From the curator: The artist is searching absolute freedom from the exterior in the etymological sense of absolvere: releasing, letting go, and is more inclined to search herself and her memories. And so her development of art, no longer needs the explicit rendition of the world as its principal means of expression. RUUCA shifts the accent to a poetic image as a more direct representation of her inner self. She releases herself from burden of expressing subjectivity and thus her work, gains autonomy and stands on it’s own. An art no longer subordinated to the task of representing reality. From the artist: I have started the project last year when I moved to London. It encompasses images of all the places I have been to in this time frame, reflecting my search of my place in this world.  My artistic process doubles as my own therapeutic process as I am on a venture of not only to discover where I belong in terms of spatiality but also in terms of self understanding. Throughout this venture I feel compelled to photograph everything in order to exist, belong and lately understand more about me. The images are associated with memories sometimes they are vivid, other times they are unclear. You will see textures, silhouettes and a play of light and shadow; I see family figures, old routines and various emotions.

CdRF becomes the meeting place for ten renowned curators who will get in touch with Romanian photography and meet some of the most representative photographers in a unique event. It promises to be a busy weekend. Friday from 18.00 - the opening of the exhibitions signed by Ioana Moldovan and PAC, Saturday from 12.00 - presentation of portfolios, Sunday - mingle. It really happens and we managed to align some planets, not a few and we thank Rezo Agency for the support. The ten curators are: Barbara Čeferin, Natan Dvir, Sára Jeleňová, Weronika Kobylińska, Jenny Lindhe, Wiktoria Michalkiewicz, Arianna Rinaldo, Marta Szymanska, István Virágvölgyi, Jessica Williams. Barbara Čeferin Barbara Čeferin is the owner of Galerija Fotografija, which she runs, and a member of the organizing and curatorial committee of Kranj Foto Fest. Over the past 18 years, Barbara has organized more than 150 exhibitions of Slovenian and foreign artists in Galerija Fotografija, as well as in other locations in Slovenia and abroad. In 2018, under her guidance, at the Slovenian Book Fair she opened a special section for photography books called Fotocona. In 2022, Galerija Fotografija was one of the founders of ETC. The magazine, dedicated to the presentation of current artistic production from the Baltic Sea to the Balkans. Natan Dvir Natan Dvir is an educator and conceptual documentary photographer who focuses on the human aspects of cultural, social and political issues. He received an MBA from Tel Aviv University and an MA in photography from the School of Visual Arts (NY), after which he became an adjunct faculty member at the International Center of Photography (ICP). Sára Jeleňová Sára Jeleňová currently works in the curatorial team of the festival of contemporary photography and new media OFF Bratislava. He is also curator and exhibition coordinator in the FOG Gallery. Her work is deeply rooted in a passion for contemporary photography, with a focus on supporting new talent and innovative visual approaches. Her approach to curating emphasizes cultural dialogue and the exploration of diverse artistic expressions, reflecting Sara's commitment to enriching the photography community both locally and internationally. Weronika Kobylińska Dr. Weronika Kobylińska, president of the Photo Archeology Foundation in Warsaw, is an art historian, curator and professor at the National Film, Television and Theater School in Łódź. She coordinates the Polish branch of the international research network Ars Graphica. Her second book, focused on Polish photography ("The Avant-Garde Film"), was nominated for the J. Długosz Award (2022). Jenny Lindhe Jenny Lindhe works as an artist and curator, graduate of the School of Photography, Gothenburg University. Heads the exhibition department of Landskrona Art Hall & Museum / Landskrona Photo. She is also the founder and organizer of the Landskrona Foto & Breadfield Dummy Award and publisher of Breadfield Press. Wiktoria Michalkiewicz Dr Wiktoria Michałkiewicz is an interdisciplinary specialist with a deep passion for stories, talent management, journalism and photography. Operating from multiple global hubs in Warsaw (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden) and Lisbon (Portugal), Dr. Michałkiewicz bridges cultures and perspectives, connecting artists with opportunities around the world. Dr. Michałkiewicz was instrumental in the expansion of Fotografiska Stockholm to Tallinn and New York as part of Fotografiska International. Arianna Rinaldo Arianna Rinaldo is a freelance professional who works with photography in a wide range. From 2012 to 2021 he was artistic director of Cortona On The Move, international festival of visual narrative. Since 2016 she has been curator of photography at PhEST, a photography and contemporary arts festival in Puglia. He is on the selection committee of various institutions, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, the British Photography Journal "Ones to Watch" and the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Award. Marta Szymanska Marta Szymanska is a photography