top of page

Liviu Bulea - Visual Artist

IMG-20210911-WA0021.jpg

Artist Statement

 

Bulea's distinctly Brutalist aesthetic hides a deeply personal and emotional artistic practice. The artist was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19. He wanted to investigate why this was afflicting him and many of the young people in his hometown, Turda. So began his artistic trajectory. He dug deep into the architectural and historical archives of his hometown, uncovering information about pollution, abandoned factories, and the relationship between urban environments and health. One of the artist's earliest works was a recreation of a garden in his city. Each time it rained, the fruits in this garden ended up covered in a layer of cement due to the amount of pollution in the area. You would have to break the cement open in order to eat the fruit. In another early work, Bulea collected fragments of the walls of the hospital in which he was treated.

For the artist, the urban space is a living, breathing organism, full of personal memories and associations - 

​

​

but also political provocations. By collecting or recreating derelict fragments from his hometown, he ensures that histories of neglect will not be forgotten. All too often, derelict spaces are overlooked, before they are eventually demolished and rebuilt. But, for the artist, it is precisely within the ruins that the deepest and darkest memories of a city can be found. Today, Bulea continues to work at the intersection of art, architecture, and the urban environment. His artistic process usually begins with walking, photographing, and collecting. The artist explains, * consider myself a collector. I collect stories, memories of the places and people around me [...J I recover seemingly useless material fragments that come from precise contexts." He also creates photographic collages and drawings of the buildings and objects that he encounters. He then arranges the fragments on canvases, creating works that blur the boundaries between painting, sculpture, architecture and objects.

CV

​

Residencies

 

2022

  • AIR at Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris; offered by European Investment Bank in Luxemburg

2019

  • AIR Urban Nation Museum & Stiftung Berliner Leben, Berlin

2018

  • Styria-Artist-in-Residence, (St.A.i.R.), offered by Chancellery of Styria, Graz

  • AIR Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj-Napoca

2016

  • AIR Kultur Kontakt Austria, offered by the Chancellery of Austria, Vienna

2013

  • AIR Visual Kontakt Gallery, Oradea

 

Personal Exhibitions (selection)

 

2023

  • Colaps, Diptych Art Space, Bucharest, curator: Lina Țărmure

2022

  • Home, Cité International des arts, Paris, mentor: Tatiana Trouvé

2021

  • Homoerotic Revolution, Technopolis, Athens, curator: Alexis Fidetzis

2020

  • Despre Gri, CAVE - French Cultural Institut, Cluj-Napoca

2019

  • Berlin Street Stories, Urban Nation, Berlin

2018

  • Under The Grey Dust, Creart Gallery, Bucharest, curator: Răzvan Ion

  • #808080 - Pfeiffer Vacuum Romania, Apahida, Cluj

  • Installation for the performance: Body of Defiance, Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj-Napoca

2017

  • #808080 - Iaga Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Olimpia Bera

  • BBTGOGIAWIA - Shelter Club, Amsterdam

2016

  • Simulacrum - Parallel Vienna, Vienna 

2015

  • Crypto 2 - Make A Point Gallery, Bucharest, curator: Cătălin Vălean

2014

  • Crypto 1 - Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Cătălin Vălean

2013

  • Sold Out - Visual Kontakt, Oradea, curator: Olimpia Bera

  • Cancerilizare - Casa Matei Gallery, Cluj-Napoca

 

Group and duo exhibitions (selection)

​

2023

  • Accelerating Young Talent - Art Acquisitions 2021 - 2022, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg

  • Puls 22 - Art Acquisitions, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest

  • Put It In Other Words, the Center Of Urban Culture, Cluj, curators: Ioan Sbarciu & Olimpia Bera

  • Colecția 2.0, Galateca Gallery, Bucharest

  • Rotterdam Art Week group exhibition, Chrysalid Gallery, Rotterdam

​2022​

  • Karambol, The Cosmic House Gallery, Cluj, curator: Gilda Ghinoiu

  • WEITERBILDUNG - RESHAPED, Retramp Gallery, Berlin, curators: Katia Hermann & Linda Toivio

  • Book Of Change, Høstutstillingen, Oslo, curators: Georgiana Dobre & Kjersti Vetterstad

  • Poeme urbane, Arthub, Bucharest, curators: Nona Șerbănescu & Daniel Kozak

  • Fazele Lunii, Contemporan Hair Space, Bucharest: Curator: Raluca Ilaria Demetrescu

  • Queer Meltdown, Hous Der Statistik, Berlin, curator: Hannah Whitlow

  • Lust Is In The Air, Combinatul Fondului Plastic, Bucharest, curator: Raluca Ilaria Demetrescu

  • Queer Repertoire, Centrul de Proiecte, Timisoara, curator: Eugen Rădescu

  • Charity Exhibition, Chrysalid Gallery, Rotterdam, curator: Marth Von Loeben

  • Unnatural Circumstances III, Romanian Cultural Institut, Berlin

  • Mapping Frames, Muzeum of Art, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Olimpia Bera

