Biography
Ioan Sbârciu was Born in 1948 in Feldru, RO
He lives and works in Cluj-Napoca, RO
Ioan Sbârciu professes an undeterred admiration for the classics and deploys a painterly style that has visible affinities with the (neo)expressionists. Ioan Sbârciu also possesses the artistic temperament of a romanticist, for whom art needs to be mysterious, daring and tensely beautiful and who hopes that artworks can be sensuous translations of states of mind and troubling feelings. However, Sbârciu is an utterly contemporary painter, as he is acutely aware of the present un-tenability of such a utopian paradigm. All these make his oeuvre both fueled by a sort of hybris and smoothened by a deep melancholia.
Sbârciu is an artist fascinated by beauty, but a beauty that stems from tension. His works are gestural and yet carefully composed, and the chromatic finesse of the painterly surfaces reveals itself fully only to the patiently scrutinizing eye, which takes the time to discover, for example, the arresting presence of dots and brushstrokes of pure color amid areas of sophisticated, colored shades of grey. He practices painting with the fervent passion and the unshakeable faith of a devotee yet scrutinizes and reflects on the contemporary potential of this venerable medium with the plain inquisitiveness of the sorcerer’s apprentice. Thus, he paints on various materials, from the habitual canvas to the delicate silk and often mixes oil paint with materials as mundane, unexpected and sensuous as sand or ash.
All of Sbârciu’s works possess a monumental, dramatic dimension, but still offer a surprising subtlety, the most prominent strength of his art being precisely the ability to coherently and poignantly blend the opposites: dynamicity of composition and daintiness of chromatic juxtapositions, raw expressiveness of the painterly pigment and elaborated contrasts, forcefulness and elegance. Passionate about painting, with an overflowing energy, constantly working in his studio, always inspired and creative, his activity as an artist consists of an impressive number of national and international, solo and group exhibitions, his works being part of state and private collections in Romania, Germany, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Scotland, Poland, Japan, Canada, Argentina and the USA, appreciated everywhere, recognized both by critics and by the general public.
CV
Education
- 1948 Born in Feldru, RO
Lives and works in Cluj-Napoca, RO - 2005 University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca Specialization: Doctor of Visual Arts
- 1969 – 1973 “Ioan Andreescu” Institute of Fine Arts Cluj-Napoca Specialization: painting
- 1962 – 1967 Liceul nr. 1 “Liviu Rebreanu” Bistrita Specialization: real profile
Awards
- 2009 European Multiplier Award in the Cultural Environment by ADR NV Cluj-Napoca
- 2008 Title of Doctor Honoris Causa of “Ovidius” University, Constanta
Solo exhibitions
- 2018 Portrait of Memory, Ioan Sbârciu’s Birthday Exhibition (together with Hermann Nitsch, Markus Lüpertz, Emilio Vedova, Arnulf Rainer, Mimmo Paladino, AR Penck, César, Daniel Spoerri), Bistrita-Nasaud Museum Complex, Bistrita, RO
«17 Reasons», Ioan Sbârciu (together with Hermann Nitsch, Markus Lüpertz, Emilio Vedova, Arnulf Rainer, Mimmo Paladino, AR Penck, César, Daniel Spoerri, Ioan Sbârciu, Nicolae Man, Kudor Duka István, Bencze Bro, Ioana Olahhu, Georgeta Olimpia Bera, Anca Bodea, Alice Iliescu and Cristian Gabriel Lapusan), Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
Landscape of the Labyrinth, Sector 1 Gallery, Bucharest, RO
Don Quijote, IL MECC Caprarola, IT - 2017 Illato Lumine, Archivio Menna Binga, Roma, IT
- 2016 Reflections of the Transylvanian Forest, MB-XL Contemporary & Modern Gallery, Brussels, BE
- 2015 Evolution of Europe, Jecza Gallery, Timişoara, RO
Transylvanian Lights, Hugo Voeten Art Center, Herentals, BE