curator from Poland. She co-founded Fotofestiwal - the International Photography Festival in Lodz in 2005 and is a member of the curatorial team responsible for the festival program. He was deputy director of the Foundation for the Archeology of Photography, which deals with the preservation, development and promotion of archives of Polish photographers. Her curatorial experience also includes cooperation with the Lodz Art Museum, Poland; Photography Month in Minsk, Belarus; CinEast Central and Eastern Film Festival in Luxembourg and others. István Virágvölgyi Since 2014 he has been working as a curator of the Robert Capa Center for Contemporary Photography, and since 2023 he is also the artistic director; is secretary of the Capa Ungaria Grand Prize and editor of the Weekly Fortepan blog. Since 2016 he has been a cultural adviser of the Archiabe of Pannonhalma, since 2018 volunteer editor of the digital photo archive Fortepan, since 2021 member of the board of directors of the József Pécsi Photography Scholarship for young artists. Jessica Williams Jessica Williams is a conceptual artist, curator, editor and educator whose vast practice is based on the act of seeing. Her works, often collective and collaborative, address uncomfortable and complex themes that affect us all, including belonging and the climate crisis. Publishing, photography, text and new media are often combined to produce intimate, layered and visceral works of art. — The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding. Cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund.

When: August 28 - September 3 Where: Photography Resource Center / Popa Tatu 68 It happens. How do we celebrate the opening of the Photography Resource Center (CdRF) other than with pomp (or, rather, with fest)? IS THIS A FEST? it's an artistic, educational and photography promotion event for any photography enthusiast, from amateurs to professionals with fancy lenses. With and about photography, IS THIS A FEST? comes to the aid of aspiring photographers. We know what it's like to get lost in all the tips & tricks content on YouTube. We offer four workshops on introduction to composition (August 28, with Andrei Păcuraru), product photography with the phone (August 29, with Sorin Florea), portraiture (August 30, with Cornel Lazia) and aesthetics (August 31, with Adi Bulboacă) . Between September 1 - 3 we organize openings (we fill the walls with photos and marvel at them), artist talks (because it's not enough to take a photo, you have to talk about it), parties (how artists feel good ), masterclass (for master photographers), portfolio reviews (for photographers looking for a job or who want to sell themselves better) and partnerships with other galleries (networking at its best). To make the experience complete, the photography festival IS THIS A FEST? brings together some of the best Romanian and Norwegian photographers. We want international recognition of Romanian photography. There is nothing like it in the cultural landscape of Bucharest, a "home" for photography lovers. CdRF provides an ideal space to spend the day, the Is This Art? gallery, a haven for amateurs, beginners or experts in photography, but we welcome you even if you just want to drink a good coffee. We connect photos with each other, but also with professionals from other fields and with the general public.

CdRF's mission is making Romanian photography more well known internationally; we want Romanian photographers and their photos to have a greater presence, higher value and better visibility on international markets in the long term. We strongly believe this can be achieved through education, direct support to photographers, collaboration and audience development. We, the CdRF team, are here to develop the framework for photography and you, our students, clients, participants and friends, to fill this framework with your vision. After reading about us, we invite you to meet us at the center - Popa Tatu 68, Bucharest. ​ THE TEAM Sorin Florea Sorin Florea is a photographer and artist with a penchant for geographical, cultural and anthropological exploration; he says he is a "creator of stories which must be told". His works, although photography is the instrument of approach, are not limited to photography but also frequently use video and sound. He has exhibited video and photo works at MARe, MNTRplusC in Bucharest and SR Gallery in Brussels. At CdRF you will see Sorin coordinating the “Is this art ?” gallery and meet him as a teacher at our courses and workshops. sorin-florea moldovan Ioana Moldovan She photographs both from behind the front line and inside a small rural community; is a journalist, documentary photographer and author of reports, albums and articles. If you ask her what photojournalism is she'll tell you it's about story and feeling and empathy and drawing attention to an issue over and over again. Her reports have been published by The New York Times, ESPN, Al Jazeera English, Huffington Post, BBC, Der Spiegel, Open Society Foundation, Libération, Deutsche Welle, LensCulture, Radio France Internationale, Slate.fr, Decât O Revista and Dilema among others. She received awards such as The Bill Eppridge Memorial Award for excellence and truth in photojournalism or "Women of courage" (US Embassy, Bucharest) for outstanding activity in highlighting the truth through photojournalism. Ioana joined from