From 3 April to 14 June 2026, Rezidența9 hosted CONNECTIONS, a project bringing together the outcomes of the FORWARD residency, a programme initiated by MATCA artspace to support emerging curators. Presented within the framework of the CONNECTIONS programme, the event brought together seven exhibitions and 35 works by 29 artists, offering insight into the current concerns and directions of Romania’s emerging contemporary art scene.
“While in such contexts we often speak about what an exhibition articulates or produces, FORWARD is equally about what does not happen, reflecting the reality of a field that remains insufficiently developed. Curating itself can still be regarded as an emerging territory within the local landscape. In this context, FORWARD seeks to provide a support platform and contribute to building a stronger network among curators, artists, and art spaces.”
Alexandra Mocan, visual artist and co-founder of MATCA artspace
Among the projects presented were If Silence Had a Shape, curated by Diana Molnos, featuring works by Andreea Medar; Rehearsals of Disappearance, curated by Maria Brîneț, featuring works by Ana Iancu and Adrian Buda; On the Topography of Hollow and Filled Spaces, curated by Maria Angele, featuring works by Ruxandra Tudoran and Bianca Milea; If it’s purple, someone’s gonna die, curated by Gabriela Moldovan, bringing together works by Alexandra Brînzac, Anca Enache, Toma Ștefănescu, and Teodor Buruiană; _Silent_Void_Stillness, curated by George Nicolae, featuring works by Anca Enache, Oana Sas, Gavril Pop, Marcus Ionescu, and Emanuel Pop; EXECUT LUCRĂRI / WILLING TO WORK FOR ART, curated by Andreea Samoilă, with works by Roberta Curcă, Ana Avram, Alexandra Boaru, Filips Stanislavskis, Maria Mandea, Alexandra Mocan, Roxana Morar, Imminent Detour, Delia Prodan, Camilia Filipov, Sophia Schulan, and Mihai Toth; as well as A Song Used to Lull a Child to Sleep, developed by the curatorial collective SLPOVR Project (Daria Corlațan, Andreea Goța, and Maria Rusu), featuring works by Lucian Barbu, Vlad Cocieru, Anca Țintea, and Matei Dumitriu.
CONNECTIONS is a project developed by Rezidența9 that highlights the emerging art scene and the voices of a new generation of artists and cultural practitioners in Romania.
The FORWARD Residency is a practice-based programme supporting young curators who lack access to professional development opportunities. Designed to encourage collaboration, learning, and experimentation, the residency provides a framework for curatorial training through mentorship, field research, and exhibition-making. By connecting emerging voices with artists, institutions, and other art professionals, FORWARD invests in a new generation of curators ready to actively shape the contemporary art scene. The FORWARD Residency is a project initiated and organised by MATCA artspace.
MATCA artspace is an independent artist-run space in Cluj-Napoca, founded in 2017 by Alexandra Mocan, Alexandru Muraru, and Matei Toșa. The space was established in response to the need for accessible platforms for local artists. MATCA explores and reflects on developments in contemporary art, emerging trends, recent global events, and the ways artistic discourse is shaped around them. Through exhibitions and public events, the space serves as a platform for engaging with local art and facilitates dialogue between emerging and established artists, both local and international.
Rezidența9 is a contemporary culture centre in Bucharest that brings together creators, thinkers, scientists, and communities in an open dialogue with the public. Each year, Rezidența9 presents an extensive programme of exhibitions, screenings, talks, and workshops, all free of charge, creating connections between contemporary art and the society in which we live.
