The 8th Graphic Art Biennial of Szeklerland Kicks Off in Miercurea Ciuc

On Wednesday, October 9, the series of biennial events in Miercurea Ciuc began with the exhibition opening of students from Partium Christian University in Oradea, followed by the official opening of the 8th Graphic Art Biennial of Szeklerland at the Szekler Museum of Ciuc.

The Crossroads exhibition, showcasing works by students of Partium Christian University, was opened by Dr. Iréne Kányádi, art historian and lecturer at the university. She mentioned that the works of the university’s students had already been included in previous editions of the biennial. Apor S. Ferencz, the biennial’s curator, highlighted the long-standing, close professional collaboration with the university in Oradea.

The exhibition offers insight into the works of students from the Graphic Design BA and Visual Communication MA programs at Partium Christian University in Oradea. Visitors can explore the intersection and dialogue between the works of students specializing in Graphic Design and Animation, showcasing the diversity of both undergraduate and master’s programs.

What the audience can see here are posters made from the students’ diploma projects and photo documentation of their works. We have divided the exhibition into three major thematic groups. The title refers to the fact that we are not only presenting applied graphic works, but also autonomous and experimental pieces, as well as graphic design and animated works. In this way, ideas and genres intersect”, explained Dr. Iréne Kányádi.

The exhibiting students are: Anita-Vivien Antal, Borbála Biró, Arnold Bone, Zsuzsanna Ercse, Eszter Fazakas, Péter Gáspár, Panna Horváth-Kovács, János Janó, Kata Király, Alexandra Miclo, Villő Májai-Varga, Rebeka Oláh-Székely, Viktória Pintér-Koroknai, Ákos Solymosi, Csilla-Fruzsina Szabó, and Anita Székely. The exhibition is open to the public until December 31.

G8 Opening Ceremony in Miercurea Ciuc

The opening of G8 took place at 6:00 PM, with speeches by Dr. Aranka Karda-Markaly, Director of the Szekler Museum of Ciuc; István Dolhai, Consul General of the Consulate General of Hungary in Miercurea Ciuc; Attila Korodi, Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc; Prof. Dr. István Erőss, Rector of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts; Apor S. Ferencz, curator of the biennial; and art historian Eszter Túros.

In his celebratory speech, István Dolhai, Consul General of the Consulate General of Hungary in Miercurea Ciuc, congratulated the organizers for hosting an event that has grown into an internationally acclaimed occasion over the past sixteen years. He emphasized that in today’s world, the role of art is more important than ever: “In this era, woven with uncertainties and tensions, art has the power to say something essential about this world… Today, we are here not only to celebrate visual art, but to engage in a dialogue with the works, and through them, with ourselves.

Attila Korodi, Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc, spoke about the challenges of imbalance and the search for balance, highlighting the relevance of the biennial’s theme.

Prof. Dr. István Erőss, Rector of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts and one of the founders of the biennial, praised the event and spoke about its beginnings and evolution.

In his speech, Apor S. Ferencz, the curator of the biennial, drew attention to issues such as political division, social inequalities, wars, climate change, and natural disasters: “In recent years, numerous geopolitical events and ecological phenomena around the world have prompted us to scrutinize our collective vision of the present and the future more seriously.

Therefore, the 8th Graphic Art Biennial of Szeklerland sought visual interpretations addressing the significance of balance and the absence thereof, focusing on how artistic intention, through the creator’s attitude, reflects the social role of the image. The organizers welcomed submissions from all artists who aim to renew contemporary graphic techniques while conveying messages for the future, thereby holding up a critical mirror to society as a whole through the responses generated.

The growing number of participating artists and the high professional quality of their submitted works are the best proof of the popularity of the Graphic Art Biennial of Szeklerland. This year, we received the most submissions in the event’s history, with 926 artists sending in 2,046 entries from 68 countries around the world. We are particularly pleased that, as a result of several years of professional relationship building, the number of works submitted by art university students has also significantly increased”, emphasized Apor S. Ferencz, the curator of the biennial.

Eszter Túros, art historian, emphasized that the Szekler Museum of Ciuc is hosting the Graphic Art Biennial of Szeklerland for the second time, and over the years, it has become an increasingly prestigious event of significant professional caliber recognized worldwide, which is an unprecedented phenomenon in this region. This is thanks to the biennial’s commitment to showcasing contemporary graphic trends while providing space for both traditional methods and those experimenting with the intention of renewal.

The exhibition features the works deemed best by the professional jury on the theme of balance and its absence. In Miercurea Ciuc, 111 creators from 27 countries are exhibiting. The exhibition is open to the public until December 31.

The event was organized jointly by the councils of Covasna, Harghita, and Mureș counties, along with the Covasna County Cultural Centre, the Szekler Museum of Ciuc, the Cultural and Art Centre of Lăzarea, and the Mureș County Museum.

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