Mihai Topescu
Critical References
Mihai Topescu unequivocally manifests his predilection (which is not exclusive, as two other works entitled Eve will show) for closed, compact, oval shapes, whose vibrant, geometrised, lighted background, included in the fine arts spectacle, inscribe the expressive elements with a symbolic cover; although stylised, the biblical or historical characters and the objects surrounding them benefit from a simultaneous view, where the story – as much as it exists – and its more or less explicit teachings, gain a right of representation. Thus, the viewer is allowed to access the interiors, to listen and to let himself be charmed by the lyrics of minstrels, be involved in theatre rituals, be a part in the miracles of faith. - Doina Pauleanu PhD, art critic and director of the Constanta Art Museum.
Resume
EDUCATION:
1977 – 1981 “I. Andreescu” Academy of Visual Arts, Cluj
1985 Kunst Akademie Baden, Viena, Austria
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (selection):
2015 Art Biennial, Beijing, China
Biennial of Contemporary Art 2015, Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy, GAA Personal Structures
2015 Salon artistique, Macon, France
2014 Award for Contemporary Glass, Coburg, Germany
2014 International Glass Biennial, Haacht, Belgium
2013 Le Point K, Saint-Raphael, France
2013 Das Metadekorativum, Dusseldorf, Germany
2012 Le Salon International d’Art de Saint-Tropez, France
2012 DECORATIVE ART 2012, Biennial of Decorative Arts, 1st edition
2012 La Sculpture en Liberté, 20-eme édition, Roquebrune-sur-Argens, France
2011 Le Salon International d’Art de Saint-Tropez, France
2011 European Parliament, Art Collection, Brussels, Belgium
2011 Art Biennial, Arad, Romania
2011 National Glass Salon, Simeza Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2010 The International Exhibition of Glass, Kanazawa, Japan
2010 9 pour La Roumanie Magique, Galerie Arthis, Belgium
2009 Art Biennial, Arad, Romania
2008 GLASSTEC, Dusseldorf, Germany
2007 Art Biennial, Arad, Romania
2006 Constantin Brancusi National Art Hall, Targu-Jiu, Romania
2006 Coburg Glass Prize for Contemporary Glass in Europe 2006
2005 Glass Art, Simeza Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2005 Glasrijk, Tubbergen, Netherlands
2004 “Fire Arts” Biennial, Apollo Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2004 Glasrijk, Tubbergen, Netherlands
2004 Constantin Brancusi National Sculpture Hall, Targu-Jiu, Romania
2003 Romanian Glass Artists, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2003 Glasrijk, Tubbergen, Netherlands
2002 Romanian Glass Artists, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2002 Glasrijk, Tubbergen, Netherlands
2001 Glasrijk, Tubbergen, Netherlands
2000 Romanian Glass Artists, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
1994 International Glaskunst, Kunsthaus am Museum, Carola Von Han – Köln, Germany
1991 International Glass Contest, Kanazawa, Japan
1990 Glasnosts from Eastern Europe, Transparence Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
1988 Decorative Glass Exhibition, National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania
1988 Mezinarodni Skalarske Symposium, Novy-Bor, Czech Republic
1988 Spaces & Light, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
1988 International Exhibition of Glass Craft, Kanazawa, Japan
1987 Young Glass ’87, International Competition, Glassmuseum, Ebeltoft, Denmark
1982 National Graphics Exhibition, Dalles Hall, Bucharest, Romania
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS:
2015 Vila Aureliana, San Raphael Frejus, France
2015 SacriFACE, La Piccolla Galleria dell’Istituto Romeno di Venezia, Venice, Italy
2014 Sculpture, Centre Culturel Christiane Peugeot, Paris, France
2013 Skulptur, The Hexagone Gallery, Aachen, Germany
2013 Sacrifice, La Piccolla Galleria dell’Istituto Romeno di Venezia, Venice, Italy
2013 Sculpture, Demeure Sellier Museum, Cogolin, France
2013 Sacrifice, Palatele Brancovenesti, Mogosoaia, Romania
