WIN Gallery invites you to a playful, surprising yet deeply profound journey in search of the “Fruit of Knowledge”
“Knowledge is power” but “ignorance is bliss”, the common lore says. These competing views have fundamentally shaped human history, social structures and personal choices. Unlike other philosophical bifurcations, this one can singularly influence what we use as our life navigation tool. It is perhaps the greatest determinant of who we become, the norms we challenge, the lands we set foot on and the values that give color to our experiences.
Mythical and mystical, the origins and scope of knowledge have an irresistible appeal for the human mind. The impetus to ask not only “how” but “why” opens intriguing and nuanced debates, in which belief and perception blend with fact in generating hypotheses.
Marijana and Relu Bițulescu, the two brilliant artists that WIN Gallery is proposing to the public, approach the topic with varied techniques, from multiple angles. Drawing from their academic training – textile art and monumental art, respectively – they complement each other naturally, seamlessly alternating materials, textures and the use of space.
Intellectually resourceful, they reframe legendary, religious and historical figures, raising new questions. They do so in subtle ways, not to shockingly provoke but to evolve the understanding of the viewer. Irony and a certain playful note are visible in many of their works without ever trivializing the subject or altering its relevance.
The cultural references used by Marijana and Relu Bițulescu are wide-ranging, spanning from Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt to the Byzantine empire and the Iberian Penninsula. They represent a testimony to the cosmopolitan and erudite character of this collection. At the same time, many are also a nod to the multi-layered identity of our own nation.
The exhibition curator, Ms. Marinela Măntescu Isac, structured the display of works in a way that follows not only aesthetic criteria but the logic and emotion of the message. “Fruit of Knowledge” is an invitation to contemplate complex issues in a vibrant, uplifting, hopeful light. It proposes a balanced way of rewriting convention, acknowledging its roots and learning its lessons. It highlights the power of knowledge and alludes to the menace of power without it.
There is no more appropriate time to expand education than now. The conclusions we reach and the discoveries we make may not always be comforting, but a prosperous society, morally and materially, depends on that. The “Fruit of Knowledge” may have led to the fall from Paradise but it is likely the only way back to it.
Cristian Pascu – Patron of the Arts
Irina Stoenescu – Chairlady
Catalin Guriță-Manole – Director of Experience
