16Jul
In The Idiot, Feodor Dostoevsky stated his belief that "beauty will save the world". If this ideal holds, and we have countless reasons to hope so in the midst of chaos, then the world will be saved by a few beings: by children - through their purity, by flowers - through delicacy, by poets - through romanticism, by musicians - through sensitivity, and by painters - because they can convey them all through their brushstrokes. The Romanian painter Alexandra Grigoroiu, a name increasingly encountered and awarded by international galleries, is one of these saviours.
Bucureștii Vechi și Noi: Frida Kahlo, whom I know you admire, said that she painted flowers so that they would not fade, that they would not die. What are your reasons for painting?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: Indeed, flowers are one of the symbols I use, as metaphors of femininity, because my paintings are mainly emotional. I try to convey emotion, which can be my own, but most of the time I feel it is the emotion of others, translated into my own feelings.
I would note here that my work highlights, in a minimalist way, my passion for colour. Most paintings are based on nature in its simple form, and the concept of the illustrations, by blending, gives uniqueness to the space in which they are placed.
BVN: What are the main themes and symbols you use in your creations?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I am particularly interested in botanical motifs, the world of insects, but also in gastronomy. Insects attract me for their charm and fragility. And gastronomy, because it is one of our pleasures - the love for food, for cooking it and enjoying it as an experience.
BVN: What do you want to convey when someone looks at one of your creations?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I want that the viewer finds a state of calm, of balance, but also something that surprises him, that keeps him captivated. Having said that, I think that, in my case, the average viewer will be surprised by the overall image, the overall effect of the painting.
BVN: When did you first discover painting? Did you have any models that influenced you?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: My contact with painting began in my childhood, mostly in school. Sometimes my Drawing teacher would tell me that I could distinguish many colours. I felt then like a child with absolute hearing. That's why the need to compete with me, to surpass myself came naturally.
As far as early models are concerned, there are no people in my family who worked in painting, only in other branches of art, mainly music. They cultivated in me a sense of beauty, a sense with which I have remained. My family is rooted in the sphere of education, so I had moral as well as artistic bearings.
I TRY TO CONVEY EMOTION (...) MOST OF THE TIME I FEEL IT IS THE EMOTION OF OTHERS, TRANSLATED INTO MY OWN FEELINGS.
BVN: What about these days? Where do you get your inspiration from?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I was and still am captivated by the chromatics of Sabin Bălașa, "the painter of cosmic blue". Perhaps this is also a reason why the shades I use are very vibrant.
I also greatly admire the Japanese Yayoi Kusama, for her courage to display and confront her anxieties on canvas, in front of the public. All of her paintings are especially polka-dotted - anything she paints or creates, from landscapes to art installations.
Another artist of reference for me is Marina Abramović, one of the most eclectic and discussed women in the contemporary art scene. I admire her for the intensity of the moments she creates.
BVN: Was there a particular visit to an art museum that made an impression on you?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: Yes, at the Staatsgalerie, the Stuttgart Art Museum. That was my first contact with a larger museum. I remember seeing Brâncuși's Torso. I was impressed by the recognition of the Romanian artist at this level.
I also remember the unique feeling I had when I stood in front of a Picasso painting for the first time - an atmosphere of inexplicable magnetism, where the painting itself invited me to discover it. That was one of the moments that motivated me to create.
BVN: When was the first time you painted?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: As an experiment, I painted around 2014. I started with acrylics, oils, but I realized I didn't have the technique. I didn't feel I had the experience, like I do today with watercolor.
I started painting consistently from 2020, over two years ago. I think all these years have been necessary to get to this point, where I experience watercolor as if we expected each other. This is the perfect combination of effervescence and calmness, in other words, joviality and maturity.
BVN: What makes a successful painting? When do you know it's accomplished?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: If, when I look at it, I feel that I can't detach myself from it, constantly wanting to return to its atmosphere, it means that it has succeeded. I have had paintings that I finished in one day, but also paintings that I worked on for almost a year. This is the case with my latest painting.
I don't set deadlines for myself, but it goes without saying that I want to finish the painting I started.
I THINK ALL THESE YEARS HAVE BEEN NECESSARY TO GET TO THIS POINT, WHERE I LIVE WATERCOLOR AS IF WE HAD EXPECTED EACH OTHER.
BVN: There is this myth of the solitary artist who locks himself in his studio to create. How mentally taxing is painting? Do you need peace and quiet, or the opposite?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: Personally, I need peace of mind. That's why, in my first year of painting constantly, I painted at night, because then I could concentrate best. It was quiet, and I see solitude as a gain, as a time of introspection, where I can gather my thoughts and listen to myself.
