Chemare // Calling

cofinanced by Administration of the National Cultural Fund

About

“Chemare // Calling” is a transdisciplinary project that explores the concept of freedom in relation to migration and travel across different historical contexts, through collaborations between Romania, Moldova, Poland, and Italy. Based on participatory and digital archives, cumulative exhibitions, and community performances, it documents and contextualizes experiences of migration and travel, reflecting on the socio-political changes in these regions.

ARTISTS

  • Alexandra Dumitrescu is a visual artist with extensive experience in photography, image creation, video, community building, and cultural management, elements that shape a unique kind of artistic sensitivity. Her belief in the crucial role that art plays in improving quality of life and fostering community development is evident in her work and her holistic approach, which aims to nurture creativity and strengthen connections between people. Her aesthetic is minimalist and iconic, seeking the moment that tells a story in the fewest words with the maximum visual impact. For Alexandra, the hive-like community is as important as the role of the queen bee, where, both formally and symbolically, caring for the system takes precedence—even if, from the outside, it appears that she is merely leading it.
  • Ana-Cristina Irian is a research-based artist, visual arts researcher, and curator who works with collections, photographic archives, and multimedia materials. She studied sociology (Trento & Regensburg), and visual anthropology (Bucharest & Perugia), and holds a Ph.D. in visual arts from UNARTE Bucharest. Her artistic practice, guided by the motto “No one left behind”, focuses on objects of memory, integrating photographic material into contemporary art pieces. Cristina has participated in over 50 exhibitions in Romania and abroad, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, and Hungary. She is a member of Futures, the European Photography Platform, and the Romanian Fine Arts Union. She works on projects including visual documentation, identification, recovery, and promotion of cultural heritage, participatory documentary projects, and public art. Collaborations include “Dacia 50”, an ethnography of the Dacia car, “Fântânile Olteniei”, mapping community water wells, and “Arhive poVestite”, recovering private photographic archives (omnia.photo). She has published studies in the  “Anthropology of East Europe Review”, Indiana University; “History of Communism in Europe”, IICCMER; “Studies and History Articles”, Romanian Society of Historical Sciences; “Revelar”, Universidade do Porto. She is also the author of the volumes “Photographic Collections and Archives Today, in the Digital World” (2022) and “The Production of Space and the Social Life of Artworks on the Streets.” (2024) published by Tritonic.

CURATORIAL TEAM

  • Weronika Kobylińska is an art historian and curator specializing in modern and contemporary art, focusing on photography and intermedia practices. She is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Film at the Leon Schiller National Film, Television, and Theatre School in Łódź. She serves as President of the Archeology of Photography Foundation. Previously, she worked at the Institute of Art History at the University of Warsaw and the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. She has also contributed as a guest lecturer at the Aleksander Brückner Center for Polish Studies. She has delivered talks at prestigious venues, including the Polish Association of Art Photographers and Warsaw University of Technology, highlighting her contributions to art and education.
  • Ioana Marinescu is an art historian and curator based in Bucharest. She completed her Ph.D. at the Bucharest National University of Arts in 2022, focusing on the biographies of artist couples. Since 2008, she has worked in art galleries, developing a passion for contemporary art. Ioana is currently a curator at The Old Maps Museum, where her expertise in art history and contemporary art helps bridge the gap between artists and the public, enriching the museum’s mission. Ioana finds inspiration in the unique narratives of artist couples, believing each pair creates a distinct entity. She drew on the idea of investigating the merging of personal and professional lives to produce valuable cultural gems, despite inherent challenges.

THE VISUAL ARTS FORUM (FAV) 

Is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting national cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Its activities include organizing contemporary art exhibitions, festivals, artist residencies, creative workshops, literary events, and research projects. These initiatives take place in galleries, international venues, and alternative spaces, as well as in underprivileged communities and overlooked areas, aiming to reach a diverse and inclusive audience. FAV incorporates an ecological dimension in its projects, addressing environmental issues through art and engaging local communities, the private sector, and NGOs in cleanup actions, debates, and educational documentary screenings. With six years of experience, FAV has implemented numerous cultural projects, including the “Cinemascop Festival” (2018–present), “Eforie Colorat” series, “Art by the Sea”, “SeasideArchives,” and more. Collaborating with local and international artists, cultural institutions, and authorities, FAV has built a reputation for impactful and relevant cultural initiatives.

THE ARCHEOLOGY OF PHOTOGRAPHY FOUNDATION (FAF)

Is involved in preserving Polish photographic heritage, managing the archives of seventeen renowned artists. FAF digitizes and archives collections organizes exhibitions, workshops, and conferences, and publishes academic works and photographic volumes. Its goal is to connect contemporary artists with historical archives, providing new perspectives on photography. FAF’s activities have been recognized by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and have been presented at Centre Pompidou, Musée de l’Elysée, and PhotoEspaña. The publication “Wojciech Zamecznik: Foto-grafie” won the best catalog award at The Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards in 2016.

ORGANIZER

  • Visual Art Forum (FAV)

CO-FINANCIER 

  • Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN) – The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or the way in which the project results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding beneficiary.

PARTNERS 

  • Archeology of Photography Foundation
  • Public Association for Children and Youth FĂCLIA
  • Polish Institute in Bucharest
  • Czech Center Bucharest
  • Omnia Photo Association
  • Multicultural Center of Transilvania University of Brașov
  • Romanian Cultural Institute in Warsaw
  • MARe Foundation
  • Tranzit Association
  • Faculty of Sociology and Social Work (UBB Cluj)
  • Faculty of History and Philosophy (UBB Cluj)
  • PATRIAGE – Association for Cultural Heritage
  • Dacia History Students’ Association
  • Romanian Orthodox Parish in Montecatini Terme
  • NOVA

MEDIA PARTNERS

  • Romanian Cultural Radio
  • Romanian International Radio
  • Agerpres
  • Modernism
  • Propagarta
  • IQADS
  • Zeppelin
  • Arta Magazine
  • Arte Vezi
  • Magazin Istoric (Historical Magazine)
  • Igloo
  • Curatorial.ro
  • Empower Artist Mag
  • The Institute
  • B365