the beginning in the creation of CdRF, collaborating with the rest of the team to lay the foundations of the educational component of the center. You will meet Ioana as a lecturer at courses and workshops or at CdRF events. We also invite you to see the section of print where you can grab a limited edition photo of hers. lazia-cornel Cornel Lazia He photographs people, spaces, suspended cities, studies the interaction and influences between the film image and photography, and teaches at UNATC; successfully balances commercial photography with artistic, personal photography. He started as a DOP for visual projects and from 1998 until now has continued as a professional photographer. He used to be a Depeche fan (not a Depeche Mode fan) and his love of music led him into album photography - you've probably seen his photos if you had the album "After the Blocks" (BUG Mafia), "In haine noi" (Vank) or, more recently, "Equilibru" (Man on the moon). You've also seen his photos in Elle, Cosmopolitan or Harper's Bazaar; you have also seen them through the advertisements in the city. At the same time, Cornel was and is interested in borders and their visual dialogue, among his latest exhibitions are "Horizon Tales" (Art Yourself Gallery, 2019), "Intersections in Cartierul Creativ" (Cartierul Creativ, 2019) together with Horațiu Șovăială, "Monolith, an Expression of Viewing" (Creart Gallery, 2019) or "Contact" (Art Yourself Gallery 2018). Cornel has been with us since the Walk & Shoot days and has sincerely supported the establishment of CdRF. You will meet him as a lecturer at courses and workshops and if you want a Lazia at home, we invite you to see the section of print . Andrei Pacuraru He photographs points, lines, shapes and geometries; he has a special penchant for photographic technique and composition. He has been a photographer for over 15 years, lecturer and member of the National Association for Contemporary Visual Arts. Self-taught, he formed his style through commercial photography, photojournalism and conceptual photography. His works have been exhibited both in Romania and abroad. He is currently the custodian of the PAC Collection, a personal archive started in 2006 containing over 10,000 unpublished photographs. He does not necessarily like to present his photos online, so his images can be seen illustrating books, on their covers or in exhibitions. Last but not least, Andrei thinks in series and projects; he always finds the red thread, is honest and extremely engaging. Expert in photographic technique, he explains the photography process like no one else. Andrei is part of the core team in the construction of the center and you can meet him at courses and workshops as a lecturer but also at CdRF events. PAC Bulboaca Adrian Bulboacă He photographs artists, shows, trains, stations and moments that evoke emotions; is one of the most famous theater photographers in Romania. You see a Bulboacă almost every time you look at theater posters. He started by photographing his fellow actors of his generation and continued until he exceeded a thousand theatrical, dance and performance performances photographed. For many years already he has been the official photographer of several theater festivals, the TIFF festival or cultural events in Romania. Lately he has discovered his passion for running and when he is not photographing, he is training for or participating in marathons. Adi is the kind of photographer for whom no sacrifice is too great, in the sense that if he is in a new place, he will give up activities like socializing or sleeping to explore with camera in hand. He believes that his role is to give back to the community and he sincerely believes in the importance of the role of teacher, guide, mentor. Adi has enthusiastically joined the center and you will be able to meet him at CdRF at courses and workshops, but also at our events. We also invite you to view his photos and take one limited edition print . Ionut Staicu He photographs fashion, beauty, artists and, more recently, product; is passionate about analog photography and a studio expert. Ionuț started in 1999 as a fashion photographer, while collaborating with all Romanian profile magazines and all modeling agencies. In addition to fashion pictorials, he is passionate about the world of entertainment and has photographed whole series of artists, especially from theater and dance; he was Adi Bulboacă's mentor, still sharing the same studio. He feels at ease with the device in hand, knows the importance of teamwork and is very generous with information when teaching. In recent years he has moved into product photography and creates visual stories for clients. He likes the border between photo and video, often using elements of movement in his photography. Ionuț completed the center's core team, structuring practice sessions in the studio and planning the camera for developing analog photographs. You will meet him in the frame courses or a workshops the center, but also at CdRF events. ionut-staicu Cristina Irian She photographs but more than that, she is a researcher and an antropologist; she is passionate about archival photography and anthropological photography, being constantly involved in interdisciplinary projects. She received his doctorate at UNARTE, Art History and Theory. She studied visual anthropology in Bucharest, SNSPA and Perugia, at Universita' degli Studi