Museum of Modern Art Oltenita

LOCATION

Oltenita

DESCRIPTION

The Art Museum of Oltenita was opened to the public in 2001. This museum is unique in the country, because it is arranged in an unconventional space, in a construction designed specifically for the redistribution of drinking water to the inhabitants of the city which is a point of attraction for tourists.. The tower was built in 1919, and in 1922 the Olteniţa water plant was commissioned. In 1916, he was bombarded by enemies, and then renovated when the Oltenita Hall was built in 1924. The population of the town was then fed to the Argeş river.

However an idea came, that this place can house two museums an archaelogical one and a museum of art. As the patrimony for an art museum did not exist, the building functioned for two years as an art gallery. Several local artists, almost all of them amateur painters, exhibited their works, but in all cases, after two or three weeks they withdrew their exhibits and the museum stood closed for a long time.[1]

The sculptor Gheorghe Stanescu, born in Oltenita, was well appreciated in his time. He achieved the effigy of many medals awarded by the state during the interwar period.

In 2003, through a special effort and with the help of some Oltenian artists who made donations, the Art Museum made its heritage. Although the number of art objects in the museum's patrimony is still quite modest, numerically and artistically, there are some exhibits likely to be part of the national cultural heritage. The most important works are:

- "Avant" - a bust carved in white marble by the artist Alexandru Severin, who, during the interwar period, took part in the lands around Oltenita. In several communes around Oltenita municipality, memorial monuments commemorated, carved or cast in bronze, made by the artist. A sculpture, identical to the marble bust in the Oltenita Museum, is exhibited at the National Art Museum of Romania. About how this remarkable artistic achievement reached Oltenita, it is very little and very vague.

- "Bătrână povestind", is a sculpture cast in patinated plaster. It is an old lady of natural stature, made by the artist in 1912, while completing his studies in Vienna. It was exposed at the "Kűnstler - Haus" salon, where it received an award. According to some critics of art, it is meant to portray the sculptor’s grandmother. Particular attention should be paid to thr vintage clothing. A copy of the work carved in wood was exhibited in the same year in Bucharest, in the "Artistic Youth" salon. The sculpture in wood was bought by the writer N. D. Cocea.

- "Leonard", a sculpture molded in plaster, is a natural-size bust, representing the opera singer, tenor Nicolae Leonard (1886-1928).

- "Tinereţe", is a sculpture molded in plaster, in which the sculptor depicted is sister.

Several paintings and graphics by contemporary painters such as Elena, Constantin Baciu and Cici Constantinescu are also present in the museum's exhibition.

"Peisaj bucureştean", watercolor, signed to Elephant Avenue, dated 1963;

"Scenă din spectacol", coal graphic, by C. Baciu, dated 1963:

“Dunărea la Tulcea", oil painting on cardboard, by Cici Constantinescu, dated 1963.

The artistic achievements of the Oltenian artists include Florian Sofian, Vali Ciobanu and Cristina Neagu-Pârvu, who have enriched the heritage with their donations.

Prof. Sofian Florian is present with the painting "Turnul de Apă", made in a pastel color, which impresses pleasantly;

Vali Irina Ciobanu, has several graphic works such as: " Bunica", "Autoportret", "Nichita" or "Natură statică".

HISTORY

In 2003, through a special effort and with the help of some Oltenian artists who made donations, the Art Museum collected its heritage. Although the number of art objects in the museum's patrimony is still quite modest, numerically but also artistically, there are some exhibits likely to be part of the national cultural heritage. Some artistic achievements will even be proposed to the National Commission of Museums and Collections to be classified as a thesaurus. These remarkable artistic achievements will be presented, with the hope that the well-informed public, will turn its attention to this place of culture.

"Avant" is a bust carved in white marble by the artist Alexandru Severin, who during the interwar period has settled in the area around Oltenita. Memorial monuments commemorated, carved or cast in bronze, made by the artist, can be found accross several communes around the Oltenita municipality. A sculpture, identical to the marble bust in the Oltenita Museum, is exhibited at the National Art Museum of Romania. There is little and vague information about how this remarkable artistic achievement reached Oltenita. According to some information, the marble bust would have been found in a nearby community in the basement of a house, from where it reached the canteen of the former Bucharest Construction Trust. There it spent a long time on a pedestal. As the house was often rented for weddings, in 1988, some weddings dazzled by Bacchus's liquor, slammed the sculpture on the cement floor, broke its head, and then began to play football. It is an act of vandalism worthy of the Penal Code. A few days later the bust reached the museum, where it was restored and then exhibited at the art museum exhibition. The act is signed: Al. Severin, 1940.

In 1999, the arts teacher Nicolae Trepdudus, originally from Valea Popii village, but established in Bucharest, offered the Oltenita Museum to acquire several artistic achievements by the sculptor-medalist Gheorghe Stanescu. As the museum did not have such funds, the bidder withdrew his parts, but donated some of them.[2]

SITE SIGNIFICANCE

The Oltenita Museum of Modern Art is unique in the country, because it is arranged in an unconventional space, in a construction designed specifically for the redistribution of drinking water to the inhabitants of the city which is a point of attraction for tourists.

OTHER INFORMATION

The museum's profile is plastic art and decorative art

CLASSIFICATION

Art-cultural site

[1] Muzeul de Artă al Municipiului Oltenița

https://muzeulgumelnita.ro/muzee/muzeul-de-arta-al-municipiului-oltenita

[2] Muzeul de Artă al Municipiului Oltenița

https://muzeulgumelnita.ro/muzee/muzeul-de-arta-al-municipiului-oltenita