Paul Stefan Barbu

Born in 1986 in Romania, Paul Barbu has been interested in artistic expression since childhood. He has always loved to draw, to create objects from different materials, to take photos, and to think about innovative ways in which he could use otherwise ordinary objects to create something unexpected. Paul studied maths and computer science in high-school, but when he enrolled in university, it seemed natural to combine his love of arts with his interest in science, by choosing Architecture School.
Paul has been studying and working with forms, proportions, light, and structure for the past ten years. His architecture training instilled in him a certain discipline of proportions and his eye has been trained to see mathematical relations between objects. As an Architecture student, he became acquainted with the works of Carlo Scarpa, Tadao Ando, Santiago Calatrava and Alvaro Siza.
While working as an architect, Paul observed that functionality and practicality dominated most of the projects he was assigned to, while the aesthetic side was often disregarded or kept to a minimum level. At one point, he felt restricted by this rigid approach and decided to explore more creative ways of expressing his ideas. However, he greatly values this phase of his professional development because the practice of architecture made him ponder on issues relating to the use of space or the way in which the choice of material can impact a project. It also gave him a sense of the intimate structure of everything that has a form. The insights he gained as an architect inform the way he organises his projects as an artist.

Although Paul has role models who contribute to his artistic evolution, he tries not to dwell too much on their work, as he strives to find his own unique voice. He finds inspiration in everyday life, by paying attention to objects and places, interacting with people, and feeding his visual curiosity constantly.