Emerging artist Codruț Zele (b. 1994, Negrești) graduated from the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca with a BA and MA, specializing in sculpture. The interview maps his artistic journey, starting from his first interactions with art, continuing with his academic experience, the transition from sculpture to painting, his sources of inspiration, and ending with future plans. Currently, the artist Codruț Zele works in Cluj-Napoca.

Angela Izvercian: Please tell us about your first interactions with art. What was the context in which you chose to dedicate yourself to an artistic path?

Codruț Zele: My first connections with art are dear to me, and I remember them with nostalgia because they happened at a young age. I remember how, when I was still small, I refused the usual children’s coloring books and asked my parents for empty notebooks and colored pencils to fill them with lines and shapes that I invented myself. I think that’s when my first creative act happened, a moment that marked the beginning of a passion for art.
Also, as a child, in the early 2000s, I discovered street art and the graffiti subculture. I immediately felt drawn to that form of expression, and soon I set up my first street art project. All said and done, I started filling the walls of my room with drawings and writings, surreptitiously of course. That was the essence of graffiti: to do something illegal quickly and without being noticed. After a week, my mother discovered my mural “work”, and her reaction was completely unexpected. Instead of punishing me, she suggested I continue exploring this passion. Together with my first mentor and teacher, Saitos Iosif, she decided to enroll me at the Art High School in Baia Mare to prepare more seriously and take the entrance exam.
This experience solidified my passion for art, and the support from my parents and teachers helped me follow my path to becoming an artist.

A.I.: You graduated from the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca with a bachelor’s and master’s, specializing in sculpture. You taught at the University of Belle Arti in Bari, Italy, for a while. To what extent did the academic experience help your artistic evolution, especially in developing a personal style?

C.Z.: I graduated from the sculpture department at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, and I can say that the academic experience played an essential role in my artistic evolution. Although I realized quite late that painting was my vocation, and during my student days, I used to paint in addition to school assignments, the academic environment provided me with valuable opportunities to discover myself as an artist.
One of the most important aspects of my academic education was meeting professors and colleagues who significantly impacted my education. From teachers who gave me both theoretical information about the styles that would suit me and drastic corrections of studies of the human figure and nature, I learned to constantly improve myself. In addition, the university environment allowed me to meet people from various corners of the world, some art consumers and others practitioners, and these interactions were essential in my professional and personal development.
In terms of developing a personal style, art education gave me not only technical information, but also a framework where I had time to experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them. It is impossible to train as an artist based on talent alone; education teaches you to discipline your work and build your technical foundation, which is essential to expressing your vision.

A.I.: Is academic experience still relevant?

C.Z.: I think that the academic experience is still very relevant in the current context, even if, in some cases, it seems that art can be created outside of a formal framework. Education helps you understand the history and theory of art, refine your techniques and, above all, gives you a safe space to build your artistic career. In addition, teachers and peers become part of a support network that does not stop at the school door. Many of the relationships formed at university continue into artistic life in museums and galleries, where we discuss and collaborate as artists and art consumers. That is why academic education is essential, not only for technical training but also for building a network of contacts and understanding the contemporary artistic context.

A.I.: How would you define your artistic practice? What exactly made you switch from sculpture to painting?

C.Z.: My artistic practice can be defined as a form of continuous research in which I try to explore and understand the limits and possibilities.
Although I started with sculpture, I currently focus on traditional oil painting on canvas. This is my choice because I feel that this medium allows me to experiment in a more direct and intimate way with shapes, colors and textures while maintaining a strong connection to the traditions and history of art.
The transition from sculpture to painting was a gradual process. The academic environment, through its diversity, gave me the opportunity to interact with many artists and teachers, but also with colleagues from different fields. I had the chance to get close to established painters and learn from them, and their support was essential. This was also a moment of personal reflection, where I realized that what brings me more fulfillment is not only the three-dimensional expression of sculpture but also the power of the image.
As I learned from older peers and engaged in creative discussions, I understood that I am not influenced by external factors such as the school’s or others’ expectations, but by an inner calling to work in painting. It was a natural step and a choice I made with conviction, and today, as I continue to work, I realize that this is the direction I want to follow in the long term.

A.I.: What would be the advantages and challenges of each medium of expression in the creative process?

