Meron Gallery in Cluj-Napoca, the host of the “Memories of Time Gone By” exhibition, signed by the artist Roxana Ajder, has turned into a sanctuary of memories. The exhibition marks a profound encounter with the past, an ode to bygone summers when the boundaries between the human body and the surrounding nature faded, leaving room for a perfect symbiosis between man and the environment.
Roxana Ajder, a distinct voice in contemporary art’s landscape, proposes an introspective journey into the world of memories and the human connection with nature through this exhibition. Her works, characterized by pictorial gestures of (neo)expressionist inspiration, explore themes related to femininity, beauty and the complex relationship between nudity and the natural environment. In the artist’s view, nudity is not just a simple representation of the human body but a symbol of freedom, vulnerability and authentic connection.
“I don’t want to give the viewer a concrete picture of a certain act or gesture that is happening; I want to leave room for interpretation and ambiguity because it is necessary for the viewer to come and complete the picture with what is going on in his mind. Any painting or any work of art is like a kind of riddle, after all. I come and ask you the question, but you come, look, think, analyze, and you will give yourself the answer.” Roxana Ajder, artist.
The exhibition “Memories of Time Gone By” stands out for its meticulous attention to detail and the way the artist manipulates light to reflect the passage of time and subtle changes in emotional states. In each work, the shifts in tones and shades help us experience the ephemerality of the moment and reconnect with the past in a personal and intimate way. Roxana Ajder thus invites us to observe how the morning light brings optimism and clarity while the evening shadows evoke melancholy and introspection, offering visitors the opportunity to contemplate and reflect on their journey through time.
“This exhibition is not just a simple art presentation, but an escape from everyday life, a return to the memories that form us. Meron Gallery becomes a space where time seems to stop, giving us the opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and nature. Roxana Ajder captures a sense of eternal summer, full of melancholy, where the past mixes with the present, and the viewer is transported into a contemplative, almost dreamlike state. When you are face to face with her works, you inevitably feel a touch of sadness and vulnerability, suggesting an intimate connection with your memories and feelings” – Crina Ciocian, Meron Gallery curator.
The exhibition is open to the public until September 12, 2024. Admission is free.
About Roxana Ajder
Born in 1991 in Galați, Romania, Roxana Ajder is a contemporary painter living and working in Cluj-Napoca. Her works address ambivalent features of femininity and beauty in contemporary society, exploring the plasticity of the human body and its relationship with nature. Roxana combines (neo)expressionist pictorial gestures with feminist discourses, conceptual art and eroticism, contributing to a deeper understanding of female experience and identity. In 2019, she was a finalist in the Jeune Création Européenne Biennale and participated in group exhibitions in seven European cities between 2019 and 2021.
