Mihai Criste

(Romania)

SP: HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN SURREALISM?
MIHAI: I became interested in surrealism because I was fascinated by mystery, association of opposites, metaphysics which breathes in this art form and freedom of imagination. I was attracted to surrealism when I attended the Academy of Arts in Cluj-Napoca,Romania, in the graphic arts section, and then in time, I was entranced by surreal work because both of them worked with the concept.

SP: WHAT MEDIUMS DO YOU PRESENTLY WORK IN?
MIHAI: I paint in oil on canvas and my paintings size depends on pictorial subject and what is being represented. My dimensions are: 61/81 CM; 120/80 CM;140/100CM.

SP: WHAT ARE YOU PRESENTLY WORKING ON?
MIHAI: I have some ideas with musical themes. I start to paint these ideas on the canvas in surrealistic style also. I think that my ideas come more quickly than I paint.

SP: HAVE YOU HAD A RECENT OR UPCOMING SHOW?
MIHAI: I haven’t had a recent exhibition. For the moment my work is displayed only in the virtual exhibition. It is very necessary in either way, because it represents dialog with the artistic public. The artist using a non-verbal language must address many people.

SP: WHERE DO YOU PAINT?
MIHAI: Usually I paint in a light space and sometimes I use music for inspiration.

SP: WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PAINTING PROCESS?
MIHAI: All my ideas are part of the creative process, which is the difference between my older work and my present oil paintings. I’m so diversified in my artwork themes now! My inspiration and my ideas can come from anything: from a discussion with someone, from a dream, from a poem, an association of ideas or from my old ideas. The process of ideas can also mean a return to my previous ideas, but with an attempt to give up repetition of the older pictorial motifs and elements, so that the work has more conscious control.
I work periodically because I need a time for inspiration and drawings, sketches and documentation. In fact, this is my process of painting. I was inspired by the important surrealists like Dali and Magritte but I passed beyond their influences.
There are times when I paint in the neo-byzantine style. Some of my surrealist paintings have religious influences through the use of symbols such as :apple, tree, snake, blood, candle, et cetera. The metaphysic and the transcendental are the contact point between sacred and profane, i.e. a bridge between the two pictures types: ecclesiastic and surrealist, with the difference that the one is canonical and does not allow to neglect rules while the other has practically no rules and possesses complete freedom. Surrealism individualizes me and offers the liberty I need that separates my work from the religious, canonical picture.

SP: WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERRED SUBJECTS?
MIHAI: My preferred subjects are nature, time, existence, art, et cetera.

SP: WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL HISTORY WITH ART?
MIHAI: I was in a period of searching in art. I worked in many styles: abstract, cubist, post-impressionist, expressionist. I passed through this advanced artistic current and I eventually identified with surrealism. I realize that the surrealist style has more to say from the conceptual, imagistic point of view, and artistic message. I love the surrealism that breathes metaphysics, that metaphor exists through the images poetry, mystery and concept. My work is influenced by my studies of graphic art in the Art academy.
My senses and seminification work together with my technical knowledge, which allows me to transcend my training into surrealistic creations.

Education:
1990-1994 - "Sigismund Toduta "Music and Plastic Arts High School, graphics art section from Deva.
1997-2001 - " Ioan Andreescu" Visual Arts Academy, graphics art section from Cluj-Napoca.

question from previously featured artist Steven Kenny:
AS AN ARTIST WHO IS ACCUSTOMED TO TAPPING INTO YOUR UNCONSCIOUS, WHAT DO YOU THINK AND FEEL ABOUT YOUR UNCONSCIOUS?
Although I am aware that my unconscious has
been directing my work from the beginning, the inspirations that come from that source are only a starting point. The rest is a conscious development of an idea with my wish to be original in my artwork. I think that the unconscious appears to the conscience level, like in my pictures. The surreal picture tries to bring the unconscious to reality, like in psycho-analysis when pent up feelings are released.

PAST EVENTS
October 1992 - Mihai took part in a group exhibition that took place at the"Book's House” from Deva with some graphic art papers, posters and book illustrations.

June 1994 - Personal exhibition and theoretical presentation of the Diploma Work entitled: "Festina Lente".

June 1997 - He took part in the summer practice which made up the introduction in the world of graphics arts on computers.

October 1997 - Mihai had the opportunity to collaborate with American students from the Arts Institute from U.S.A. and they exchanged papers through an American teacher who visited the Visual Art Academy "Ioan Andreescu "from Cluj-Napoca.

December 1997 - He took part in the winter practice, in order to view some exhibitions from the Arts Museum from Budapest.

June 1999 - Collaboration with Europontic Printing house of Cluj-Napoca for illustrating the children's books: "The Wizard of Oz" and "Amintiri din copilarie".

June 2003 - Group Exhibition in Denver, Colorado with a few surrealistic paintings.

January 2004 - Mihai took part in a group exhibition which was organized by Petrosani, which took place at the "Forma Gallery" in the Winter Saloon with two lino-engravures of the religious theme: "Crucification" si "Trinity".

June 2004 - Collaboration with Polirom Printing House of Iasi to illustrate the cover of the book "World in two days" by George Balaita.

December 2005 - Collaboration with Polirom Printing House of Iasi to illustrate the cover of the books: "Despre clovni" by Norman Manea and "Perimetrul custii" by Leo Butnaru.

5th of February 2006 - Mihai took part in the National contest of paintings at the "Opera Theatre Ion Dacian" of Bucharest which was organized by the Foundation "Arte e Arta", where
he displayed one painting: "Incarnated Logos". (below)


6th of September 2006 - Mihai took part in the group exhibition "Balcic-Queen Mary's Heart" where he presented three paintings realized during the documentary trip organized at Balcic by the Foundation "Arte e Arta" in the period between the 3rd and 9th of July 2006.

23rd of October 2006 - Mihai took part at the group exhibition "Cool Daddy Rembrandt" occasioned by ROMHOTEL 2006, organized in ROMEXPO Exhibition Complex from Bucharest, where he displayed 10 paintings in super realistic style, together with other young painters, all the paintings being designated to the hotels, offices and banks.

Please visit Mihai's website to view more work.
Mihai's email: mihai82000@yahoo.com

"The beauty in art is nothing else
but the essence, the creation!"

Mihai has been painting professionally for more than 10 years

Stumble It!