MI-OP

The Visibility of the Imprisoned Creator

Photographs From the OpeningAici pentru limba Româna
Photographs of the Works from the Exhibition
Compozitia Muzical "How Many Nights In?"

19 March - 1 April, 2008
Caminul Artei, 16 Strada Biserica Enei, Bucharest, tel. 0727 566 769
11 am - 7 pm daily

An exposition of plastic arts inspired by former political prisoner Lena Constante and dedicated to all creators who were victims of the Communist regime.

Irina Hasnaș-Hubbard

MI-OP (silk screens)

and Invited Artists:

Nicoleta Albu

Odaia cu semn (installation)

Chuckk Hubbard

How Many Nights In? (musical composition)

Lena Constante was a textile artist imprisoned by the Romanian Communist regime for 12 years in the 1950's and 60's. Her crime was being an acquaintance of a Communist who was out of favor with someone important at the time. During her time in prison, she worked at regimenting her mind, transcending her misery, exercising her memory, and, ultimately, finding whatever creative outlets she could. Her first several years of imprisonment were spent in solitude, after which she joined other women political prisoners for the remainder. Her speech was initially incomprehensible upon joining them. She was ultimately pardoned by incoming ruler Nicolae Ceasescu, and her 2 books about her experiences, as well as a first-person documentary movie, formed a disturbing critique of the Communist system. This exhibit hopes to pay tribute to the life of this woman and the situation of all political prisoners past and present.