Irina Motroc is a multidisciplinary artist based in Bucharest. She is a graduate of both the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, specializing in Graphic Arts. Her artistic practice spans various mediums, including graphic arts, photography, video, and installation. Irina is particularly interested in exploring the social space and themes related to the psycho-affective sphere, combining self-referential elements with collective memory. From personal events to social contexts, the artist seeks to rekindle the perception of a shared past, analyzing the traces left by personal histories that define and reflect in the collective behavior of a generation.
You can follow Irina on her Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/irina_motroc/
Q&A with Irina Motroc
When did you discover your passion for art, and what does art mean to you?
I think my first real contact with art was through theater, as an observer. I have always been and still am fascinated by set design, details, nuances of interpretation, the subtlety of a gesture, and the ability to tell a story in so many ways. In theater, as in art in general, I seek the truth that leads to that visceral reaction (regardless of the nature of the emotion it generates). I don’t know if I can pinpoint the exact moment when I realized that what I was doing was art. Initially, it was a recurring need to create, to put myself in situations that would give birth to new ways of seeing reality. There has always been an impulse that kept reappearing as a necessity to be in touch with myself and to express a thought, but I kept it very intimate, almost hidden for a long time. Maybe that’s why I took myself seriously late, after many searches. I relate to art as a form of knowledge, curiosity, and constant exploration.
Describe yourself briefly: what do you like, what moves you, what angers you?
I like meaningful encounters, old places and objects that carry histories within them, bustling cities that fill me with adrenaline, and the quiet villages in the heart of the country where I can sit in peace. I am moved by generosity, openness, and vulnerability in people. I am angered by narrow-minded thinking and violence.
Describe your artistic vision: sources of inspiration, methods, messages you want to convey to the audience.
I am interested in subjects that require extensive research, where you dwell on a thought for a long time and let it go through stages: accepting what comes, what accumulates, what settles, the layers that appear, the influences, making it a part of your life and carrying it with you everywhere, like an extension of yourself. I look inward to establish a relationship with the outside world. The way I construct my world is constantly guided by curiosity, an unceasing need to accumulate and to be in circumstances that stimulate me – in the same way, I approach my artistic practice.
The media I work with range from drawing, printmaking, photography, video, objects, to installation. I seek new methods and techniques, and I often find myself in situations where I push my limits. However, printmaking and photography have remained a constant that I always return to, like a balance that keeps me grounded. I work with seriality and various forms of replication, copying, and transfer as a method to highlight the repetition of events and their transformation over time, a visual juxtaposition of multiple perspectives or states. I am fascinated by manufactured objects and the analog environment, slow processes, waiting time, the relationship that forms between the artist and the artwork, and the element that you cannot fully control and must allow it to have its own will.
Who has influenced you on your journey so far and how?
There have been many encounters and contexts that have left their mark on me. A significant part of my work involves research, which means being very attentive to what is happening around me, always connected. But I think the people in my immediate universe who I could exchange ideas with and who consistently supported me have influenced me the most.
Which of your works do you like the most, and what does it mean to you?
There are rare moments when I manage to detach myself from my works and view them from an external perspective, as a spectator. Otherwise, I am a perfectionist, which comes with self-criticism, but lately, I have been trying to establish a healthy balance between the two states.
Probably the closest to my heart is the film I made for the project “Aici am stat” (Here I Have Been). It is a video I shot with a Bolex camera on double 8mm film (16mm). I have a special relationship with this work from multiple perspectives. Working with an analog medium, where it is quite challenging to control the entire process – especially when dealing with cameras that are over 50 years old – required me to visit my grandparents’ village many times to reshoot certain scenes. This actually facilitated my connection to a space I thought was lost and made me more attentive to transformations, the social dimension of the project, and contributed to an internal healing process. On the other hand, many people helped me in the making of this film, and I am very grateful for their generosity in sharing their experiences with me.
What has been the most joyful moment in your career so far?
I was very happy to be selected in the open call for Galeria Posibilă and to have the opportunity to exhibit my master’s project, “Aici am stat,” at the gallery. Each open call, workshop, exhibition, or project I have been selected for has represented another step for me. I have enjoyed each one individually because it has been a journey where I haven’t skipped stages and where I have been deeply involved.
What do you expect from the Accelerator Brașov program?
When I answered these questions, I have already gone through a stage of the program, and I can say that it has met my expectations. I am excited about the interaction with mentors and the fact that we have discussed concrete issues, asked valid questions, and received direct answers. This is largely what I expected, an open framework in which we can discuss real challenges faced by emerging artists and proposed solutions from people in the field with expertise. At the same time, I am pleased to have a space to meet other artists with whom I can interact and exchange ideas.
Which other artist do you like and find inspiring, and why?
I believe I have a sensitivity for artists who have a poetic approach, a mix of encrypted messages, vulnerability, and the concept of hiding in plain sight. There are many contemporary artists I follow with interest, and various aspects of their work inspire me. It would be difficult for me to name just one.
What are your future plans?
The overall goal remains constant: I want to maintain my curiosity, continue working, and facilitate meetings that lead to new collaborations. This year, I completed my master’s degree, so there will be a period of reflection and introspection as I try to figure out the next path forward.
Works of the Artist
in Fabulating About a Gelato Machine Exhibition
