“Zece de Spade / Ten of Swords” is the inaugural solo exhibition in Bucharest presented by Atelier 35, featuring the work of Alexandru Mihai Budeș, a Berlin-based Romanian artist.
“Observing the piles of discarded fir trees lining the sidewalks unmistakably signals the arrival of January, marking the conclusion of the holiday season.
The fir tree, a vital presence contributing to the ambiance of annual family gatherings with its fresh scent, serves as a resilient symbol that has endured through pagan roots into the era of Christianity. However, it is easily consumed and discarded after its role in festivities.
Plants and trees that stay green throughout the year hold significance in various traditional practices. Recently, during the summer, I had the opportunity to pass by a cemetery in a Romanian village and observed an adorned spruce tree. In funeral ceremonies, such trees symbolize the passing of young, unmarried individuals, perceived as a premature departure and considered a deviation from their intended life path. Intriguingly, these evergreen sentinels transcend the somber confines of funerals to grace weddings and childbirth ceremonies, thereby encompassing at least three significant life events.
Reflecting on the fir tree’s symbolism of revival, the commencement of a new cycle, and eternal life, attention shifts to the contrast between the potent symbol and the ordinary macabre scenes of January. This prompts broader reflections on ecological concerns and the transient nature of public attention given to global issues like warming, famine, epidemics, wars, and other disasters.
Public interest jumps from topic to topic, accelerated by media trends, but often lacks the depth needed to address these challenges. Similar to matchsticks that ignite powerfully but don’t sustain warmth for long, public attention has a limited span.
Exploring the theme of fatality and endings, I encountered the imagery encapsulated in the Tarot card known as the Ten of Swords. In its upright orientation, this card emblematically signifies devastation – a state of being pinned down by a multitude of circumstances or forces. The person lying on the ground, defeated and bleeding, may allegorically represent a sense of hopelessness, entrapment by emotional or mental turmoil, as swords convey strife and the mind. Dark clouds hovering above the person signify despair and a grim predicament, but a hint of optimism endures; the distant golden sky indicates that although present circumstances are bad, improvement is possible.
I remember, as kids, we used to retrieve discarded Christmas trees to craft makeshift swords for our games. The potency of our imagination lets us travel to the past and future, be whoever and wherever we want, solve great conflicts, and defeat villains. It felt like our reality was augmented with our own and shared dreams, almost like we could touch them.
Through the realm of childhood intuition, the fir tree, often seen as a symbol of everlasting life across diverse cultures, undergoes a symbolic metamorphosis and resurrects into an icon of courage – a sword. This symbolic weapon is capable of overcoming space and time yet remains fragile enough to snap at any impact. Where did that spirit go? This inherent strength should persist within us.
In its inverted position, the “Ten of Swords” suggests a different outlook. It implies that a potential disaster or significant challenge has been successfully averted, the worst is behind, healing has commenced, and the person in question, contrary to initial estimations, emerges fortified and more resilient in the face of adversity.”
Alexandru Mihai Budeș
The show was on view between 7- 29 February 2024.
