Roberta Curcă (born in 1991, Craiova, Romania) is a Bucharest-based artist working with drawing, photography, objects, and artist books. In her work, she employs a systematic investigation into various types of structures or images that describe or subvert the human’s relationship to the built or natural world and the psychological, social, political or ecological implications of this relationship. She often explores the relationship between two-dimensional and three-dimensional states, order and chance, intent and impact, the human and the non-human. She has a BA and an MA in Drawing from the National University of Arts in Bucharest and is currently working on a Ph.D. in cultural studies at the Center for Excellency in Image Study.
More on Roberta’s artistic practice on her Instagram profile.
Q&A with Roberta Curcă
When did you discover your passion for art and what does art mean to you?
I realized my passion for drawing when I intervened on the cardboard covers of my mother’s books from the university. It was a great feeling, I felt stability and strength, as it was very different from drawing on paper. This was the first time I became aware that I had a particular preference regarding creative work. The passion for art came later – it was again, my mother, who made sure our home was full of books, encyclopaedias and albums of art. The support of my drawing teacher from high school and my sister’s mattered a lot. You cannot accomplish anything without support, passion fades.
The art works on multiple layers for me. First, it is a tool to express my emotions, as I tend to repress them. But art steps in an restores my inner balance. Experimenting and discovering are the second layer. This is the most dynamic and process-driven part, which connects me to present, to failures, but also to the satisfaction resulted from my discovery journey. The last layer is the social one, when I connect to people and I am eager to notice how my art contributed.
Describe yourself briefly: what triggers your emotions or what makes you angry?
I believe “scrapbooking” and “journaling” count as hobbies, even I am inspired by them in my artistic work, but I do them without any pressure or expectations. I am moved by buildings, architectural structures or other items I appreciate which vanish or are not treated well. Social inequality, lack of justice for the disadvantaged people, over consumption and lack of respect for the environment are some topics which make me angry.
Describe your artistic vision: sources of inspiration, techniques, messages you want to communicate to audiences.
I am inspired by what I read, by the items I find in fairs, albums, archives or magazines, by what I discover in cities and villages quite forgotten, or by other things from places less explored. I always get enthusiastic when I experiment with new techniques, but I am also fond of coming back to the most familiar methods – such as drawing. I try to connect to what matters in a certain moment in time and to focus on something which could restore balance or which can maintain an already- existing fragile balance.
Who influenced you on your path and how?
My big sister influenced me and still has a great influence. I can talk about everything with her and I also learn new and fascinating things from her. As background, she has a totally different profession, as she is an IT programmer, therefore, I learn a lot about how she sees live in general.
What work of art your produced you like best and what does it mean to you?
I always enjoy the series I am working on. There is a certain visceral dimension there: a conflict, a confusion, a frustration – something that needs to be clarified. This implies an active and exciting process, such an „adventure game” which invites you to explore and discover clues that lead to forward.
What moment in your career made you happy?
There is a slim real support, constant and honest in the world of art (and not only). There is also a toxic atmosphere, not proper for such sensitive people as artists are. What makes me really happy rights now is Accelerator programme, which keeps this support – which is more than need – alive.
What do you expect from Accelerator programme?
Accelerator programme was intense, like a true psychological „workout”. It started at high speed and continued at a slower pace and now resulted in a constant support and communication with the project team. That is very important not to lose focus. I hope it will stay the same that until the end.
What other artists inspired you and why?
There are a lot of people whom I admire and I follow with real enthusiasm. Generally, I get inspired by the people I know with whom I can talk about art – and I confess I would like to do that more often than now.
What are your future plans?
What I want is to live a decent live out of what I do as an artist, that is not to have extra jobs which break my time and energy. Nevertheless, I would like to replace my current jobs with volunteering time. I think the additional time dedicated to other topics than work is extremely important to contribute positively to the society.
Works of the Artist
in Back to Where It All Began Exhibition