2012 Shakespearean Characters in Glass, Craiova, Romania
2012 Notes on the Surface of the Earth, Parliament Palace, Bucharest, Romania
2012 Sculpture, Gallery Mary-Ann, Macon, France
2010 Glass Anatomy, Craiova Museum of Art, Romania
2010 Sculpture, Espace Cotos, Saint-Tropez, France
2010 Oeuvres de Mihai Topescu et Georges Cotos, Espace Cotos, Saint-Tropez, France
2010 Retrospective Glass Exhibition, Cotroceni National Museum, Bucharest, Romania
2007 Sculpture in glass, Hamm, Germany
2007 Sculpture in glass, Bochum, Germany
2006 Sculpture, Craiova Art Museum, Romania
2002 Sculpture, Romart Gallery, Netherlands
2002 Sculpture, Cultural Centre Sudhaina D’Chimay, Belgium
2002 VIPs, Craiova Art Museum, Romania
1989 Sculpture, Galerie l, Hamburg, Germany
1989 Glass, Turn Gallery, Cottbus, Germany
1986 Glass, Art Ind. Glass, Bucharest, Romania
1985 Spaces and Light, Targu-Jiu Art Galleries, Romania
COLLECTIONS:
Palazzo Oddo, Albenga, Italy
Glassmuseum Henritch in Dusseldorf, Germany
The National Museum of Glass and Ceramics, Bucharest, Romania
Targu-Jiu Art Museum, Romania
Museumskla a buzuterie, IablonecandNison, Czech Republic
Slarske Museum, Novy-Bor, Czech Republic
The Glass Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
Schlob Branitz, Cottbus, Germany
The Glass Museum, Ebelfort, Denmark
Craiova Art Museum, Romania
The Glass Museum Coburg, Germany
Works in private collections
AWARDS:
2009 Mihai Eminescu, Award from the International Academy of Fine Arts
2006 Constantin Brancusi, National Prize for Sculpture, Targu-Jiu, Romania
2004 Fire Arts Award, Association of Romanian Professionals of Fine Arts
2003 Fire Arts Award, Association of Romanian Professionals of Fine Arts
2001 Constantin Lecca Award, ”Mozaicul” newspaper, Romania
1993 1st Prize, National Prize for Design – Glass, Bucharest
1992 Silver Medal, The American Interfaith Institute Prize, Philadelphia, USA
1988 1st Prize, National Prize for Design – Glass, Ministry of Industry
SYMPOSIUMS:
2015 The International Glass Symposium, Novy-Bor, Czech Republic
1990 Plein-Air International Symposium, Libenau-Cottbus, Germany
1990 International Stained Glass Symposium, Vilnius, Lithuania
1988 The Third International Glass Symposium , Novy-Bor, Czech Republic
1985 The Second International Glass Symposium, Novy-Bor, Czech Republic
LITERATURE:
Das Metadekorativum, Klartext Verlag, Essen, 2012, p.218-251
Mihai Topescu, Anatomy of Glass (Glass Anatomy), 2010
Mihai Topescu, Fragile Glass 2005-2008, Germany
Coburg Glass Prize for Contemporary Glass in Europe, 2006, p.201-369
C.A. Mitchell, The Contemporary Who`s Who of Professionals, 2004-2005
Glass Art, Peter Layton, 1996, p.60
Joachin Waldrich Verlag „Who`s Who in Contemporary Glass Art”, 1993-1994, p.561, Munich, Germany
Irvin J. Borowsky (editor), Artists Confronting the Inconceivable: Award Winning Glass Sculpture, Philadelphia, USA, 1992, p.77
The First Tokyo Crafts Expo 92, Tokyo, Japan Art Publishing Co.Ltd.1992, p.61
The International Exhibition of Glass, 1990, Kanazawa, p.105
The International Exhibition of Glass Craft, 1988, Kanazawa, p.81
Young Glass, 1987, An International Competition, Ebelfort: Glassmuseum, 1987, p.80
Interglass, Symposium Ceskoslovonsko, I.G.S. 1982-1985, Novy-Bor, p.100
Spiel, Satz, Siegund Pokall, Nokia Masters Tennis, Essen, 1991, p.21
Mihai Topescu, Cast Glass Cycle, 2000-2005, texts by Adrian Guta and Catalin Davidescu
The Encyclopaedia of the Contemporary Romanian Artists), vol. 4, p.182
Personal Structures, Crossing Borders, Publisher: Global Art Affairs Foundation, Venice, 2015
Sixth Beijing International Art Biennale Album, China, 2015, China Artists Association
FILMS:
2015 SacriFace, producer: Mihai Topescu Glass Studios
2015 SacriFire, producer: Mihai Topescu Glass Studios
2013 SacrifIce, producer: Mihai Topescu Glass Studios
2010 Glass Anatomy, producer: Mihai Topescu Glass Studios
2006 Documentary Mihai Topescu – Glass Artist, Televiziunea Romana, producer: Cristian Bogdan Dragan
1998 Trap for the Sun, Televiziunea Romana, producer: Mihaela Cristea