Each "I" has sketched itself at some point. Do you recall the drawings you made when you were five years old? Sticks for arms and legs, improbable poses of balance, mouths stretching from ear to ear? And yet, you recognized yourself. It wasn't perfection that mattered, but the piece of soul you outlined. Art is not limited to external accuracy. It requires thought and projection, emotion and symbol. As we mature and build relationships with others, we yearn to depict not only forms of "me," but also of "us." What would our self-portrait look like?
At the end of January, we will speak once more about unity and common identity. Certain words and dates in the calendar become twins: thought out and uttered together ad infinitum, they lend each other’s essence. One implies the other. Such is the case with January 24, Unity, and Romania. Visions of "us," both realized and still forming, will float through the air.
The past will reveal points of reference and the future will offer a space to plant our hopes. What remains is the present, with millions of faces, each with its story and our ongoing agreements and disagreements. It would be impossible to find a canvas large enough to encompass it all, photographically or figuratively. Intuition tells me that we would also have lively and hilarious discussions about who should be in the center of the painting and who should be in the corners.
That is why I propose a different approach: a mosaic of emblematic tableaux showcasing representative people, objects, flora, landscapes, and traditions. Together, they awaken and evoke the Romanian spirit. A good self-portrait isn’t necessarily one that includes everything, but one that captures what matters most.
Over the years, WIN Gallery has organized exhibitions that emphasize these aspects: artists and themes that remind us of our roots and unite us, that give us the confidence and reason to reaffirm our contribution to the European and global cultural landscape. To celebrate January 24, we are presenting you with a selection of such works.
May art bring us closer and unite us every day!
Irina Stoenescu
Chairlady - WIN Gallery
