Opened at the National Museum of Art of Romania, the exhibition “RomânIA – The Identity Representation of Traditional Costume in Art” has been extended until March 15, 2026, following strong public interest.
Held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania, the project is curated by Erwin Kessler, together with the curatorial team: Judit Balint, Mălina Conțu, Alina Petrescu, Emanuela Cernea, and Costina Anghel.
The exhibition offers an extensive exploration of the artistic representations of the Romanian blouse (ia) and traditional costume, bringing together more than 320 works created across a wide range of techniques and media — from painting, sculpture, and graphic art to photography, installation, film, music, fashion design, posters, decorative objects, philately, books, and school textbooks. The chronological narrative begins in the 16th century and moves through modernity, the period of Socialist Realism, and into contemporary art, highlighting how the ia gradually became a major artistic symbol.
The curatorial approach critically examines how traditional costume contributed to shaping a visual and symbolic language associated with national identity, without advocating any ideological stance. The exhibition emphasizes the diversity of interpretations and the historical contexts in which these representations were produced.
A highlight of the event is the presentation of La Blouse Roumaine by Henri Matisse, exceptionally loaned from the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou. Considered one of the emblematic images of European modernism, the painting is being shown outside France for the first time.
The works on display come from the MNAR collection, private collections, contemporary artists, and partnerships with approximately 30 museums and institutions in Romania and abroad. The exhibition is organized in partnership with Fundația Amzei.
Through its scale, diversity, and interdisciplinary approach, “RomânIA – The Identity Representation of Traditional Costume in Art” stands out as one of the most comprehensive projects dedicated to the image of the Romanian blouse in both Romanian and international art.