  • Flori și oameni /Homo homini flos est, Galeria 1001 Arte, Bucharest, curator: Raluca Ilaria Demetrescu

2021

  • Simți ~ Aluneci ~ Cânți (1- 245), Combinatul Fondului Plastic, București, curators: Dragoș Olea, Sandra Demetrescu

  • Art Behaviour, ZÖNOTÉKA, Berlin, curator: Luca Roxana-EmiliaLeaving

  • The Garden, National Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Olimpia Bera

  • Le francais est ton atout, USAMV, Cluj-Napoca

  • Fetish, The Ballery Gallery, Berlin, curator: Simon Williams

  • Superheroes/Antiheroes, Art Safari, Bucharest, curator: Raluca Ilaria-Demetrescu

  • Yes HOMO, Cosmic House, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Cătălin Bocîrnea

  • We`re here, Faber, Timisoara, curator: Daniel Kozak

  • Partial Decomandat, National Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, coordonted by Olimpia Bera, Aurel Codoban, Ioan Sbârciu

  • Memoria Tăinuită a Locului, National Art Muzeum, Cluj-Napoca, coordinated by Prof. Ioan Sbârciu

  • Neo-Manifest Romantic, Galateca Gallery, Bucharest

2022

  • Of Wondering Concrete And A Displaced Camera, Chrysalid Gallery, Rotterdam, curator: Marth Von Loeben

  • Neo-Manifest Romantic, National Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Ioan Sbârciu

  • Conversations, Iaga Art Gallery, Cluj-Napoca

  • Pahllus Impudicus, Etaj - Artist Run Space, Bucharest, curator: Raluca Ilaria Demetrescu

  • We`re here, NAG, Bucharest, curator: Daniel Kozak

  • What If You Were In My Shoes?, National Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Ioan Sbârciu

  • L'Art s'invite dans l'industrie 2.0, Energom, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Horea Avram

2019

  • Re:start - National Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Horea Avram

  • Seen in Berlin - POINT - Cultural Hub, Bucharest

  • OBIECT. Călător prin istorii publice și personale - National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, V. Iancu & Vlad Viski

  • Walter Koschatzky Kunst-Preis - MUMOK, Vienna

  • Künstler*innenbücher von Stipendiat*innen des Landes Steiermark - Steiermärkische Landesbibliothek, Graz, curator:: Christiane Kada 

2018

  • BB8 after BB8 - CAC, LANDSKRONA, Sweden, curators: Nina Slejko Blom & Conny Blom

  • BUCHAREST BIENNALE 8 - Bucharest, curators: Beral Madra and Răzvan Ion

  • Diversitas - Reactor de Creatie si Experiment, Cluj-Napoca

  • WOW - Visual Kontakt, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Eugen Rădescu

2017

  • Dead Gardens - Visual Kontakt, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Olimpia Lazar

  • Habitus - Iaga Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, curator: Sabina Dragomir

  • War of Worlds - National Museum of Art, Constanta, curator: Eugen Rădescu

  • War of Worlds - MORA Gallery, Bucharest, curator: Eugen Rădescu

  • Mazipos - Laboratory VK, Oradea, curator: Carlos Carmomedina

2016

  • Unnatural Circumstances - Visual Kontakt Gallery, Cluj-Napoca

2015

  • Local Municipalities - Laboratory VK, curators: Olimpia Bera and Carlos Carmomedina

  • Muian - Visual Kontakt Gallery, Oradea, curator: Alina Staicu

  • Genesis - Jurmala City Museum, Jurmala, Latvia, curator: Edmunds Lucis

2010

  • Poster/Plakat - ASP Katowice, curator: Roman Kalarus

  • 4th edition of the International Student Biennale, Novi Sad

​

Art fairs:


2023 - RAD Fair, Bucharest, Romania
2022 - BOOMing Contemporary Art Fair, Bologna, Italy

2021 - Lucas Art Fair, Lucca, Italy
2021 - The Others Art Fair, Torino, Italy 

2016 - Parallel Vienna, Austria

​

Education and Training

​

2020

  • ongoing - Ph.D. Candidate at University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca

2021

  • Erasmus internship at Hosek Contemporary, Berlin

2011 - 2013

  • Graphic Arts, MA, University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca

  • Psychopedagogy and psychology of children, MA, University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca

1 May - 31 July 2012

  • Erasmus internship at Freies Museum Berlin

2008 - 2011

  • Graphic Arts, BA, University of Arts and Design, Cluj Napoca

  • Psychopedagogy and psychology of children, BA, University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca

2009 - 2010

  • Erasmus scholarship, ASP Katowice

2004 - 2008

  • "Romulus Ladea", high school of fine arts, Cluj-Napoca

 

Work Experience

 