The Rape of Europe, Accademia di Romania, Rome, IT - 2014 The Other Look. Works from Alberto Perobelli Collection, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
Sign Segni – Ioan Sbârciu in dialogue with modern art masters, IAGA Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, RO
Beyond paradise, Casa Matei Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, RO - 2013 Ash Forest, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
- 2010 Street of Happiness No. 1, Tarohei Nakagawa Gallery, Tokyo, JPN
- 2009 Syo / Studio”, Art Museum Cluj-Napoca (with Japanese artist Tarohei Nakagawa), RO
- 2007 Landscape, Man and Work. Art setting rules, together with painter Markus Lüpertz, the Contemporary Art Gallery of the Brukenthal National Museum, RO
“Forest of Ash”, Anaid Gallery, Bucharest, RO
Macerata, IT - 2006 Sbarciu / Painting / 2006 Cultural Center Brancovenesti Palace Mogosoaia, RO
Tuscany / Transylvania, Venice Cultural Center Venice, IT - 2005 The Mystery of Friendship with painter Markus Lupertz, the Art Museum of Cluj-Napoca
- 2004 Museum of Contemporary Art Murlo, IT
- 2003 Cologne City Hall, DE
Etruscan Museum Murlo, IT - 1999 Exhibitions in Heidelberg, Bad Schönberg and Nürnberg, DE
New York City Cultural Center, USA
IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE - 1998 Gallery im Altstadthof, Nürnberg, DE
IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE - 1996 Rathangewolbe Gallery, Rothenburg / Tauber, DE
IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE - 1995 Kunstation Kleinsassen, Fulda, DE
IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE - 1994 Le Temple Du Gout, Nantes, FR
Roman Cultural Center Paris, FR
IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE - 1993 IMS galleries and Dresdner Banc, Stuttgart, DE
Koncerthusert and ABF Galleries, Malmö, SW - 1992 Guillen y Tresserra Gallery, Barcelona, ES
Group exhibitions
- 2018UAP Romania, the Cluj branch, RO
- 2017Breaking Rules, UBB Botanical Garden, Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, RO
From the dream of the sleeping museum …, Casa Matei Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, RO
Twilight horseman … (in memoriam Ion Andreescu), exhibition made with Markus Lupertz and Ramona Raus, Art Museum, Cluj-Napoca, RO
CONFONT EAST / Painting from Cluj-Napoca, Rivaa Gallery, New York, USA
The School of Cluj: Painting and Graphic Arts, Neon Gallery, Wroclaw, PO
The School of Cluj: Painting and Sculpture, Pecsi Gallery, Pecs, HU
The Wanderers: Contemporary Painting from Cluj, Richard Taittinger Gallery, New York, USA
Painting. Now, the Bistrita-Nasaud Museum Complex, Bistrita, RO
Exhibition Group 6 + 1, Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, RO
UAP Romania, the Cluj branch, RO
Exhibition of the Annual Awards of the Romanian Artists Union, MNAR, Bucharest, RO - 2016 Cutting Edge III, Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, RO
UAP Romania, the Cluj branch, RO
Il Movimento delle Cose, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
TANGO, Galeria za Szklem, Wroclaw Art Academy, PO
- 2015 TANGO – Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
Jecza Gallery Show, Art Safari, Bucharest, RO
Memory Deposits, Vrancea Cultural Center, Focsani, RO
Astra Museum, Sibiu, RO - 2014 Art Safari, Bucharest, RO
Latin love. Pitta tra Bari e Cluj-Napoca, Fortino Sant’antonio Bari Vecchia, Bari, IT - 2011 Fondazione Maimeri Milan, IT
Acadeniei Brera Gallery, Milan, IT - 2009 MOSS – Casa Matei Gallery Cluj, RO
MOSS, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Lethaby Gallery, London, GB - 2008 Neo real – Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, RO
Generations – Arcade Gallery 24, Bistrita, RO
MOSS, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Bilbao, ES - 2007 Present – Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, RO
