Livia Mateiaş is a Faculty of Arts and Design graduate in Timişoara (Bachelor, Master and Doctorate), specializing in graphics. Still, her artistic practice also includes other forms of artistic expression, including painting, digital art, installation and performance. In 2014, she co-founded the art and design studio artouching and, four years later, the DIGITAL:CANVAS\ platform dedicated to digital artists in Romania. She participated in various creative contemporary dance workshops with different choreographers and dancers in numerous exhibitions and artistic residencies in the country and abroad. She also attended specialization courses in Counseling through art, social and cultural entrepreneurship, cultural mediation, project management and volunteer management.

Over time she coordinated more than 100 creative workshops for adults, youth, children, seniors and vulnerable people, which took place in public spaces, parks, art galleries, alternative spaces, a Buddhist monastery (Austria), in the stadium (Portugal), in refugee centers (Greece), in prison, in social centers, educational institutions. She initiated and implemented a series of cultural projects in Timișoara, including “Art in the Community”, “Home on Earth”, “Story Bridge – the creative community Crocheting Stories and Bridges”, and “Pixel_ART”.

Please tell us about your experience in the world of visual arts and the context in which you became an artist.

I like to say about myself that I am a cosmic traveler fascinated by the beauty of the universe, most likely this fascination and curiosity brought me to the world of visual arts.
I was born in Salonta, Bihor County, and I followed a complex educational path. I obtained a certificate in Graphics at the Arts High School in Oradea. I continued with academic studies at the West University of Timișoara, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and, finally, a PhD in visual arts at the Faculty of Arts and Design.
I was in the 5th grade when I enrolled in my first drawing course, and in the 7th grade, I had the opportunity to meet two young artists, Nicolae and Meda Fechete, who inspired me. Immediately after meeting them, I decided to become an artist and started training with them for admission to the Art High School in Oradea. I had a very prolific training period, and in the 8th grade, I organized my first personal exhibition at the Salonta Art Gallery.

In high school, I had a coordinator in the graphics section, Mrs. Maria David, an extraordinary teacher who dedicated herself to the activities with the students. I still remember her as a special person from whom I learned a lot and who encouraged me to follow my path. She involved the students in many creative competitions, which motivated us to do additional work compared to the assignments received in class. During high school, I created a lot, spent a lot of time in the studio out of passion, and worked a lot at home. Sometimes, I simply forgot about myself when I immersed myself in the creative activities in the studio; of course, this still happens. 🙂

In college, I met other special teachers. I had Mr. Vică Tilă Adorian as the coordinator for my bachelor’s degree and Mrs. Suzana Fântânariu for my dissertation, both artists dedicated to creation and teaching. I am grateful to have had them as teachers, and I am happy every time I have the opportunity to meet them again. I fondly remember my years of study at the Faculty of Arts and Design in Timișoara. Here, I also met Marius Jurca, my husband. We were group mates in graphics and have been together since the first year of college. We grew up and formed together as artists but kept our uniqueness and creative style.

My artistic experience then crystallized into significant creative initiatives and projects. Together with Marius Jurca (aka 13m10j), I co-founded the artouching studio (2014) and the DIGITAL:CANVAS\ platform (2018). Thus, I had the privilege of actively contributing to developing the artistic scene in Timișoara. As an initiator and project manager, I coordinated events such as: “Fluid”, “Pixel_ART”, and “Story Bridge”, “Art in the Community”, offering my time and involvement in the community and passion for the promotion of art in various contexts.

To what extent did the academic experience help you in your artistic evolution and, above all, in developing a personal style?

As I said earlier, I liked my studies at the Faculty of Arts and Design and didn’t stop easily. I had the curiosity, the openness, and, at the same time, the privilege of going through the entire academic stage. This experience was pivotal in my artistic evolution and defining a distinct personal style. The fact that I also obtained a doctoral scholarship allowed me to continue and deepen my research and artistic creation.

