The ATELIER 35 phenomenon – research in art sociology and exhibitions
20 interviews with artists / arhivaplastica.ro – to be published starting with 15 January 2026
4 research notes by art historians / Idea Magazine Arts + Society
Digitization of the Laurențiu Ruță Archive / ongoing
Titu Toncian exhibition / Quadro Gallery – 12 September-14 November 2025
Atelier 35, as a national youth artistic movement in the 1980s, resists historicization. The subtle relationship between the said and the unsaid, between the institutional framework that ensured the functioning of Atelier 35 and the underground atmosphere that was specific to it, caused the telling of its history – or histories – to be perceived as almost impossible.
Our intention is to unblock this situation, to gain direct access to the memory – or rather to the memories – of the phenomenon and to recover keys to reading and interpreting it as faithfully as possible. The sociological approach and the methodology of oral history proved to be the most suitable for achieving this objective, offering us effective tools for understanding and contextualization.
We did not set out to write the history of Atelier 35, but we took a firm decision to lay the foundations for such a story from the perspective and through the words of the protagonists. (Sebestyén Székely)
Project co-financed by AFCN.
Artists interviewed: Alexandru Antik Sándor, Vioara Bara, József Bartha, Mana Bucur, Ioan Burlacu, Radu Cotișel, Gheorghe & Judit Crăciun, Dorel Găină, Mihai Chiuaru, Gina Hora, Gheorghe Ilea, Timotei Nădășan, Alexandru Păsat, Ilie Rusu, Gheorghe Stanciu, Titu Toncian, Gyöngyi Ujvárossy Kerekes, László Ujvárossy, Monica Vasinca
Research coordinator: Sebestyén Székely
Guest researchers: Mădălina Brașoveanu, Emese Kürti, Alina Șerban
Sociology and oral history adviser: prof. univ. dr. Zoltán Rostás, University of Bucharest
Project management: Andreea Cărăușu
Archiving team: Hunor Vécsei (coord.), Alexandra Ciorcilă, Anna Luca Csenteri, David Petre
Museum education: Ágota Ladó
Communication: Elena Dobre
Financial management: Ferenc Domokos
Photography: Roland Váczi
Design: Bold Studio
Translations: Dorothy Elford (EN), Loránd Rigán (RO)
Proofreading: Vasi Ciubotariu (RO)