Visual Arts

  On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 7 p.m., the National Theater in Bucharest will host the opening of the exhibition Chipuri (Faces), dedicated to the centenary of the birth of physician, artist, and researcher Octavian Udriste (1925–1995). The event, organized with the support of the Vâlcea Branch of the Romanian Union of Visual Artists, brings to the public's attention a representative selection of Dr. Octavian Udriste's visual art—portraits, studies, and works created using various techniques (watercolor, ink, oil, mixed media)— visual testimonies of a life dedicated to both science and art. The exhibition will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the foyer of the Studio Hall on the first floor of the Bucharest National Theater. Admission is free. On the occasion of the exhibition opening, pianist Irina Petrescu, the artist's granddaughter, will give a short musical recital, evoking the musical dimension of Octavian Udriste's complex personality. Octavian Udriste belongs to a generation of intellectuals trained in the solid spirit of the interwar Romanian school, where general culture, professional rigor, and artistic expression coexisted harmoniously. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Cluj in 1953, and in parallel with his medical studies, he attended courses at the Conservatory in Cluj, thus consolidating his artistic dimension. A doctor and researcher, author of a cybernetic-genetic theory on the origin of cancer (later confirmed in 1989 by a Nobel Prize awarded to other researchers), as well as a musician, graphic artist, and writer, Dr. Udriste is one of Romania's most prominent figures. The Romanian scholar will remain in the community's memory not only for his artistic and intellectual work, but also for the impressive number of lives he saved thanks to his exemplary professional dedication to his patients. The exhibition "Faces" – In memory of Dr. Octavian Udriste remains open to the public until November 27, 2025, and provides an opportunity to rediscover a multifaceted body of work that combined rigorous scientific observation with profound artistic expression and faith in God. For further information, please contact: Ruxandra Tuchel, exhibition curator (phone: 0731351972)   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Unique photography exhibition "Everything is theater" by Zsuzsa Hullan Curator: Vera Várszegi Opening: Monday, October 20, 6 p.m. The Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center in Bucharest proposes a new partnership with the National Theater Festival. It is a unique exhibition of photographs taken by Zsuzsa Hullan, an actress at the Vigszínhász Theater (Comedy Theater) in Budapest. The uniqueness and authenticity of the exhibition stem from the fact that the author had the opportunity to capture images from angles and places inaccessible to others and at moments and in ways that only those in the acting profession can. This series of photographs also includes the work In Red, which was named the photo of the month for August 2024 in the CEWE Hungary competition. "For me, photography is the imprint of a spoken word, a fleeting moment, a lived gesture. What existed then and there can be brought into the here and now. My photographs often unfold like emotional serpentines, like labyrinths, meant to touch, to surprise, to reveal a hidden perspective, as if they were images seen with a third eye. As an actress, I attend rehearsals and performances from angles that the audience will never see. I felt the need to share these moments. What attracts me, whether on stage or behind the camera, is that something that is not immediately revealed. I like to show people, situations, and emotions in a nuanced and subtle way. This exhibition presents moments that usually remain hidden from the outside world. I know I have achieved my goal when a photograph or a scene from the theater awakens thoughts and emotions in the viewer that give rise to a genuine sense of wonder.″ (Zsuzsa Hullan) Zsuzsa Hullan – An actress who has won numerous awards, including the Golden Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. For her, photography is a long-standing passion that has only gained ground in her life as a form of artistic expression in recent years. She had her first solo exhibition in Budapest in 2019 and has since exhibited in Hungary and abroad. Among her distinctions as a photographic artist is first prize in the Hungarian Press Photography Competition in 2022. Her photographs have been published by Premier Magazine and National Geographic. The exhibition is presented in the framework of the NTF by the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Bucharest and can be visited in the Media Foyer (Grand Hotel wing) of the NTB, throughout the entire duration of the 2025 edition of the NTF (October 17-26), between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Produced by Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Bucharest Details here     Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

