On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, the opening reception for the exhibition “Breaking the Silence: A Visual Narrative on Emotions Left Unspoken” will take place at ParkLake Shopping Center in Bucharest. During the event, the audience will experience a live art performance by artist Larisa Petcuț, as well as a guided tour of the exhibition.
The event marks the launch of a multidisciplinary cultural project that aims to bring attention to a sensitive topic—depression, to inspire authentic dialogue, and to raise awareness, highlighting the power of art to offer new perspectives and create meaningful connections.
Contemporary Art – A Space for Dialogue and Interaction
The exhibition “Breaking the Silence: A Visual Narrative on Emotions Left Unspoken”, the central component of the project, brings together 13 emerging and established artists, active on both the Romanian and international art scenes. Together, they create a space for dialogue and interaction around the emotions and states associated with depression, and the healing potential of art:
Filip Caranica, Tina Chiriță, Lucia Ghegu, Albert Kaan, Andreea Naherniac, Alina Marinescu, Andreea Mihalka, Mihaela Moldovan, Larisa Petcuț, Alexandru Rădvan, Maia-Ștefana Oprea, Iulia Toma, and Miki Velciov.
“To me, depression is an internal imbalance that arises from the voids left by the absence of intimacy, touch, and the real presence of another person,” says artist Lucia Ghegu, a participant in the project. “Through my work, I try to explore that fragile space between closeness and distance, between the need for fusion and the reality of loneliness—creating interactive structures and devices that are not only artistic objects but also emotional mediators. A form of therapy through which the body can rediscover the feeling of safety, belonging, and contact—even when the real embrace is missing.”
A Shared Human Experience
“Depression is still talked about far too little—it remains a taboo subject, even though it’s part of many people’s lives,” says Angela Izvercian, the project’s initiator. “The Breaking the Silence exhibition and its related events are designed as spaces for reflection, connection, understanding, and solidarity.”
In this same spirit, the team created the Breaking the Silence Community—an online platform dedicated to dialogue and interaction for anyone who wishes to explore the topic in depth, within a safe and empathetic space. Community members can access educational resources on mental health and ask questions directly in the group, where a psychiatrist will respond and offer professional guidance.
In addition, an open public discussion session is scheduled for October 7, moderated by writer Marius Chivu, and will bring together important voices from various fields.
A Reality Often Overlooked
According to the World Health Organization, over 121 million people globally are affected by depression. In Europe, more than 33 million adults live with the condition. In Romania, only 1% of the population is officially diagnosed—a significant gap that reflects both stigma and a lack of information.
“Depressive disorder is a common and serious medical condition, affecting 5.7% of the global population. It doesn’t discriminate by gender, age, or social status,” explains Dr. Ana Neagoe, psychiatry resident. “It manifests as a persistent state of sadness, a loss of interest and pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable, concentration difficulties, appetite changes, insomnia, hopelessness, and sometimes even suicidal thoughts.
Even if it goes unnoticed by those around, it deeply impacts feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It can affect family life, social relationships, and professional activity.
Beyond its medical dimension, its symptoms, and the treatments available, depression is a human experience. Through art and community, by speaking openly and without prejudice, we can change the perspective on depression—and we can heal.”
The exhibition will be open daily between September 16 – October 7, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Admission is free.
About the Organizer
Empower Art & Artists is a non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting contemporary artists and developing projects that promote art as a tool for social cohesion.
Cultural Project Co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN)
This project does not necessarily reflect the position of the AFCN. The AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or the way its results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant beneficiary.
Partners
Main Partner: ParkLake Shopping Center
Institutional Partners: UNArte Bucharest, Genesis College
Supporting Partners: TED’S Coffee, Cărturești
Media Partners: RFI Romania, Radio România Cultural, Empower Artists, Urban, The Institute, Feeder, Amo News, ArTeVezi, Modernism, IQads
