Pars pro toto

(II Maramures-Photoweek, April/Mai 2001)

 

                                                                by Rene Triebl

 

It was more than a simple coincidence, that the exhibition of the II Maramures-photo week in this year was held in Baia-Mare, the old Hungarian city of "Nagybanya", as this old historic mining town, once also was the site of one of the most famous art-schools in Europe, the “Nagybanya-painting-school”.

Founded around the turn of the 19th to 20th century by famous Hungarian painters Simon Hollosy, Istvan Reti and Ferency Karoly and designed as a school of "plain-air" painting, it soon become known all over Europe attracting painters from all over Europe, bringing in various influences of in that time “newly forming styles like” Expressionism, Fauvism  and Cubism from Paris and also from the "Blue Rider-Group" in Munich, making Nagybanya some kind of a creative melting-pot in that time, a truly international meeting point of art and finally, before the II World War, turned out to be the largest painting school all over Europe.

Starting this idea of that photo camp in Maramures therefore includes also the realization of some kind of a secret wish for us trying some kind of a "revival" for that once so glorious place, trying to follow the traces of that famous traditions in art.

Indeed, shortly after we went to in order to choose our subjects, it turned out to be very similar to those of the painters before the war, showing Maramures in a state of rare preservation, still allowing us to discover what was already there in the times the Nagybanya-school made this area and it's motives well known all over Europe in that time past.

Considering however the present changes in modern Romania nowadays, it was also clear for us, that there is not much time yet left for us for documenting these so unique European treasures, as traditions disappearing rapidly, unfortunately giving way to an uniformed pseudo-American lifestyle, soon probably leaving no traces behind of that once so unique traditions of that old, Middle-European cultural region, attracting an international public, making it one of the "hot-spots" of art life in Europe once.

Next to following our own personal creative ideas, it is therefore also our declared aim to try some kind of an complete documentation of this unique character of the Maramures region, each of our participants focusing on a different main subject, providing another facet of that" little "universe" in itself:

 

Cosmin Bumbut (Romania): With monochrome and sparse pictures of details, objects and landscapes he is trying to show us that less can be more. His photos are objects of meditation, bringing us closer to the world of remote silence, to the fascinating spirit of handcrafted objects, to intimate moments of life within the circle of nature. All qualities the Maramures-area is famous for and contrasting to a more and more fast and industrialized, uniformed world. ( photo 1 2 3 )

 

Vasile Darolti (Romania): In carefully selected subjects showing the unique character of traditional life in Maramures. Focusing on classic symbols of traditional village-life, he bring us closer to the mystic and the understanding of life in that particular area.
( photo 1 2 3 )

 

Silviu Ghetie (România): With the trained eye of a professional reporter, he is picking out some intense and unique moments of everyday life, in mostly spontaneously taken pictures on the spot, he is inviting us to take part in the real village life away from any clichés, allowing us a deeper understanding of the joys, needs and demands of Maramures people. ( photo 1 2 )

 

Horea Nascu (Romania):  Giving a fascinating, impressionistic view with mostly self-developed collages and mosaic-like techniques in presenting his pictures.

Following some Dadaistic traditions in avoiding pure documentation and narrative photography. ( photo 1 )

 

Alexandru Paul (Romania): In atmospheric pictures of simplicity and silence, mostly concentrating on typical Maramures elements of life, he bring us closer to the character of the countryside. ( photo 1 2 3 4 )

 

Fred Rohde (The Netherlands): "Peoples photographer" with a concentration on people living in traditional lifestyles. Mostly portraits of impressive sensitivity and intensity. "Social Photographer". With devotion and sympathy for the "small people" he is able to tell us a whole life story in one picture, showing in images not only the outside impression but looks deeply into the soul of his models, showing all traces of life uncovered, giving us an authentic and touching portrait of social life in Maramures. ( photo 1 2 3 4 )

 

Bernhard Seidel (Austria): In choosing a subject reduced to a color, he show us various elements of Maramures yet uncovered. In concentration on Biological aspects he deliveres an unusual view on details, normally not being widely noticed. ( photo 1 2 3 )

 

Rene Triebl, myself (Austria):  I am a photographer of still-lifes and landscapes. I search for metaphysical elements imbedded in the “banality of life”. ( photo 1 2 )

In the pictures included in this show, I tried to show the character of Maramures in selected, symbolic details, giving room for free associations and interpretations. Light, shadow, emptiness: "Pars pro toto": Maramures as a mirror of the entire universe.