In my personality, I find joy in creating connections between ideas and techniques and between people. Within the study programs, I had access to a variety of visual arts disciplines and techniques, from graphics, painting, illustration, advertising and book graphics to design and photography, etc. All this has enriched and inspired me considerably. I could say that the constant interaction with talented teachers and peers also helped, which created a pleasant environment where I was encouraged to explore and develop my artistic ideas. The emphasis was always on creativity rather than reproduction, which I liked and stimulated.

The MA and especially the PhD were important periods in which I could pursue research topics of interest and turn my attention to deeper aspects of art. My themes have always been somehow related to outer space, flight and infinity. Also, motifs of the sacred space have been found over time, especially angels, but solar and stellar motifs, the idea of ​​cosmic travel, portal, teleportation, etc., are added to the creation. The dissertation, for example, was titled Multiverse and was based on the idea of ​​multiple universes. I then created an installation composed of 300 recycled paper spheres and 50 circular mirrors that were double-sided mirrors. These mirrors became a kind of portals that brought together, through reflection, several universes.

These stages provided me with time for actual creative development, solid theoretical knowledge, and conceptual tools that helped ground and deepen my artistic practice.
The academic environment also introduced me to the local and international artistic community, providing me with opportunities to participate in exhibitions, residencies and interdisciplinary projects. This exposure has allowed me to diversify and broaden my creative perspective, helping to form a distinct personal style full of light, energy, vibrancy and color, which I believe conveys a sense of well-being and an invitation to introspection for the viewer.

You explore different mediums of expression, from graphics to painting, digital art, installation and performance. What comes first in your works?

My artistic practice is characterized by constantly exploring various mediums of expression, reflecting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to creation. At each stage of my artistic evolution, I have experimented with different forms of expression, from graphics and painting to digital art, installations and performance. This diversity reflects my interest in the multiple modes of artistic communication and the desire to embrace new challenges and perspectives.
I have always enjoyed making connections between different ideas and translating these ideas in the most creative way possible. The variation in techniques stems from my dislike of limiting myself to one technique. I am a dynamic and curious person. I like variety and exploring the new. I am also open-minded and like to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone and learn new things. As a result, I have been able to integrate several techniques and ways of expression into my artistic practice.

The main focus in my works cannot be reduced to a single element but instead resides in the complex interaction between several aspects. Spontaneity plays an essential role in my creative process, and the intuitive approach allows me to discover unexpected directions and explore new artistic territories. At the same time, deep research and conceptual grounding are essential to add meaningful layers to each project.

In addition to academic studies, I attended many training courses and workshops in various fields, from performance and contemporary dance to entrepreneurship and cultural leadership to volunteer management, project management, community involvement and social innovation courses. I also took an art counseling course, various cultural mediation courses, and last but not least, a photography art course. As a result, I have acquired multiple skills that I love to combine creatively.

I work a lot with community involvement, which has become a practice. For example, I was the initiator and manager of the “Story Bridge” project, around which I created the community “Crochet Stories and Bridges”. As part of the project, we crocheted the community’s pedestrian bridge from the Water Plant in Timișoara.

I use various techniques to convey subtleties in my work. I combine themes of cosmicity with elements of inner space, which I call Cosmotic space. I also use themes of ecological awareness, an example being the last installation I created under the title H2O: Transition. I also use natural elements, such as the installation The Allowed Fruit, where I used 600 kilograms of apples that the public consumed during the exhibition. We also involved the community in creating the installation Sensorial Knowledge, which we collected with the community’s help. Over 5000 old books comprised this work. These books were then returned to the community through the performative action at the end of the exhibition, in which we invited the public to disassemble the installation and choose books to keep.

As for the message, it is an essential component. I try to provoke the viewer to reflect deeply on the themes and concepts in my creations.
Overall, my artistic practice can be defined as a continuous journey of exploration and discovery, where spontaneity and research converge in a harmonious dialogue. I try to combine technique and emotional expression, thus offering the viewer a rich and challenging experience within each project.

Please tell us about your latest solo exhibition, Inner Cosmos.