Starting September 18, 2025, Ana Iulia Mihesan's painting exhibition Layers of Memory can be visited in the Rotonda foyer of the Small Hall of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater. The exhibition's opening is scheduled for Monday, September 29, at 6 p.m. Based in Greece, Ana Iulia Mihesan studied art in Cluj-Napoca, both at the Romul Ladea High School and at the renowned University of Art and Design in the city. From the outset, she approached painting with great seriousness and with the modern intensity characteristic of those who studied in Cluj. She had several exhibitions in Cluj and Athens, and in 2023 she returned to Romania with her first solo exhibition at the Athenee Palace Hilton, which amazed viewers with its deeply profound paintings, generating an atmosphere and images of paradisiacal gardens or unique experiences. In a short time, he had several important exhibitions, culminating in "Transcendence" at the New Hall of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant in 2024. Art critic Marius Tita, editor-in-chief of Radio Romania International and curator of Ana Iulia Mihesan's exhibitions in Romania, presented the new pictorial creation appearing on Bucharest's walls as a revelation: With a little boldness and a lot of sincerity, we could recognize Ana Iulia Mihesan's painting as the revelation of recent years in this field. Her painting is intense, powerful, and expressive. The atmosphere is essential, and the subtle chiaroscuro transports us into the world of great painting. It has been a long time since I have seen such a unique exhibition. The artist is discovering the Bucharest art scene, and the public in the Romanian capital is enthusiastically learning about a new work, the painting of Ana Iulia Mihesan. We look forward to seeing you on Monday, September 29, 2025, at 6 p.m., in the Rotonda foyer of the Small Hall of the National Theater in Bucharest, at the opening of Ana Iulia Mihesan's painting exhibition Layers of Memory. Dr. Marius Tita, the exhibition's curator, will speak about the artist's work and the significance of the moment. Public access is through the entrance on Bd. Carol. The exhibition will be open until October 15, 2025. Visiting hours: daily from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., except Mondays.    Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The 50 most talented young Romanian artists can be discovered at the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater in Bucharest, between September 7 and October 12. From September 8 to October 12, 2025, the Media Foyer of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater in Bucharest will become a space where the public can discover the energy and courage of the new generation of visual artists. The " Catalizator" (Catalyst) exhibition, organized by the "Cred in Romania" (I Believe in Romania) Association and supported by EVO Properties, in collaboration with NTB, brings together the 50 most talented artists under the age of 35, carefully selected from hundreds of entries from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The jury is made up of renowned and established experts in the field: Livia Florea, Petru Lucaci, Suzana Vasilescu, and Mihai Zgondoiu. The exhibition is part of the national competition "Catalizator" (Catalyst), a project now in its second edition, which supports young talent through the most substantial prizes dedicated to young artists, worth a total of €12,500. The public now has the chance to get actively involved. Until October 3, online votes will decide the winner of the Popularity Award, turning visitors into direct supporters of young creators. Voting can be done at: www.credinromania.ro/arta. For one month, culture lovers, students, artists, and anyone curious about artistic expression are invited to explore a variety of works, from painting and photography to digital arts, which capture the visions of a generation in full swing. Admission is free, and details about the program and voting are available at www.credinromania.ro/arta. The exhibition opening will take place on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 7 p.m.The exhibition can be visited daily between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., admission is free. About "Cred in Romania" (I Believe in Romania) The "Cred in Romania″ (I Believe in Romania) Association is a non-profit, non-political, civic, and cultural movement that aims to convey a balanced message of optimism and confidence to those around us. It supports the projects of ambitious young people, promotes ideas that change communities, highlights positive news, and presents the stories of dignified Romanians. In this way, it contributes to strengthening feelings of respect and belonging to the community, as well as self-confidence in every Romanian. Page: www.credinromania.roFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/credinromaniaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/credinromania/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@credinromania.roLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cred-in-romania Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