Plus Zwei, MKM Duisburg, DE - 2006 Eleven – Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, RO
Ioan Sbârciu – Markus Lüpertz – Designs, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, RO
Hand-Made, Under Construction Space, Hotel Continental, RO
International Poetry Prize, Camaiore, IT
Romanian Cultural Institute, Venice, IT - 2005 I LOVE PICTURA, Under Construction Space, Continental Hotel, Cluj, RO
Art (EAST), UAP Galleries, Cluj, RO
International Biennial in Prague, CZE
Homage to Magnelli, Espace Bateau Lavoire, Paris, FR - 2004 Meninele II, Art Museum Cluj-Napoca, Cluj UAP Galleries, RO
Visual Line II – UAP Cluj Galleries, RO - 2003 Black underground – Casa Matei Gallery / Horse’s Guests – Casa Matei Gallery Cluj, RO
Line of sight I – UAP Cluj galleries, RO
Gallery of the Higher School of Decorative Arts, Strasbourg, FR
Accademia di Romania, Roma, IT
Kaposvar, Budapest, HU
Meotte Foundation New York, USA
Romualdo del Bianco Foundation, Florence, IT - 2002 Gallery of Liège Institute of Fine Arts BE
Academy Gallery “Dino Scalabrino”, Montecatini, IT - 2001 Gallery of the Union of Plastic Artists, Budapest, HU
Saint-Luc Art Gallery, Liege, BE
National Bank of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, NL - 2000 Art Gallery, Bad Schönberg, DE
Gallery im Altstadthof, Nürnberg, DE - 1999 Heidelberg, Rathangewolbe, RetzmannGallery, DE
- 1998 Gallery im Altstadthof, Nürnberg DE
- 1997 6 + 1, Ioan Sbarciu, Istvan Kudor, Zoltan Pattantyus, Andrei Campan, Mihai Pop, Aurelian Pirosca, Leonard Vartic, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum + Dalles Hall Bucharest, RO
- 1996 Bund Deutscher Künstler Baden – Württemberg EV – Kulturforum Auf der Galerie-West, Stuttgart, DE
Rathangewolbe, Simmern, DE
KORPUS, Vasarely Muzeumban, Kaposvár Budapest, HU
6 + 1, Ioan Sbarciu, Istvan Kudor, Zoltan Pattantyus, Andrei Campan, Mihai Pop, Aurelian Pirosca, Leonard Vartic, Cluj-Napoca Art Museum + Dalles Hall Bucharest, RO - 1995 Kunstation Kleinsassen, Fulda, DE
National Art Gallery, Chisinau, MD - 1994 Roman Cultural Center, Paris, FR
Le Temple Du Gout, Nantes, FR
National Art Gallery, Chisinau, MD - 1993 Club Koncerthusert, Malmö, SW
National Art Gallery, Chisinau, MD - 1992 National Art Gallery, Chisinau, MD
Jordi Boronat Gallery and Guillen y Tresserra Gallery, Barcelona, ES - 1991 Le Druot Gallery, Paris, FR
- 1988 5 painters from Cluj – Ioan Sbarciu, Nicolae Maniu, Mircea Baciu, Florin Maxa, Sorin Câmpan, Fine Artists Union Gallery Cluj, RO
- 1978 4 + 1 Ioan Sbarciu, Andor Komives, Stefan Caia, Marcel Munteanu, Gheorghe Ilea – Cluj Central University Library, RO
Publications
Trifa, V., Sbarciu, I., Baciu, M., Melenti, C., Gui, O., Color Web Design Expert System, in the Scientific Bulletin “The 17th International Symposium on Naval and Marine Education”, Constanta, May 24-26, 2001, ISBN-973-85070-0-6, p.39-46
Sbarcia, I., Baciu, M., Melenti, C., Gui, O., Ienei, D., Chiorean, D., Color Use for Designing Graphical Interface, in Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Optimization of Electrical and Electronic Equipments, Brasov, May 16-17, 2002, ISBN973-635-004-5, p.589
Ienei, D., Trifa, V., Sbarciu, I., Melenti, C., Gui, O., Personalized information retrieval system in the art higher education, paper presented at the 4th International Conference on Electromechanical and Power Systems, SIELMEN 2003
Ienei, D., Sbarciu, I., Current state of information organization in art education, co-author, paper presented at the Interdisciplinary National Symposium “ARTISTIC IMAGE-COMMUNICATION-FINALITY” Organized by the Center “Interference in Art” May 2004
6th International Congress on the Application of Raman Spectroscopy in Art and Archeology, Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) applied for the investigation of an Italian cultural heritage canvas 5-8 September 2011
