The installation at MNAC
On Thursday, our characters move into MNAC. Here's how far they've come:
16 characters
more than 50 modernist buildings in 17 cities, in Romania and France
32 rolls of 35 mm film and more than 1,000 photographs
97 photographs in the book, and 24 in the exhibition, printed on 12 double-sided panels
163 pieces of cardboard for the Unité d'habitation where the characters will live (we're still gluing)
We're excited, and very curious to see how you'll react: what you'll look at first, and where you'll take the cardboard characters.
Photo from the printers
The opening and the book launch
Opening: Thursday 5 November, 17:00–21:30, MNAC Bucharest, Palace of the Parliament, wing E4. Last entry from Calea 13 Septembrie at 21:30. On view until 17 January 2027.
Book launch: Friday 13 November, 19:00, French Institute in Bucharest, Atrium hall, 77 Dacia Boulevard. With architect Ilinca Pop Galațianu (MuzA), visual artist Bogdan Gîrbovan and me, moderated by Karin Ungureanu. Free entry, in Romanian.
Why come?
“To (re)discover the beginnings of modernism as you've never seen them.” George Marian Preduț, photographer
“Turned into dolls, the architects revisit their own buildings: they become small and the buildings big.” Ruxandra Antal, architect
“To see how participatory ambitions can sit on a solid core of research and documentation.” Alexandra Elisabeta Moț, curator
“Come and see what happens when the world gets bigger than you.” Hera Amuzescu, communication
“Take a character with you and place it somewhere in the city.” Maria Mandea, artist and designer
Workshop for teenagers: “Re-cuceriri urbane: Cinema Patria”
Sunday 22 November, 11:00–14:30, at MNAC. Free, for ages 15 to 18, 20 places, in Romanian.
Cinema Patria, on the ground floor of the ARO building designed by Horia Creangă in the 1930s, has closed its doors. What if it reopened for teenagers? Working in teams, with collage techniques inspired by Dada, participants reimagine it as a third place: welcoming, affordable and open to their ideas. Their collages then join the exhibition. Organised by UrbanUp! powered by De-a Arhitectura, with Asociația Laborator Artistic. Sign up.
A second workshop, over two days, follows on 5–6 December. Details soon, along with the dates of the guided tours.
Keep playing,
Maria & the team
Organised by Asociația Laborator Artistic. Partners: the French Institute in Romania, MNAC Bucharest, De-a Arhitectura Association, Institutul Jocului. Media partner: Zeppelin. Film developing: Isopatrusute.
The cultural project “The Resilience of the Forgotten Fairy Tale: Modernism” is co-funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration. The project does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Cultural Fund Administration. The National Cultural Fund Administration is not responsible for the content of the project or for how the project's results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant recipient.