be manifesto exhibitions, these shows will undoubtedly provide a moment of lucidity that is hard to ignore. A last utopian refuge. A barometer or a warning signal, is an exercise of imagination for the viewers as well. - Alina Andrei