C.Z.: In my creative process, both painting and sculpture offer unique opportunities but also challenges specific to each medium. In painting, one of the major advantages is the freedom to manipulate color and light. Painting allows me to experiment with layers of color and to look for predominant tones that build the atmosphere of the work. I can also play with textures to add depth and complexity to the image, and painting in layers allows me to create subtle transitions between colors.
On the other hand, sculpture implies a much more direct relationship with the material and with the space. An advantage of sculpture is that I work in three dimensions, which gives me total freedom to explore form and volume. In this medium, the object becomes a pretext to explore the physical dimensions of the work, and the viewer has the opportunity to perceive the work from multiple angles, which adds an interactive dimension to the creative process. Whether I choose a monolithic, compact form or a more open structure made of two-dimensional slabs, the sculpture explores the concepts of space and balance directly.

A.I.: You are concerned with reinterpreting certain paintings from art history or established themes in art history. How do you choose your subjects or central figures in your works?

C.Z.: Yes, I am constantly concerned with the reinterpretation of some iconic works from the history of art, but also with the approach of established themes that the great masters have already explored. For me, choosing subjects involves exploring the idea and context before arriving at the work’s final form. It all starts with an idea – a vision that can be inspired by art history research, a particular theme, or even an emotional reaction to an existing work.

A significant example is the work “Grab the fish” inspired by Henri Matisse’s painting, “The Cat and the Red Fish”, a painting that expresses joy through vivid tones and vibrant colors. The simple gesture of the cat catching fish in the aquarium conveys a playful and energetic idea. I was inspired by the compositional structure of this work, especially the use of yellow for the cat. I reinterpreted this idea in a metaphysical, more abstract space, different from the familiar interior of Matisse’s work, thus transforming the scene into a setting where reality fades and gives way to imagination.

In many cases, the beginning is more intellectual – it may be a theme or figure that I have come across in an art album, an exhibition, or even a historical context. Then there’s a more instinctive process: I start sketching the idea on paper, and those sketches are usually a reaction to that first impression. This “sketch” stage is both a moment of reflection and one of experimentation – I can transform a familiar figure or classic subject into something new, reinterpreting it through the prism of a personal style or a contemporary message.
For example, I may choose to work with a mythological theme because it has been deeply explored in art history and contains strong symbolism. However, I choose to present it from a different perspective, bringing it into the context of the present and the modern visual language.

Another example is “Tricky Monkey’s” work, inspired by Flemish painter Franz Snyders’ work, “Mischievous Monkeys”. Although the message of the work remains the same, namely the representation of the act of theft, I tried to humanize the characters through facial features and gestures that suggest deeper emotions and intentions. I thus made a parallel with deception and cunning in contemporary society, emphasizing through the expression of the main character a state of alarm, given that one of his peers is trying to steal a fruit from him. This choice emphasizes the Romanian proverb “the thief calls the thief,”a popular saying highlighting the hypocrisy and truth behind hidden actions but also drawing attention to the dangers associated with manipulative behaviours.
The central figures in my works are chosen according to the message I want to convey. Sometimes these figures are inspired by mythology or religious iconography, being elements with a universal meaning.

Other times, I choose my subjects based on a more subtle connection to everyday reality, turning ordinary events or characters into powerful symbols. Regardless of the source of inspiration, what matters most is that that figure or theme is a suitable vehicle to express a personal message that can resonate with the viewer emotionally or intellectually.
In conclusion, my creative process is not rigid but a balance between historical research and personal freedom to rethink and recreate. The choice of subjects and central figures is made according to the need to explore and reinterpret and the desire to connect the past and the present.

A.I.: In addition to the question above, what significance do these themes have for you, and how do you integrate them into your works?

C.Z.: For me, the themes I choose from art history are not just pretexts to create but starting points for visual research. I choose central subjects and figures based on my interest in their meanings but also in how they have been approached throughout history. Often, these themes are a framework through which I can explore techniques, styles and formal structures. A deep understanding of a theme or subject, whether it’s a Renaissance work or a mythological theme, helps me set the direction of the work.
By integrating these themes into my works, I do not limit myself to a simple reconstruction of what has already been done. On the contrary, I try to reinterpret the subjects, to give them their own form, and to explore how these themes can be visualized and understood in the contemporary context.

Another work entitled “Woman from the Opera”, inspired by Édouard Manet’s famous painting “Berthe Morisot with Fan”, suggests female mystery and mysticism but also a subtle erotic invitation, highlighted by the enigmatic gaze behind the fan. In this work, I chose to explore that window into desire more deeply, rendering the provocative detail of the hidden yet revealing gaze. Thus, I also created a nude version of the work, clearly emphasizing this element of mystery and attraction, putting in the foreground the gesture that betrays a hidden but irresistible intention.