Inner Cosmos represents a journey, a smooth flight into my artistic world, a personal exhibition that took place at the Center for Projects Timișoara from November 21 to December 4, 2023. The curatorial concept of the exhibition was built around the infinite exploration of the inner universe, bringing to the fore profound questions about the connection between inner experience and our perception of the Universe. Among the questions raised, I mention:

When was the last time I looked inside myself?
How related is my inner experience to my perception of the Universe where I live?
How can the Cosmos determine my experiences, and what is the line between dependent and independent?
What is the meaning of life?
Who am I?
What does my universe look like?
Is the cosmos inside me or outside me?

The inspiration for Inner Cosmos came from a profound reflection on human nature, inner searching and deep connection with the surrounding space. Just as the Mobius strips represent the limitless potential of being and existence, the exhibition sought to provide a foray into a vast and mysterious space where inside and outside merge into a creative infinity.

The entire exhibition was an invitation to introspection, self-knowledge and awareness of the infinite valences of the spirit and the deep connection between everything, an invitation to the awareness of the cosmic connection. For me, creation is in itself a meditation, and I spent a long period in the workshop, a kind of creative retreat where I prepared the works for the exhibition. I note that all the works in the Inner Cosmos exhibition were new, exhibited for the first time and created specifically for this context.

The deep questions were designed to provoke thought and reflection on a personal level. I wanted to create a space where visitors can explore their inner world and wonder about their place in the universe.
Both during the opening and after, in the days when I was present for many hours in the exhibition, I had the joy of sharing this artistic journey with a diverse and receptive audience. Inner Cosmos was not only a personal exhibition but also an invitation to introspection and dialogue about the deep meanings of our existence in the vast and mysterious universe in which we live.

The collaboration during the opening with other artists, such as the writer Francesc Miralles, who challenged me to dialogue and Ovidiu Brazdău, who had a creative moment of interaction with the audience using the handpan musical instrument, added dimension to the event, offering an interdisciplinary perspective on the relationship between art and other forms of cultural expression.

At the opening of the Inner Cosmos exhibition, the famous Catalan writer Francesc Miralles was present in Timisoara for the first time. What was the context in which Francesc Miralles joined the exhibition, and how would you describe meeting him?

It was a great joy and an honour to have Francesc Miralles with me at the opening. For the first time, he arrived in Timișoara at the invitation of InEDU – Education Initiative. The Inner Cosmos event occurred within the “Culture Space” project created by InEDU, which was part of the national cultural program “Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023”. This was the larger context of my meeting with Francesc Miralles.

Our collaboration was based on the idea of ​​merging artistic and literary perspectives on common themes such as self-searching, connection to the universe and exploring the inner depths. Meeting Francesc Miralles was an experience full of exciting and creative exchanges. I already knew part of his work and was familiar with the concept of Ikigai, about living in harmony, which is specific to Japanese culture. I appreciated Miralles’ openness and curiosity towards the world of visual art and how he was receptive to the concept and message of the exhibition.

Recently, more and more emphasis has been placed on holding events related to the main exhibition. In the case of the Inner Cosmos exhibition, the exhibition event was complemented by guided tours and educational workshops for students and teachers, but also for the general public. Do you consider them relevant to the exhibition itself? Is the public more receptive, reacts better/connects better with the works in the exhibition?

Certainly, I consider related events, such as guided tours and educational workshops, highly relevant not only to the Inner Cosmos exhibition but also as a general practice of cultural mediation. I think it’s important for art to reach the public and be understood more easily by them. Over time, organizing creative activities, workshops, and cultural mediation events has become part of my artistic practice.

As part of the Inner Cosmos exhibition, over 20 distinct events took place in addition to the opening, from guided tours to workshops for children to meeting teachers with Francesc Miralles, etc. These activities added significantly, helping to enrich the visitors’ experience and creating an interactive and educational atmosphere around the exhibited works.
In addition, I was present at the exhibition for several days and engaged with people who entered the gallery out of curiosity. We had a large, diverse and varied audience from the country and abroad. It also helped that the exhibition took place during the extended weekend on December 1st, days in which people from all corners of Romania arrived in Timișoara and out of curiosity, probably being stimulated by the intense colors and rounded shapes, entered the gallery.