BVN: Have you ever destroyed a canvas that you weren't happy with?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: It happened twice that I dropped the brush, and then the canvas was ruined. There was nothing left to do! (laughs) Also, sometimes it is a challenge to "reinvent" the canvas that has suffered such a mishap.
BVN: When do you go from passion to profession in terms of painting?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: It probably happens when you feel that you are very sought after. It's the first signal that you can move into the professional zone.
BVN: Do you agree with the expression that "you are made an artist by the public", precisely through this search you were talking about?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: It's an interesting question, but I think you are an artist because you feel like an artist and because you live accordingly. And that's because along the way you will meet people who will doubt you. You have to be very sure of your art, who you are and what you do.
BVN: What do those who want to fulfill their dream of painting need to know, following in your footsteps? What are the costs of painting, for example - and, when you draw the line, are the rewards greater?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I believe that everyone comes into the world with a talent, which makes them happy, and makes those around them happy. If you manage to find the talent in yourself, to realise what you are good at, what you can do, I think your chances of success are very high.
There are some investments, but I started gradually, precisely so that if I failed, I wouldn't regret losing too much of the materials involved. Along the way, I have indeed invested a lot in brushes, paper and so on...
BVN: There are only about 15 paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in the world, and Mona Lisa's lips took 10 years to paint. There are 13,000 paintings by Picasso. Which model do you prefer? The prolific painter or the one obsessed with perfection?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I'm somewhere in the middle, because by nature I'm a perfectionist, so I tend to take things to the extreme. But I like to have a variety of work. So far, I have signed over 150 works, of which around 130 have been sold.
And because I've come this far, as a painter you need storage space for materials and work. You need a place of your own, a studio. But for the time being, I'm still on the edge of what's bearable. Obviously, in the future I want to have my own studio - every artist wants that.
BVN: Tell me about the awards you've won in recent years.
Alexandra Grigoroiu: My first international prize was won in the United States, at a gallery exhibition. It was in 2021. We are talking about "Cotton heart", which took third prize at the J.Mane Gallery in Chicago. Over the years, I've entered several competitions and exhibitions, but this first prize validated my talent and confirmed that others feel the same way I do.
My next award came when I exhibited at the International Watercolor Institute in Niigata, Japan, for a painting called "Message on the moon".
Then I exhibited in the UK for an environmental charity - reforestation in Kenya. Next, I had three monochrome paintings published in a magazine in the Belgian capital, Brussels Art Vue. I won for the work "Aerial" ("Airy"). It's a flower which, although painted in black and white, conveys a lot of colour. In my opinion, "Airy" expresses the power of showing colour even when it doesn't exist.
The next competition was in the spring of 2022, when I won first prize at "Dali's Mustache" in Spain with a painting of ginkgo leaves. And in June this year, I won the bronze prize in Hong Kong for "Four seasons". "Four Seasons" is a very special painting, my most complex. And I'm not just talking about the composition itself. Being made over the course of a year, this painting goes through a whole range of emotions: from happiness, to loss, to longing. Besides, each season leaves its own chromatic imprint.
BVN: It is absolutely remarkable for a young artist, almost unknown in Romania, to receive so much recognition abroad.
Alexandra Grigoroiu: That's right. I feel like I've started down this road and it's opening up some interesting prospects for me that I'm grateful for. I hope they lead to something beautiful.
BVN: Your biggest artistic dream? Where would you like to exhibit, and why?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I would like to exhibit at the Tate Gallery in the UK, but also at the MoMA in the United States, because I want to take my sensibility and my works to where they can be admired by everyone. My paintings are not very classical. Even though it's watercolor, I give it a new twist and I can fit it into the lines of local design.
BVN: Why watercolor? What is its main quality?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: Watercolor, in itself, is an experience. It's a game - the strong pigment, its fluidity and transparency, the fact that you hold your breath until the last minute it dries. Staying open to the unknown and trusting it is a constant challenge. For me watercolor is a story and a real mystery.
BVN: What makes you feel fulfilled as a painter?
Alexandra Grigoroiu: I think people's appreciation. If I manage to bring joy to those around me with what I do, it means that this is my meaning and my goal. When you exhibit or offer a painting, the most beautiful thing is to notice the reaction of the viewer. You immediately know if you have reached their soul. It's a very powerful emotion.
Alexandra Grigoroiu is one of the Romanian artists who are increasingly featured in international galleries. You can check out her portfolio on wcolorart.com , on Opensea, where her paintings have also become NFTs, or on her Facebook and Instagram accounts.
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