In this sense, choosing a subject is often a decision process based on a combination of historical relevance and symbolism factors, but also their potential to be integrated into an innovative visual form. The subjects I select are often interconnected with previous research, whether from a specific artistic period or a wider context of visual culture. Integrating them into my works is thus a more analytical procedure, in which every choice – from the composition to the technique used – is influenced by the prior study of the theme but also by the desire to bring a new perspective on the respective subject.
In conclusion, the themes I tackle are, for me, an opportunity to better understand both the history of art and how I can contribute to its evolution, proposing a personal point of view but anchored in a solid tradition. Each work becomes a process of research and reinterpretation, and the subjects I choose become a point of connection between the past and the present.

A.I.: Can you tell us the stages of your creative process? Do you have a certain ritual? Do you follow a strict process or let intuition and inspiration guide you?

C.Z.: My creative process always starts with an idea. Whether working from my imagination or a photograph, the first step is to draw the initial sketch. This is an essential moment because regardless of the source of inspiration, I have to clarify the structure of the work in my mind. Repeated sketches are very important because they help me understand the composition better and familiarize myself with each element or character I will include in the work. This preparation step makes me feel more confident and prepared before I start painting.
After I have sketched all the elements, the actual painting process follows. I start painting each detail separately, approaching it individually, step by step until I feel that I have achieved each element satisfactorily. I focus on each character or object in the composition and make sure that they are all placed correctly and harmoniously in the overall landscape. Although I have a pretty clear plan in mind, the process is quite flexible and intuitive. Depending on how the work develops, I can let inspiration guide me and make adjustments along the way because sometimes the work takes me in an unexpected direction.
Thus, although I have a structured approach with clear steps, I allow myself to be guided by intuition to add authenticity to each work.

A.I.: The romantic and solitary atmosphere of your interiors is another defining element of your artistic practice. These interior spaces reflect a personal state or, rather, are a general commentary on the human condition?

C.Z.: The romantic and solitary atmosphere that I create in the interior compositions indeed reflects a personal state but also a desire to suggest a certain type of sensibility related to the respective spaces. In these works, I try to convey not only the image of a place but also the emotion that place arouses in me. I focus on capturing the air, light and atmosphere of those interiors, being more of a kind of “mirror” of what I felt there rather than a purely objective representation.

It’s not necessarily a direct commentary on the human condition, but these spaces can suggest a certain solitude or intimacy that is inevitably tied to universal human experiences. Through the way I construct these interiors, I try to render a mood that is rather personal but which, in the end, can resonate with the viewer, evoking a universal atmosphere of tranquility, melancholy or introspection.

A.I.: Your works seem to guide the viewer towards introspection. What kind of experience are you aiming to give the viewer?

C.Z.: In my works, I focus on creating a space that is not only physical but rather metaphysical – a space that invites reflection and introspection. Elements such as air, light, or temperature are not only physical components of an interior but metaphors for a subjective state and a reality where the viewer can find himself. I don’t want to offer a simple place or landscape but a subjective vision, an atmosphere that evokes a personal emotion or thought.

A.I.: What message are you trying to convey to the viewer, and how would you like the viewer to respond to your works?

C.Z.: My message is rather open, an invitation to an intimate and reflective experience. I want the viewer to feel the work’s delicate and mysterious atmosphere and be inspired to connect with his introspection. I am not so concerned with an explicit message as with an opening to a personal experience—an invitation to “live” the work, feel it, and interpret it uniquely.
I want the answer to be one of contemplation, perhaps even silence, in which to find oneself and reflect on one’s own reality. I would like the viewer to feel that the work offers him not only an image but an atmosphere, a vision that challenges him to question, meditate, and find an inner place. Ultimately, I want the encounter with my work to be an experience of personal connection rather than a didactic or explanatory one.

A.I.: What plans do you have for the future? Are there any new projects or unexplored themes you want to tackle soon?

C.Z.: In the future, I want to continue expanding my presence in national and international art institutions, aiming to have exhibitions that connect me to a wider audience. My major goal for the near future is to hold a solo exhibition.
Regarding the themes and techniques used, I would like to delve into compositions that include characters, as I find them to be a constant challenge. Character composition is a fascinating subject because it involves not only technical challenges but also an opportunity to explore human nature and its various states more deeply.