We invite the audience between June 19 - June 30, 2025 in the Rotonda foyer of the Sala Mica of the “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre in Bucharest to visit the exhibition where the experimental performance Lotca (The Dinghy) (adaptation of “Iona” by Marin Sorescu) will take place on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 8.00 pm.   This year's event is a continuation of the performance realized within the Cultural Project “Lotca”, held in 2024. From the classic one-man show Iona - which has at its center the lonely man, besieged by his existential helplessness and anguish, we have in “Lotca” (The Dinghy), a symphonic female duality performed by actresses Tania Popa and Iulia Mihalcea, a metaphor that defines the human condition suggesting the idea of the absolute that needs knowledge and communication to get out of the absurdity and automatism of life. We continue the initiatory, symbolic and metaphysical journey from our Danubian and Pontic the dinghy, to the dinghy on the seashore, with the mysteries of life, death and rebirth, the Mediterranean epos, mythos and logos, gynecocracy and matriarchy, labyrinth and the Mother Goddesses, deities of the Sea. “Lotca” (The Dinghy) represents the valorization and reinterpretation of archaic myths originating from the sacred space of the Danube Delta. The cultural project Lotca was presented at the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Oceans, held in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025, proposing an artistic approach to the relationship between water, man and the environment, exploring the sacredness of water and valorizing the cultural and natural heritage of the Danubian-Pontic space through visual arts, performance and historical documentation. We welcome you on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 8:00 pm, at the Bucharest National Theatre, in the foyer of the Rotonda of the Sala Mica (entrance Carol I Blvd.) to watch this experiment that gives rise to existential questions, a dramatic poem of metaphysical anxiety. Exhibitors: Marin Sorescu, Marius Barb, Aurel Bulacu, Gheorghe Carutiu, Mircia Dumitrescu, Darie Dup, Gheorghe Farcasu, Catalin Guguianu, Bogdan Hojbota, Traian Oancea, Alexandru Ranga, Valeriu Lazar, Anastasia Stoiciu, Eusebio Spinu, Florin Stoiciu, Ioana-Lavinia Streinu, Ignat Stefanov, Ion Titoiu. Actors: Tania Popa, Iulia Mihalcea. Set Design: Gheorghe Carutiu. Costume designer: Dana Paparuz. Sound design: Teodor Zamfir. Light design: Iulian Buzdugan. Essay: Mihai Hurezeanu. Video art: Catalin Lazaroiu, Toma Alexandru. Showing: Eusebio Spinu. Regie: Iulia Mihalcea The exhibition is open daily from 2 pm - 6.30 pm, except public holidays.Free admission. Access is from Bd. Carol I.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

The “I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre in Bucharest is hosting, from June 6 to July 6, 2025, in the Media Foyer (Grand Hotel Wing), the exhibition IterArtLand - Venetian retrospective: The Time of Casanova, organized in partnership with the “Nicolae Tonitza” Fine Arts High School in Bucharest. The event brings together works signed by coordinating artists and students from Romania, Italy and the USA, participants of the international creative camp organized in Venice during the Carnival in 2025. The theme of the exhibition - The Time of Casanova - reflects a contemporary, interdisciplinary approach and Venetian cultural heritage, visually reinterpreted by young artists through the prism of the theme of this year's edition of the Carnival. Visitors will be able to admire a diverse selection of graphic works, paintings, photography, scenography models and short films inspired by Commedia dell'Arte. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be the IterArtLand Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 7:00 pm, in the presence of institutional partners, special guests and the general public. Admission is free, from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (except public holidays).   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

Since May 17, 2025, a new exhibition will be inaugurated in the Rotonda Hall of the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre: Apollo & Daphne is an unconventional artistic experiment of the Fashion Department of the National University of Arts in Bucharest, under the coordination of PhD Prof. Unda Popp and PhD assistant Prof. Andreea Roxana Stoian. Taking Bernini's Baroque masterpiece Apollo and Daphne as their starting point, the students were invited to explore the issue of metamorphosis with maximum creativity and subjectivity. Working in different ways, the undergraduates created their outfits using recyclable materials: paper, cardboard, textile scraps and organic elements from plants, while the masters’ students translated their ideas into a vision closer to the general idea of clothing. On May 27, 2025, at 18.00, we invite you in the Rotonda of the Small Hall of the NTB, to meet young creators, to watch the short film "Apollo & Daphne" and to witness a unique presentation of edible costumes (!) The opening will be addressed by PhD Prof. Ion Bogdan Lefter and drd. Marian Palie. The exhibition, which will be open until June 6, 2025, is one of the satellite events of Romanian Design Week Go! Free entrance, visiting hours daily from 14.00 - 18.00, except public holidays.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu

