Meron Gallery hosts the first solo exhibition in Cluj-Napoca by artist Maia Ștefana Oprea, My Old Growth Trees. The exhibition brings to the fore a series of oil paintings, drawings and installations inspired by the centuries-old beech forests near Nucșoara, Argeș.
The works presented are the result of years of documentation, explorations in nature and personal reflections, transposing onto canvas or paper the faces of trees that become characters, witnesses of history, of inner transformation, but also symbols of fragility and resilience. My Old Growth Trees are, however, also self-portraits, expressions of an acute need to reconnect with the slow rhythms of nature and with a beauty that transcends aesthetics. The exhibition, curated by Crina Ciocian, explores the theme of secular trees, living symbols of memory and silent witnesses of historical, cultural and climatic changes.
“My Old Growth Trees simultaneously addresses personal memories, particular moments from my past, as well as important events that marked history, ancient legends and myths that have been shared over time. I hope that it evolves and grows like a tree, both visibly and in depth, in my reading explorations – in the sensibility of the viewers.”- Maia Ștefana Oprea.
The starting point of the exhibition is the artist’s encounter with the ancient forests of Nucșoara, Argeș County, where her fascination for secular trees transformed into an artistic reflection. The works become expressive portraits of the trees, each with a distinct personality, a name and a story of its own.
Maia Ștefana Oprea’s works become connections between time and space, between the fragility of nature and its resilience. The technique used includes oil painting on canvas and paper, but also inserts of textiles, collages and fragments of older works, a creative process that reflects the artist’s vision of recycling and reintegrating lost or forgotten elements.
“The project is an invitation to reflect on the relationship with the environment and the heritage that flows beneath our feet, to pause and see the natural world, not as a distant entity, but as part of our shared story. I embraced the landscape as a metaphor for an emotional space, which is why I consider them more to be portraits of these secular beech trees, and each of them has a name and a number at the base. For me it is not just a visual exploration, but a philosophical exploration, based on the question: How are beauty and love defined in a world of chaos?” – Maia Ștefana Oprea.
The exhibition is open to the public until May 23, 2025.