Thus, I could share my artistic perspectives with visitors, discuss the creative process, and answer questions in a relaxed setting. The personalized guide added value to the experience, allowing the audience to connect more deeply with the works on display and the overall message of the exhibition. These activities enriched the public’s knowledge and appreciation of art and strengthened my connection with the community.

Last year, Timișoara celebrated holding the title of European Capital of Culture through numerous art exhibitions, cultural conferences, plays, concerts, films, festivals and shows. How would you describe this effervescent cultural year?

By holding the title of European Capital of Culture, Timișoara has become a living city involved in cultural and educational activities. The year 2023 was genuinely effervescent and full of diversified events for all categories of the public, which illustrated the diversity and cultural richness of the city. Timișoara 2023 was a welcome project, and as an artist involved, I felt this opportunity’s positive impact on the artistic community, the public and the city in general. I was glad to see that the vulnerable communities were not forgotten and that, for example, important concerts were also made accessible to the hearing-impaired communities in the city. I think it is essential to pay attention to all these aspects so that we have an inclusive city where every person can feel that they are part of the community and that they are included, not forgotten.

During the year, Timișoara hosted many art exhibitions, cultural conferences, plays, concerts, films and festivals, thus offering a varied platform for artists and creators. This cultural amalgam helped create a vibrant atmosphere and supported the diversity of artistic expression. Through the artouching studio, we also organized various cultural events, such as, for example, the Fluid project, at the opening of the Capital year… We hosted the events of artists such as Floriama Cândea, Alina Tofan, and Dorin Cucicov within the DIGITAL: CANVAS\ platform. We have also organized non-funded, self-funded events such as the Her Letters exhibition, two conferences with two Buddhist monks, and many other creative events and workshops.

Another significant contribution to this vibrant cultural landscape was the H2O: Transition project we created through the Energy grant. The project aimed to explore themes related to the water cycle in nature and contribute to a better awareness of the importance of water and the need to keep clean waters by reducing pollution. I also organized numerous events within the Art in the Community project, which I initiated and coordinated.
Cultural and artistic projects were widely present in the public space, including events such as street art exhibitions, urban installations and light projections. Thus, Timișoara has become a real place to explore art in various forms and expressions.
Timișoara, also called the city of light, was the first free city in the country. I think this openness and vision is still alive in the city. We like freedom in Timișoara, we like light, and we are creative spirits. Cultural operators in the city exceeded their capacities and limits last year and developed and implemented new projects in record time and with multiple national and international collaborations. I like Timișoara today, and I am grateful that I could be part of the city’s growth process.

What plans do you have, and how do you see your professional path in the coming years?

Looking to the future, I wish to continue my artistic journey with innovation and spontaneity, inspired by the unforeseen opportunities and surprising discoveries that the present brings. I’m spontaneous by nature and generally don’t make many plans for the future, preferring to adapt to the changes and challenges that come my way.

Regarding my career path, I intend to diversify my artistic expression, explore new mediums and engage in projects relevant to contemporary audiences and myself. I aim to explore new ways of expression, integrate therapy into my creation and engage in projects that address relevant and current themes.

Collaborations with other artists and professionals in related fields, such as science and technology, are directions I want to explore. I also aim to continue to bring art into the community through educational projects and cultural community engagement events. I also plan to focus on new artistic residencies and expand my presence internationally.
Thus, looking towards the horizon and beyond, I see an artistic journey full of exploration, openness and curiosity, meaningful collaborations and a continuous adaptation to changes in the contemporary world.

This journalistic material was made through the financing program Energie! Burse de creație, supported by the Municipality of Timișoara through the Center for Projects, within the Power Station component of the National Cultural Program “Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in the Year 2023”. The material does not necessarily represent the position of the Center for Projects of the Municipality of Timișoara, and this one is not responsible for its content or how it may be used.

Credit image cover photo: Sorana Laura.