UniPg, but also comparative local development at Universita' degli Studi di Trento. Together with Cristian Bassa and Dorin Delureanu, she founded the Omnia Photo association with the aim of promoting contemporary and historical photography and developing the public of photography. Cristina always has at least one old photo with her that she can talk about for hours with enthusiasm; she's the one who can give you tons of details about an unknown family just by looking at a picture taken at the turn of the last century. She successfully passes through multiple roles – from researcher, to artist or pedagogue. She joined us to continue promoting archival photography, to continue sharing her knowledge of photography with the public and to support our internationalization of Romanian photography. You will meet Cristina as a lecturer at courses or at the workshops of the center and at CdRF events. irian ghetie Silviu Gheție He photographs people, situations and thoughts; in his photography you find humor without stereotypes or prejudices. Former photojournalist, current full-time photographer, Silviu has dedicated his life to the visual arts and the study of human nature through photography. Whenever there is an opportunity to photograph, Silviu participates, and when there is no opportunity, he creates it. He contradicts us when we promote him as a street photographer and tells us that he photographs people; in Baia Mare where he lives, we suspect that almost all residents are caught at least once in his photos. When we talk about photography, Silviu comes up with references from Asian culture, with examples of artists we haven't heard of and with sparkling stories about his photography experiences. He comes quite often through Bucharest, to us and to Radu Jude's filming platforms where he is a photographer. Silviu has the experience of a photography school and joined the center out of pure passion, supporting us in the development of the CdRF educational component. You will meet him at the workshops and courses our; you can also take a limited edition print signed by him. Alexandru Molovata He manages teams of photographers, organizes photography archives, curates exhibitions and photo albums, teaches photography since 1997 and is a photographer; moreover, he is a passionate and experienced photo editor. For Alex, photography is present in every minute of his life and photographs are his community. He started as a photojournalist at Jurnalul Național and developed there until 2007 as manager of the digital team. He continued as a digital manager at Intact and in recent years specialized in the organization of photo archives and the use of DAM/MAM technologies. In CdRF, he will coordinate all the visual content, manage everything that means photography and promote the center's products. You will meet Alex at the center and if you need expertise in organizing workflow and archives, take a look at center services to benefit from his advice and help. Andreea Irina Leu CEO and co-founder She has been photographing since she was 11 but she is not a photographer; she is just hopelessly in love with photography. For her, photography means memories and history, it means moments captured forever. The day job, for the last 20 years is a very technical one that combines consulting on non-reimbursable funds with research and with management. She also likes to create stories (in writing or in photos, it doesn't matter). CdRF is a natural continuation of the Walk&Shoot photography workshops, in which all her professional experience accumulated over time can be found. You will meet Andreea at the center, at CdRF events or as a stylist at makeup and hairstyle workshops (she has also done this for the past 20 years). CONTRIBUTORS tamas-crisbasan Cristian Crisbășan https://www.facebook.com/cristian.crisbasan Cristian Crisbășan is not the photographer who looks for "beautiful things". Often looking to step out of his comfort zone, his portraits and nudes are honest and provocative. "The New Erotic Photography" and "The Big Book of Pussy" (published by TASCHEN) are just two art albums in which her photographs have been published. We invite you to take one limited edition print signed by him. Hajdu Tamás https://hajdutamas.blogspot.com Hajdu Tamás is a veterinarian and photographer in Baia Mare, Romania. His photography is ironic and playful, but at the same time dramatic. Over time he had several exhibitions, won a series of photo contests and his photos were included in Romanian and international photo magazines. In the past we did a photo workshop together and we will repeat the experience as soon as possible. Until then we invite you to view his photos and choose one limited edition print signed by him. Codex http://kodex.ro We consider them the best for printing and photo framing. All prints in our store are made at them, all prints for CdRF exhibitions are made at them. We recommend them with confidence. Opera Studio http://operastudio.ro Among the most luminous and welcoming photography studios we've entered. It is shared by Adrian Bulboacă and Ionuț Staicu, and it is neighbouring with unteatru (one of the main independent theaters in Romania). At Opera Studio we will some of our meetings and the practical parts of courses or workshops that require a well-equipped, equipped and spacious studio.

Subscribe to our newsletter! E-mail Send Thanks for subscribing!