Adrian Grecu (b. 1969) is a Romanian artist, one of the pioneers of digital art in Romania. His first digital artwork dates back to 1993. In the decades that followed, he extensively used Computer Generated Image (CGI), 3D graphics, and animation software, his endeavors being reflected in articles and comments published in various cultural journals. His work has been featured in collective exhibitions and festivals in Japan, Poland, South Korea, USA, Belgium, etc., and was presented in personal exhibitions in Romania and in the USA.
In the recent years, the artist focuses on exploring the limits of the visual medium, the capabilities provided by technology and the expansion of the conceptual framework, working at the confluence between arts/creativity and the latest technologies. Thus, his current artistic production includes Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) incorporated in complex, innovative sculptural installations, presented in a number of widely acclaimed exhibitions.
One of the artist’s trademarks are the sophisticated scenes with fantastic/dystopic themes defined by realistic textures and forms, elaborated entirely on the computer, without the use of photography, or other analog interventions. Rendered in 3D modeling techniques with the help of special software and successive filtering procedures, the works are presented as digital images on monitors, or printed in limited series on surfaces (paper, alubond, or canvas), each of them signed and numbered.
Adrian Grecu’s constant preoccupation for digitality has not distanced him from materiality and sculptural forms, most of his projects aiming to problematize the relationship and interaction between the material and the virtual world, between the real and the possible. His recent exhibition at the Museum of Art Cluj, in the summer of 2022, entitled Retroperspective. A digital manifesto, is relevant for this preoccupation. The project included series of CGI works and 3D animations from the 90’s until 2022 integrated in object-based installations. Not merely a retrospective, the exhibition had also a prospective dimension: it was assumed as a manifesto which affirms artist’s conceptual and working principles in the field of digital art, ones that are anchored on new aesthetic paradigms, in contrast with traditional art and visual practices.
Born 1969
Lives in Cluj
University of Art and Design, Cluj-Napoca 1996
Solo Exhibitions
2024 – National Museum of Fine Arts of Moldova, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, “Cyber Island”, curator Horea Avram, (CGI & A.I. Platform)
2023 – DCS Contemporary Gallery, Karlsruhe, Germany, “Cyber Island”, curator Horea Avram, (Sculpture, CGI & AR)
2022 – Museum of Art, Cluj-Napoca, “Retroperspective, A Digital Manifesto”, curator Horea Avram, (Sculpture, CGI & AR)
2020 – CityArtSpace, DoubleTree by Hilton, Cluj-Napoca, “Vibes” (CGI & AR)
2019 – Reflex Gallery, Cluj-Napoca, “Real/Virtual – A Personal Way” (CGI & AR)
– CityArtSpace, DoubleTree by Hilton, Cluj-Napoca, “Code -AR”
2018 – Northridge CC, Raleigh, NC, USA
– Nano Gallery, Centrul de Interes, Cluj, “Red Rain”
2017 – “Galeria 45”, Cluj-Napoca, “The Incomplete Survival Kit” (CGI, AR & VR)
2009 -“Ancient Gallery”, Cluj-Napoca (glass & 3D projects)
1999 -“Ancient Gallery”, Cluj-Napoca (glass & CGI)
1998 -“Arts Home Gallery”, Bucharest (glass & neon tubes)
1997 -“Ancient Gallery”, Cluj-Napoca (glass & neon tubes)
1996 -“Pantheon” Gallery, Cluj-Napoca (glass & neon tubes)
Group Exhibitions
2024 – Neo Art Connect (NAC), Art and Science: “Changing Environments”, Laminor Hall, Bucharest, Curators Anca Boeriu and Andreea Sandu.
2020 – “ASEPTIC – Meeting in a Safe Space”, Virtual exhibition, Curators: Horea Avram and Adrian Grecu
2018 – Northridge CC Art Gala, Raleigh, NC, USA (Third Prize)
– Parallax Art Fair, Kensington Town Hall, London
– Elektro Arts Festival, Cluj
2017 – “Breaking Views. Memory in Construction| Future in Awaiting”, Urban Interventions by Media Art, Cluj 16-25 november
2016 – “UNTOLD Art” exhibition, UNTOLD Festival
2015, 2013 – UAP Exhibition, Museum of Art, Cluj (catalogue)
2012 – “Salon pe balcon”, Museum of Art, Cluj
2006 – Glass and Ceramics Exhibition – Museum of Art, Cluj
– Kore Gallery – Glass & neon tubes
– Ancient Gallery – “Interart Exhibition”
– Romanian Modern Artists` Exhibition- Koga City Museum – Japan (catalogue)
2003: – Ex Libris International Exhibition, Stedelijke Musea, Sint Niklaas, Belgium
2001: – Graphics International Festival, “Oulim The Great Harmony”, Seul, Korea (catalogue)
– Ex Libris International Exhibition, Gliwicze, Poland
– The International Mini-Print Biennial, Museum of Art, Cluj
– Graphics International Festival, Kanagawa, Japan
2000 – The exhibition “Identities”, Brancusi Hall, The House of Parlament, Bucharest
– International Print Festival, Cheju, Korea
1999 – Exhibition of Romanian Decorative Arts, Romanian Cultural Centre,Venice, Italy
-The International Mini-Print Biennial, Museum of Art, Cluj
1998 – International Art Camp “Salina `98”, Salina Turda. (catalogue)
1997- The International Exhibition “Nesse Bition”, Osaka, Japan
-The International Biennial of ceramics-glass-metall, “Arts of Fire”, Galeria Etaj 3\\4, Bucharest
1996 -The anniversary exhibition “Academia 70”, “Big Gallery” (U.A.P.)
– Design exhibition, “Big Gallery” (U.A.P.)
1995 -The exhibition of the ceramics-glass section, Museum of Art, Collection Departament, Cluj-Napoca
1991, 1993 – The County Graphics Hall, “Big Gallery” (U.A.P.), Cluj
Media
“Diaspora” nr. 46-47\2016, “Tribuna” nr. 305 \2015, nr.161. 16-31 may \2009, nr.37\1996, “Stirea” 25 June 1997, “Szabadsag” 12 June 1997, National daily “Romania Libera”7 February 1998, “Dreptatea” nr.175\\1998, “Natiunea” 6-12 February 1998, “Privirea” 27 January-3 February 1998, “2000 Plus” nr. 5\1998, national cultural review “Contemporanul”22 January\1998, “Monitorul” 5 November\1999, “Adevarul de Cluj” 3 November 1999, “Szabadsag” 4 November\1999, “Transilvania Jurnal” 4 Novemver 1999, “Mesagerul Transilvan” 3 November\1999, “Informatia de Cluj” 6-12 November\1999, “Echinox” nr.6\\1988, “Napoca Universitara” 1988, “Patria” nr. 2,3,6,7,8,9,14\1990, “Contemporanul” 22 January 1998, “Artelier” nr .\1998, “Vatra” nr. 4\1999.
Prizes
– 1st Prize Romanian Artists Union 2023, Multimedia Section
– 3rd Prize, Northridge CC Art Gala 2018, Raleigh, NC, USA
– 1st Prize “Untold Art” 2016
– 1st Prize: The New Energy Paradigm Shift 2012 Art Show (http://coldfusionnow.org/their-banner-is-excelsior/)