The opening of the exhibition “Echoes of Harmony and Silent Cries” by Pavel Brăila, presented by GAEP Gallery, included a live performance by Zamfira Ludovica Mureșan, a professional mourner.
“The exhibition is structured around four elements: two stories, one lesser-known recent discovery, and one well-known fact.
1: The Abomey jug, perforated in multiple places, symbolizes unity and cohesion in the pursuit of a shared goal. It can only be filled if everyone covers the holes with their fingers, suggesting the necessity of solidarity to prevent the world from drying up.
2: The legend of tear bottles dates back over 3,000 years. These blown-glass vessels are said to have been used by ancient Middle Eastern societies, in Roman times, and during the Victorian era to collect tears during mourning. Once the tears evaporated, the period of grief was considered to have ended.
3: A study published in PLOS Biology in 2023 reveals that women’s tears contain chemical compounds that reduce aggression in men. Sniffing these tears leads to a 40% drop in aggressive behaviour.
4: The ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and elsewhere.
‘Echoes of Harmony and Silent Cries’ serves as a reminder of the persistent specter of pain, while searching for a mythological path toward peace.” — Pavel Brăila
PAVEL BRĂILA (b. 1971, lives and works in Chișinău) has participated in major international art exhibitions and film festivals. He is one of the few artists twice selected for the prestigious documenta (documenta 11, Kassel, 2002, and documenta 14, Kassel and Athens, 2017). Brăila also took part in Manifesta 10 (St. Petersburg, 2014) and created the artistic concept for the 1st Moldovan Pavilion at the World Expo (Milan, 2015). His film Definitively Unfinished was awarded at the Oberhausen International Film Festival 2009.
In 2003, he was listed by Phaidon amongst the 100 best artists in the world (‘Cream 3’). Brăila’s works have been featured in solo or group shows at Neue Nationalgalerie (Berlin), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam), Tate Modern (London), The Renaissance Society (Chicago), Kölnischer Kunstverein, Moderna Museet (Stockholm), and many more. In recent years, his work has been shown at the Art Encounters Biennial (Timișoara), Lutnița (Chișinău and Ustia), ERSTE Foundation (Vienna), Neue Galerie Graz, and Centrala (Birmingham), among others. Before ‘Echoes of Harmony and Silent Cries’, Gaep presented the artist’s solo exhibition New Year’s Dissections (2017).
“Echoes of Harmony and Silent Cries” is on view until 4 April 2026.