2021 - 2023

  • Senior Editor for Gay45.eu

2016 - 2018

  • Vice President for Visual Kontakt Gallery, Oradea & Cluj-Napoca

2015 - 2018

  • Manager for Visual Kontakt Gallery, Cluj-Napoca

2015 - present

  • independent curator  

2013 - present

  • event manager 

2012 - present

  • freelance graphic designer 

​​

Collections

​

Institutions:

  • European Investment Bank, Luxemburg

  • National Museum of Contemporary Art Romania

  • Queer Museum, Bucharest, Romania

  • Schwules Museum, Berlin, Germany

  • Urban Nation Museum, Berlin, Germany

  • Universal Museum Joanneum, Graz, Austria

  • Tom Of Finland Foundation, Los Angeles, USA

  • Visual Kontakt, Oradea, Romania

​

Private:

  • Italy: Verona

  • Germany: Berlin, Munchen, Köln

  • Switzerland: Lausanne

  • Austria: Graz, Vienna

  • France: Bois Colombes

  • USA: San Antonio, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Salem, West Hollywood, Vermillion, New York City, Kernersville

  • Romania: Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, Oradea

  • Ukraine: Kiev

  • Spain: Tenerife​

​

Publications

 

2023

  • Accelerating Young Talent - Catalogue, European Investment Bank - ADP, ART

2022

  • Home, Liviu Bulea, European Investment Bank

  • Mein Schwules Auge, Sex Utopia by Rainaldo Hopf & Fedya Ili, Konkursbuch

2021

  • Mein Heimlisches Auge - Das Jahrbuch der Erotik XXXVI, edited by Claudia Gherke & Uve Schmidt, Konkursbuch 

  • Revista Steaua nr.7

  • Exhibition Catalogue; CATALOG NEO-MANIFEST ROMANTIC. IDENTITĂŢI ALE ŞCOLII DE LA CLUJ, Galateca Gallery

  • Pornceptual Magazine, FUCK 2020

2020

  • Haus Magazine, Political Issue 4

  • Mein Schwules Auge, Body Issue by Rainaldo Hopf & Fedya Ili, Konkursbuch

2019

  • Walter Koschatzky Prize 2019 Catalogue

  • One Hour With the Model by Igor Yermakov

2017

  • Catalog, #808080, Liviu Bulea, Iaga Gallery

2016

  • KulturKontakt Magazine, winter 2016/2017

  • Tribuna, Timp, Spatiu si Degradare de Eugen Cojocaru

2010

  • 4th World Biennale of Student Poster Catalog, Novi Sad​

​

Talks

 

2022

  • Research Methods in Visual Arts Symposium, ASP Wroclaw

2020

  • Artist talk for Pride Romania, Online via Facebook

  • Artist Talk at Royal School in Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca

2019

  • Artist Talk at University of Arts and Design, Photo-Video department, Cluj-Napoca

2018

  • Artist Talk at HTBLVA Graz Ortweinschule, Austria

  • Artist Talk “HOME” at Atelier Schillerstrasse, Graz, part of Styria Artist in Residence

  • Artist Talk for Bucharest Biennale, Creart, BucharestArtist Talk, Queer Art, Fundația Rațiu, Turda

  • Art Debate - Art Safari, BB8, RDW at Creart, Bucharest

  • Artist Talk at University of Arts and Design, Photo-Video department, Cluj-Napoca

2017 -

  • Artist Talk about Dead Gardens exhibition at University of Arts and Design, Cluj-Napoca

  • Artist Talk about WOW exhibition at ARCUB, Bucharest

  • Artist Talk at Art High School "Romulus Ladea", Cluj-Napoca

​

Curator

​

2021

  • A Safe Place, artist: Claudia Chelaru, Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj

  • Smaller Side room, international exhibition, 21 artists, Faber, Timisoara

  • Smaller Side Room, international exhibition, 21 artists, Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj

2018

  • Diversitas - artists: Odeta Catană, Virginia Lupu, Remus Țiplea, Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj

  • The Garden - artists: 6 female artists, Visual Kontakt Cluj

  • Gradual Decline - artists: Andreea Chirică, Razvan Ion, Visual Kontakt Cluj

2017

  • Pleasure Hunt - artist: Corina Olaru, Visual Kontakt Cluj

  • Inside - artists: Odeta Catană, Sasha Bandi, Visual Kontakt Cluj

  • Smee - artist: Anna Olenicenco, Visual Kontakt, Cluj

  • Alter Ego - artist: Celina Cordoș, Reactor de Creație și Experiment, Cluj

2016

  • A Journey Through Slavic Prints, 30 artists from Slavic countries, curated with Rada Niță, Visual Kontakt, Cluj

2015

  • Mater Familias - artist: Oana Maria Pop, Casa Tiff, Cluj

Contact Me

bulea.liviu@yahoo.com

0040-756-363-645

Thanks for submitting!

bottom of page