Young Blood at Art Safari 2023: meet the young artist Alexandru Ranga
An art work can be a manifest. An art installation can transmit so many feelings and emotions. And an art work is a portal to a different world. And, because Romanian contemporary art is so vivid and trending, I wanted to understand more of it. Therefore, this series is about the young artists presented in Young Blood 2.0 section, at Art Safari 2023. Today, an interview with the young artist Alexandru Ranga.
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- Alexandru Ranga is one of over 50 artists presented in „Young Blood 2.0. What is new in art?”, curator Mihai Zgondoiu. @crowbarrrr
- Art Safari 2023 will have a 3 parts. The 11th editions, the first one, is on going between 10 of February – 14 of May, at Palatul Dacia-România (Muzeul Municipiului București), Lipscani Street 18-20. Tickets on tickets.artsafari.ro/.
The 3 major themes that you constantly capture in your works are… Why?
I always follow a new vision, regardless of the theme I choose. My practice focuses on the social aspects of life and inter-human relations, therefore I use many animal motifs to emphasise the different characters we all come across in our lives in order to raise consciousness. Rats, Bees and Plants all have an inner voice that wants to come out, to be understood. Through the joyful aesthetics of my artworks, I want to bring the viewer closer to my dystopian vision and to raise awareness about the message I’m spreading.
Your art work that we should pay attention at Art Safari 2023 is…
The composition exhibited at Art Safari 2023 is called “RAT AT” and includes 15 metal rats, together with a self-portrait from last year, “The Skater”, illustrating my passion for skateboarding from my teenage years. I’ve been presenting the rat installation for a couple of years now, and I must admit that I’m still admiring the different sensations they raise in each viewer. The Rat, the being that everyone renegades, can be seen both as a vector of disease or an aesthetic piece of art.
Through this art series, I’m offering a distinct way of observing things, seemingly shocking, with the potential of electrifying the dormant senses of the viewer. Therefore, I consider Art Safari to be the best place to explore the different responses to my rat infestation.
As far as “The Skater” goes, I have always wanted a self-portrait, not because the idea of visually re-creating myself satisfied me, but because I’ve always wanted to show the energy that is stored up in my spirit. For me, skateboarding was a bridge, connecting me with art ever since I was a child, and offering me substance. It has taught me the many rules that have helped me navigate freely through space, thus inspiring me later in my artistic processes.
About you, as an artist, we should know that…
I believe I still have a long journey ahead of me, before I can truly consider myself an artist. I love the creative process of making art: to me, it is a state of mind more that a profession or a social status. I consider art to be a science, one looking to explore the human consciousness and materialise our emotions, using visual or musical language.
I hate seeing how ephemeral the contemporary art scene is becoming, reaching a point where the artist’s unique mark and joy are being replaced almost completely.
I want to spread the same energy that managed to enchant me back when I was only starting out. I stand by the idea that the spirituality inherent to all forms of art can be a tool to help us understand ourselves better and enhance our quality of life.
Romanian contemporary art is worth investing in because…
The Romanian contemporary art scene is in full swing and it is definitely worth investing in, especially in young, emerging artists. I’m pleasantly surprised to see so much diversity and interest in the current state of the world. Living and creating in a generation with such powerful and free speech gives me the opportunity to express my ideas and beliefs through my art without any external barriers.
We can find you on (website, Instagram, galleries etc)
In the virtual world, I am mostly active on Instagram and Facebook (@crowbarrrr, Ranga Alexandru). At the moment, I am being represented by three art galleries, SENAT being the first one to take me under its wings and boost my moral and artistic integrity. It is very important for an artist to have moments of clarity that can open his/her/their eyes to new perspectives. One such moment for me was the ,”Future for free’” exhibition that took place in the heart of Paris. This experience gave me access to the cultural art world of the west. The exhibition was curated by Cristian Cojanu, from 1001 Arte, where, you can see some of my works and maybe meet me for a drink in Piata Amzei.
The third gallery I have started working with is IOMO. It is a fresh exhibition space with lots of potential, that hosts important national and international contemporary artists. I am currently preparing a duo show there, which will take place this spring. More details on that coming soon, stay tuned.