Reginae, the ceramic exhibition of the artist Anca Coțovanu, curated by Lect. Univ Dr. Maria Bilașevschi, can be visited at the Theodor Pallady Gallery in Iași (Str. Lăpușneanu no. 7 – 9) until June 20.
Curatorial argument:
“Anca Coțovanu’s first ceramic exhibition is an intimate exploration, with autobiographical accents, of form and symbol to render a universal temporal-spatial narrative on femininity. Starting from the matter, the clay, which she shapes and infuses with a state of mind, from the details that deepen or outline the surfaces, the point or the circle, or are directed from the subconscious towards the light – the amphora shape of the womb that metamorphoses as a suggestion, or returns as an element of connection and continuity, the artist plastically concentrates the interdependence between all forms of life and the power to continue, evolve, regenerate.
The surfaces embroidered with fabric dots, small entities as if still in a state of germination, of the primordial beginning, complete cultures and archetypes, cultural and historical values. The soul of the artist transports and restores a world, narrating it through the volume and fragility of matter. The size and affective intensity of the artist’s works can be seen both in the sensitive inserts, in the color, but also in the rendering of the “truth” through mirrors, in fact, through circles adorned with symbols extracted from Renaissance art, in a process of purifying the reflection and rendering the beauty through simplicity and purity.
An organic lyricism traverses instinctively created forms, fragments of memories or thoughts, in a fluid balance of forces, the most visible of which, life, is extracted and reflected through each superimposed layer. The point expands into a circle, the circle is the amphora – womb to represent the vital stage of transformation and development. Life, evolution and human experiences are described through this symbolism, emphasizing the continuity and interdependence of all elements. (…) “, Lect. Univ. Dr. Maria Bilasevschi
About her first ceramic exhibition, the artist Anca Coțovanu stated: “In the Reginae exhibition, the forms take over from the feminine identity through symbol and state. Symbols such as the point, the circle, and the womb represent cyclicity, universal harmony through birth, death, and rebirth, new beginnings but also endings. A journey in a circle can sometimes be agony without a solution, hence the meaning of infertility—a symbol of contemporary society, after all.
The pieces I create go through a process of hand embroidery with dots in clay. I use a variety of glazing techniques, including glass layering, dripping and sprinkling, to create unique patterns and textures on the object’s surface.
Ever since I discovered clay, I’ve been trying to find a balance between controlling the material and accepting the aspects I can’t influence. Ceramics has this mysterious side that you only get to know if you are patient. Modelling clay tests your patience, and hands are connected to the heart rather than the judgment.
For me, decorative art is not only about creating beautiful objects or spaces that are only visually pleasing but also about cultivating a deeper appreciation for the world of the senses, for the connection with ourselves, for the connection with nature and the imperfections of life. Many times we fill our home with various replicated objects that have nothing to do with us, but a unique art object gives meaning to the space we live in because we choose it based on how we feel.”