From May 7, 2025, a unique photography exhibition entitled Traces, Textures, Shadows will be on view in the MEDIA Foyer of the TNB (Grand Hotel wing). The author of the photographs is the filmmaker Alexandru Stanescu, doctoral student at the Center for Excellence in Image Studies, director and editor at TVR. The opening takes place on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 19.00. The art critic Madalina Mirea, curator of the exhibition, will present. The event will be accompanied by a piano micro-recital performed by the young pianist Iosif Mirea, as well as a poetic moment whose author and performer is Radu Dumitrache. The exhibition offers glimpses of everyday life, captured in a melancholic and meditative state, which the passer-by ignores in the rush to the next task of the day. A gaze obsessed with the past is that of the photographer eternally at the ready, with the lens of a simple cell phone, smartphone or digital camera, reaching out for irretrievable details, chance encounters and coincidences whose meaning cannot be pinned down, in the grand cosmic scenario. A decadent, romantic and poetic nostalgia mixes in these images with the waves of a not very shy social criticism, emitted by a witness of the interminable transition era which, in Romania, lasted over three decades. Stanescu almost avoids the human characters, concentrating on the urban context, on the scenography of a street or of a deserted interior, each of them bearing the traces of a life that has passed, like the leaves and flowers of the seasons. Nothing disappears, everything leaves visible traces, in a setting that is as palpable as it is dazzling and implausible, a reality that is unreal in the speed with which it turns to dust and smoke. “The present is not to be defined by what is, but by what is being made” - said the philosopher Henri Bergson. "Nothing is less than the present moment, if by this we mean the indivisible boundary separating the past from the future. In practice, we perceive nothing but the past, the pure present being the unmeasurable progress of the past, biting into the future". This impossible perception of a time that paints deserted walls, passing faces, dreams and often vain desires, is sought by Alexandru Stanescu's eye eager for relevant details. Partners: Centrul de Excelenta in Studiul Imaginii (Center for Excellence in Image Studies) Media partners: TVR Cultural The exhibition will run until the end of May 2025. Admission is free. Visiting hours: daily (except public holidays) from 11.00 - 18.00.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

In the NTB Rotonda, two exhibitions that recover a painful but essential memory: “The Armenian Woman - Victim and Heroine of the Genocide” & “Strunga - the new home of Armenian orphans”. The opening of the exhibitions will take place in the Rotonda Hall, "I.L. Caragiale" National Theatre Bucharest, Thursday, April 10, 2025, starting 7:00 p.m. We invite you to an event dedicated to memory and resistance, where the past takes voice through stories and images that reconstruct fragments of the tragic but full of strength and courage history of the Armenian people. Armenian Woman - Victim and Heroine of the GenocideAn exhibition about the courage and suffering of Armenian women during the Armenian Genocide. Through photographs, stories and testimonies, we discover the faces and destinies of women who fought for survival: Gulizar, Araksi Djebedjian, Parandzem Palian, Zepyur Metspahkian, Varter Nazarian-Deranian, Elmas Sarajian-Boyajian, Aurora Mardiganian, Srbuhi Grigoryan, Zabel Yesayan, Zaruhi Pahri and many others. Strunga – the new home of Armenian orphansAn incursion into the story of the Strunga Orphanage, opened in 1923 with the support of King Ferdinand I, where 200 orphaned children, victims of the Genocide, found shelter and a new chance. Through documents, photographs and testimonies, the exhibition brings the destiny of these children and the legacy they left us back to the fore. Two exhibitions recovering a painful but essential memory. An invitation to reflect on history, resistance, identity and humanity. Event organized by the Armenian Union of Romania through the Armenian Cultural Centre in Bucharest Partners: Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Romania, “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater Bucharest, Armenian Genocide Institute Museum, Archdiocese of the Armenian Church in Romania Design: Atelierul de grafică / GraphicFont.ro; Print: Ararat Publishing House The exhibition will run from April 10 - May 9, 2025 Free admission, daily from 14.00 - 18.30, except public holidays.   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu 

On December 1, 2024, at 16:00, the National Theatre Museum will open a new exhibition in the Foyer of the "Ion Caramitru" Hall dedicated to Édouard de Max (1869 - 1924), an internationally renowned Romanian actor and member of the prestigious Comédie-Française. The exhibition focuses on the life and career of Édouard de Max, recognized for his innovative approaches and unconventional style, who made a remarkable contribution to the Parisian theatre scene during the Belle Époque. The exhibition will give visitors the chance to discover one of the costumes worn by the actor during his official tour in Bucharest in 1904, when he played Hamlet, as well as vintage photos. Following the opening, the public is invited to participate in a guided tour of the exhibition "Regina Maria at the Theatre", organized within the project "Innovative exhibition with restored cultural assets from the TNB Museum collection", funded by the EEA Grants 2014-2021, RO-CULTURA Program (www.muzeultnb.ro). The exhibition presents stage costumes and objects belonging to great Romanian actors, recently restored and exhibited in the new space dedicated to the museum, inaugurated on March 27, 2023, on the occasion of the World Theater Day. The main attraction is the train dress that once belonged to Queen Maria of Romania, and the exhibition is complemented by interactive, visual and auditory elements. Access is free. Location: "Ion Caramitru" Hall Foyer TNB Time interval: 16:00 - 20:00   Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu