Romanian News Report
Colectia
Crihana
The
“Humour…at Gura Humorului” Festival
Cartoon
section
Exhibitions
Rudolf Schmückle – personal
exhibition
Octavian Bour – personal
exhibition
Viorel Baciu –
personal exhibition
Cartoon magazines – Crihană’s collection
Humorous photography
Leonte Năstase –
miniature portraits exhibition
ştefan popa popa's – everyday events
in portraits and photos
Eduard Manta – personal exhibition
Serbia’s cartoonists −personal
miniexhibitons – Jugoslav Vlahovič, Nikola Otaš, Konstantin Grosu, Nikole
Kostandinovića
Aiud exhibition
– international cartoon
Cartoon contest
The Grand Jury of the
cartoon section made up of :
DEVIS GREBU
GABRIEL BRATU
OCTAVIAN BOUR
Mihai pănzaru - pim
CONSTANTIN PAVEL and
FLORIAN DORU CRIHANĂ decided to award
the following prizes:
The
first prize – Ioan Szilveszter
The second prize – Mihai Danielescu
The third prize – Ambrozie Ovidiu Bortă
"George Gavrilean" prize – Wang Rui Sheng - China
Ştefan Popa – Popa's şi Viorel Corodescu – Cov.
awarded special prizes for children. It was also awarded a special prize in the
memory of S o r i n P o s t o l a c h e.
Viorel Corodescu – COV
handed several plaquettes. A nice but unusual gesture. We think that Viorel
Corodescu should establish a cultural association or set up a foundation on
behalf of which he should award these prizes.
Conversation on Art
Pena - Crihana
I.Pena – Pai
Your attitude displeased
me. Can’t you inform your readers ...corectly?Are you tricked by Ionita and his
stupid association?Please tell „the thief” and his defender that he should
address no to Deva, but to Germany at Don Quichotte, because Horia
took the “incriminating” grouping. I’m attaching you the proof. And secondly,
would it be better to be “policemen” or the “thiefs” ?(as it is writing in your
Bulletin?) If you prefer me being a “thief” I will please you. In my computers
I have got over 24.102 cartoons I have been collecting for a long time, plus
521 catalogues. Consequently, you should modify efficiently and on time the
mistakes in your Bulletin. I care about the image of the Salon from Deva much
more than yours Despo.
F.D.Crihana
I don’t think Despodov stole. Despodov will remain
locked in his rigid style and will have a lot of trouble if he doesn’t change
the way of drawing and ideas. The simple metaphor doesn’t work anymore. Who
makes it fails don’t think you can remember so many drawings. It’s too much for
a human-being.. And please make some cartoons without using words because I
don’t see anything well anymore.
I.Pena – Pai
I would better stop drawing cartoons rather then copy
from others , see your Despo. Or , I prefer quality instead of quantity. Your
reference to my cartoons that have not a written text is risky. I have been
working since 1999 without break. Do you think you could resist 3 weeks doing
what I do? I have been doing cartoons illustrating present day political issues
for 9 years. That is a rhetorical question. Your conclusion says that you are
the only one who makes good things. Really ? The memory of my computer is
full of proofs. Here is only ONE example: in 10 years I have got in my
computers 4000 good cartoons from Taejon. This is half of their site, what do
you think about this? You will never understand how much I loved cartoon. At
present when I open a catalogue I can’t stand those cartoons which have the
same idea and message. Yesterday, I saw 3 catalogues I did not send them my
works. I have selected about 5 drawings of each. This is me. Only a new idea
makes me reveal myself. The graphic form with an old idea doesn’t impress me
anymore. That’s it!
F.D.Crihana
No, I just miss your drawings from the exhibitions.
What are you doing in the newspaper is impressive – I can’t do this. Forget it
, I don’t imply anything. It’s true that from a catalogue remain only 5
drawings that’s why I let them unopened in their envelopes. They do not worth
being opened. I feel the same concerning creativity. I draw much more rarely
for fear of overlapping. I think my works much more than before. Three times
more . That’s why I haven’t sent my works at Hurriyet this year. If I knew you
were in the jury I would have prepared myself. Our dialogue through Internet
seems to be very cold. These written words do not show how pleased I am to talk
to you. I am proud even if I am arguing with you. Your criticism hurts, but I
cannot turn my back on you.
I.Pena – Pai
I believe many of you think of me as ..”that fool
Pena”… with his obsessions. The thing is that I got tired of compromises and I
could give up a friendship for the truth. We close our eyes at too many things
in order to protect ourselves. It is a useless fight between us all, for
eternity and podium, without realizing that places in Heaven are and will be
taken by MATTY for his talent and popularity , Ciosu for his works and Stanescu
for his courage and combination of events. For us, the others, nothing remains
but to submit and be proud we followed their steps. I agree that there is a
bunch of really talented cartoonists. Everyone would like to be like them, but
there is not possible. In the last 20 years thousands of cartoons were created
with various topics. That’s why I am afraid of continuing my work for the fear
of overlapping. What is to be done? My answer is .. less but better. Which is
yours?
Exhibition
DEVIS GREBU
Romanian Cultural Institute
Madrid
Voyage
dans le monde
magique
des illustrations
June 2007
Interview
with
Elvira Romaniuc
The
manager of the Museum of Folk Customs from Bucovina ,
Gura Humorului
Mrs Elvira Romaniuc, whose idea was this humour-cartoon festival ?
There are a lot of people, institutions and certain
circumstances that have contributed to start this festival. In the 80’s, it had
been created a real movement of the cartoonists from Gura Humorului. The
pioneers of this movement were George Gavrileanu , Radu Bercea , Florin
Susinchi , Teo Bocanet. They displayed their work in our museum and in many
other places in the country. I recall with pleasure that period of time because
it was immediately after the Revolution and you had to have a great deal of
courage. Florin Susinschi suggested the organisation of a Salon of Humour,
whose title illustrate the name of our town – Gura Humorului – that makes you
think of something funny. His name comes from the fact he is located at the
mouth of the river Humor.In the language of the Tartars humour means fast.
The idea was accepted. The others cartoonists from the
town and department join the festival, then Mr. Marcel Muresan the chief of the
Cultural Department at that time, Mrs.
Rodica Dominte the manager at the Centre of the Folk Creations and of course
Clarks from the Town Hall who helped in organizing this festival.
On the First of April 1991 , April’s fool day, took
place the first edition of the Festival “Humour … at Gura Humorului” of cartoon
and epigrams. The organizers kept changing the date of the festival until now
when they decide to include it in the Gura Humorului anniversary in the second
week-end of June. This year too, the date of the festival changed because of a
religious custom. There are lots of people who worked with all their heart and
soul for the festival and we really should talk about them one day. We want
people to understand that this festival needs a common effort to those who
believe in laughter.
How did the festival develop?
First it was a small festival when we all learnt how
to make a festival, we quickly got to a national festival and then to an
international festival this year.
I, personally, learnt very quickly since the first
edition that the humour is a really serious “science” served by serious,
responsible, talented and capable people who try hard to improve the wrongs of
the world using laughter.
We, the cartoonists, are proud of that the President of Honour of the
festival is a cartoonist – Stefan Popa Popa’s. What did he do for the festival?
In 1996,
someone, I don’t know who and I apologize for this, convince Stefan Popa Popa’s
to come to Gura Humorului. Every year his presence here is an event. Stefan
Popa Popa’s never comes here by himself; he is always accompanied by valuable
cartoonists. We all became friends here, we are a big family all together.
Mr. Popa’s showed us what a real cartoon means in
Romania and in the world. He also taught us how to discover, teach and promote
local talents. In Suceava and Bacau you can find now schools of cartoons. A
“school of humour” function for a short time in Gura Humorului too.
I would like to add that Mr. Stefan Popa Popa’s is
working hard every year he comes to Gura Humorului.He draw the portraits of
everyone who wants that. His and others cartoonists work let to the idea of
creating “the alley of the artists”. That is a workshop during the festival and
where works the greatest portrait cartoonists. These portraits are not for
sale, Mr. Stefan Popa Popa’s always supported even financial this festival. He
is always here for all of us.
Is the great cartoonist Vasile
Crăiţă Mîndră always the President of the Jury?
Yes! Since the first edition he was the president of
the cartoon section. Vasile Crăiţă
Mîndră is a great artist, friend. He is honest and very modest. This year
Vasile Craita Mindra isn’t the president because he went to an international
painting camp in Belarus together with 20 of his pupils from Bacau where he is
a teacher and as you know we decided that this year you will be the president
of this section. I’m sure you will manage.
Why did you want an international edition in 2007?
It was a normal evolution. There always have been
displayed works of foreign cartoonists due to Mr. Popa’s and Mr. Stefan Balog
from Aiud. It was high time we had our own international festival. I think we
have the necessary experience, force and means to properly organize it.
We had noticed a change in the way of organizing the cartoon section of
the festival. Are you going to invite only the winners? Is the public bored to
see the same every year?
Depend on what
you refer to. When speaking about the contestants we have transmitted the
regulation and we also put it on the Internet.
Those directly involved from an artistic point of view
are the members of the jury and the winners. There are also the portrait cartoonists
who have been working in their workshop for 3 years. There aren’t people who
have to win a prize every year, the only think that matters is the quality of
the drawings. However, it may happened one of them win a prize.
You succeed in establishing a jury made up with international artists.
Are you going to ask to participate at this festival great cartoonists? I ask
you this because there are cartoon artists that no longer participate to this
festival.
This situation depends on the artists, if they trust
us and answer to our invitation.
How do you think the passed-away artists should be displayed at the
festivals?
We think we have a good solution that is special
personal displays “in memoriam” for our deceased friends(George Gavrileanu ,
Sorin Postolache). Their works as well as their portraits made by famous
cartoonists will be displayed. We shall discuss with the organizers of the
festival.
Thank you
for this interview. I was a guest at Gura Humorului for the last two editions
of the festival and I also want to thank you for your hospitality.
25.06.2007 Interview by Florian Doru Crihană
Romanians
at New York
The museum of
the society illustrators
Nell Cobar
Ion Barbu
Mihai ignat
Radu Iulian
Iulian pena - Pai
Pavel Botezatu
Constantin Ciosu
Florian doru Crihană
International exhibiton retrospective of
the Aydin Doğan Foundation - Turcia
Many thanks to Irem Erikmen
Constantin Ciosu in the magazine Irancartoon
Romania is again very well reprezented in Iran.Last month the
magazine Irancartoon published some Iulian Pena-Pai’s drawings on the cover and
inside the magazine.This month it is Constantin Ciosu turn to be published with
a series of valuable drawings.It was a pleasure to discover a few new drawings.
Catalogue Urziceni
The catalogue of the contest as well as exhibiton named „The
Cartoonists New Year’s Eve” Urziceni 2006 with the topic „Europe we love you!”
has been printed in excellent graphical conditions at the Horia Crisan’s
publishing house from Deva.We suggest our colegues from Deva to also print the
catalogue of the contest HumoDeva with the same size,as that catalogue
calendar-type doesn’t suit very well in the library.
Contest at Sibiu
The Institute Aspen from Sibiu organized during June a cartoon
contest with title „The perfect European – How are(not) the Romanians?”The
Grand prize was a week-end at Bruxelles for two persons.The contest was
organized without being announced.
I.L.Caragiale
PORTRAITS
The
Romanian Culture Institute Madrid
18-31 June
Collection Cartoonists Rights Network
From the
"Big Romanians"
Co-ordinating Nicolae Ioniţă
“Our poor
cartoon”
Letter from
Rudi
Indeed “Our
poor cartoon” if I look at the original got back recently from Olense! In a
simple crumpled envelope and they are not the only one. A lot of works simply
disappear. That’s the reason why quality digital copies should be displayed. My
heart breaks down when I see that the artists work is not respected. I no
longer send my drawings at this kind of Salons. When asked, an original work
can be bought or donated – Rudi.
“Our poor cartoon” (II)
Dear Rudi,
Thank you for your opinion – extremely useful in the
debate of the subject. We think that we should fight so that those organizers
who use original works must protect these works and must safely return them.
The other organizers should display digital or xerox copies. We consider that
it’s high time we recover our drawings from the Romanian festivals that do not
use them in any way or that keep them in archives. First of all, we think of
these institutions that do not have proper conditions like humidity,
temperature etc. for their archives. The museums do not enter in this category.
We completely trust them. The editors of the Bulletin suggest to all it’s
readers to begin a campaign accordingly.
This works of art have been forgotten in cupboards and
basements. We also consider the works of those who passed away should be
returned to their families.
SECATURA
Victor
Chiriloaie – Chiril has registered the magazine “Secatura” at the Office of
Inventions and Trade Marks and printed the first edition in the new size
A3.Number of copies printed: 1000. While writing this article, we were looking
for the best solutions for the distribution in the country. We are looking
forward to your suggestions.
Self-disqualification
Pawel
Kuczynski
A young
Polish graphic-designer is creating sensation in the cartoon contests for some
time now. He won almost everything that he could win. He had difficulties in
Germany where a work of his had won the First Prize. Pawel sent a letter of
apology to the German organizers because his drawing had already been awarded a
prize in Poland. Pawel let the Germans know this thing and suggested taking
back his work from the contest. The organizers agreed. We didn’t have the
chance to meet him but we were strongly impressed by his gesture rarely seen in
the world of the cartoonists.
Mihai Panzaru – Pim Activities
Mihai
Panzaru – Pim participate in June with 150 drawings (50 comic strips) at the
International Comic Strip Salon in Brussels. The Salon was open for nine days.
Alex. Ciubotariu – Ciubi , Dodo Nita – the President of the Romanian Comic
Strip Drawers and Writers Association and habitual… Gogu Neagoe from
College “Pim”.
Mihai
Panzaru – Pim created 54 coloured drawings with which he illustrated Ion
Creanga’s book “the story of the
stories”.His work costs 20 lei. Pim also illustrated Ion Cristoiu’s new book.
Criv at Galati and Braila
At the
end of June, Cristinel Vecerdea - Criv
had two exhibitions in Galati and Braila.The first one was at the Galati
Penitentiary and the next day Criv went to Braila where he reopened the
exhibition held at the “Maria Filoti” Theatre in town.
Radu Cletiu in the town Porto
The
cartoonist from Timisoara has been invited in the town Porto from Portugal in
order to draw portraits on the spot on the occasion of awarding the prizes at
the well-known contest “World Press Cartoon Festival”. The contest recorded the
highest prize ever awarded for a cartoon: 20.000 Euro. Radu Cletiu met the
members of the jury , the awarded artists and made a great number of portraits.
The National Press Cartoon Salon
Galati
Edition
2007 of Press cartoon Salon – Galati
started by sending the regulation to the authors.
ZEMUN 2007
At the
Gallery “Harbour Master’s Office” in Zemun, there has been opened the
exhibition of the International Cartoon Salon Zemun 2007. From Romania have participated with works on the line
as guests of honour the following: Devis
Grebu, Constantin Ciosu, Ion Barbu , Nicolae Lengher and Florian-Doru Crihana.
In the same time, has been displayed the exhibition
“His Master’s line” and also handed the album of the exhibition .All the three
works reproduced of the master Albert
Poch are in the album.
Cartoon at Bailesti
Invitation
You are invited to
participate at the second edition of the National Humor „Amza Pella” Festival
from Bailesti.The festival takes place at the Community Centre in town between
31 August and 1 September 2007. You can
participate with original works,size:A4-A3,unlimited number.Your works can be
send until 20 August.The salon is a competition so in the next days the jury
will establish the prizes.
Address:The National „Amza Pella” Festival.
„Amza Pella” Community Centre, Bailesti , Dolj departament.
The Cartoon Salon Galati – Braila of the Union of Plastic Artists
In August, The Cartoon Salon Galati – Braila will be opened at the
Gallery “Nicolae Mantu” from Galati. Victor Chiriloaie – Chiril, Viorel Baciu, Pavel Botezatu, Valentin Chibrit and Florian
Doru Crihană have been invited to participate at the Salon.
TOP 10
April2007
1. Janos
Szilveszter 69p
First Prize Cataratas (48p), Special Prize Bistrita
(4p), Special Prize Gura
Humorului (17p)
2. Constantin
Pavel 31p
First Prize Olympic China (18p) and
Mention China (4p)
Special Prize Amstelveen (9p)
3. Gabriel Rusu 28p
Special Prize Kolasin (4p), Special
Prize Siria (4p),
Special Prize Legnica (15p), Honorable
Mention
Kozuchow(5p)
4. Cristian Topan
22p
Special Prize Kolasin (4p),
Third Prize Sintra (18p)
5. Mihai Danielescu
18p
Honor Nomination Leng Mu(5p), Second Prize Gura
Humorului (13p)
6. Mihăiţă
Porumbiţă 14p
Bursa Honor Prize(8p), Mention Zagreb
(6p)
7. Iulian Pena –
Pai 11p
Don Quijote Mention(4p), Special Prize
Gabrovo (7p)
8. Ambrozie
Ovidiu Bortă 10p
Third Prize Gura Humorului
9. Costel Pătrăşcan 9p
Special Prize Deva-Brad (4p),
Honor Nomination LengMu(5p)
10. Constantin
Ciosu 7p
Cover Award Kruishoutem(7p)
Romanians in contests
Gabi Rusu won Honorable Mention at Kozuchow in Poland.Congratulations!
COV Donation
During our
staying at Gura Humorului, we got an important donation over 100 humour
magazines from Viorel Corodescu – COV(that’s why we had to buy a new suitcase
from the super-market).In those we discovered remarkable drawings like ”The
soldiers” from Albania, “Chiparus” from Moldavia Republic and “Szpilki” from
Poland. Thank you COV!A number of these will be soon displayed in the
Collection’s exhibitions.
Latest news:
Alex’s opinion
“Stefan Despodov, whom I know for a long time, is in
my view one of the greatest Bulgarian artists and also a distinctive and great
personality in Europe. I don’t think he needs any defence; his signature on a
drawing is both a warranty and a value. There is no evident connection in point
of subject ,composition and lay out and especially the artistic achievement
between the two drawings in question – the drawing of a Chinese who doesn’t
know how to draw and Despodov’s work of art. The other remarks are unimportant
and without substance.
“Our poor
cartoon…”
I, Alex, have displayed my works in humour national
salons since 1975 and humour international salons since 1980.Meanwhile I have
won prizes for Romania but I have lost thousands of drawings without any chance
to recover them. It’s an extremely painful thing which I’m strongly feeling
some time.
Beside a small number of reliable humoristic salons-
top salons- I think that all the rest of them should accept the changing of
regulations, that is sending our drawings under the form of high quality ,of
course, xerox copies or prints, because the value of prizes and their way of
organizing the salons do not justify their pretentions to our works. And ,as a
example I would especially mention the salons humour in Romania, no matter the
organizer, which doesn’t justify at all the keeping or “arresting” our drawings
after the salons closed.
It is known that many “organizers” put the drawings in
a cupboard and forget about them ,or they sell some of them, or present them on
different occasions .There are years since I stated that the sending of the
original drawings should be accompanied by a written document mention their
donation , selling or sending them back, as it happens in Istanbul, Gabrovo or
Legnica. These salons have got a museum of humour and I am sure that, in here,
these valuable drawings are well-kept.”
In the next issue:
How the jury
works at Hurriyet
An article written by Iulian Pena-Pai
The answer
received by Radu Cletiu from World Guinness Book of
Records
Their official letter.
Texts
by Florian Doru Crihana
Translation
by Eliza Crihana