www.business-review.eu Business Review | June 2022
ARTS 35
Ioana Ciocan: “New generations of art collectors are emerging in Romania” For the 9th edition of Art Safari, the biggest art event in Romania, Business Review talked to Ioana Ciocan, the event’s general manager, about the current trends and challenges on the local and international art scene. By Oana Vasiliu will be the fact that Art Safari will return in the fall, in the same place, with a resounding anniversary edition. We have long wanted to present Art Safari in a large format, especially since the effort we make to organise it is very significant, and this unique event deserves to last longer. In addition, Art Safari is also funded by the Culture Ministry this year, in an extraordinary recognition of the event’s leadership in the field of cultural projects and its potential to place Romania on the European art and culture map. (…) Moreover, this edition will showcase art worth over EUR 14 million, including works by Picasso and Dali, featured for the first time at Art Safari.
How would you describe the DNA of Art Safari?
masters—Aman, Luchian—and also acquiring
Even though the space where Art Safari will
super contemporary Romanian art, such as
take place will be the same as last year, the ar-
Boldness is key. Art Safari has been a daring
that of Irina Dragomir, who will have her own
chitectural concept of this edition, signed by
project from the very beginning. It takes time,
exhibition at Art Safari – 9th edition.
architect Ioana Corbu, will certainly surprise visitors, offering an exciting show at modern
hard work, but also courage to become the
standards. For the first time, the exhibition
in Romania. (…) The success of that 2015
What advantages does Art Safari bring to the Romanian art scene?
edition—20,000 visitors—gave us courage to
We are a leading brand in the field of art and
that will highlight every artwork in Art Safari,
organise the next editions and the chance to
culture, we have the power to reach wide
while the pavilion dedicated to the Picasso-
massively evolve, and here we are in 2022,
audiences, to shape behaviours, to bring art
Dali duo will be accompanied by music. (…)
ready for two editions in a brand new format:
in people’ lives in an unprecedented way, and
6 months of art in the heart of Bucharest.
convince them that art and culture represent
exhibited art has increased, because we are
important parts of our national identity in a
no longer talking about an insurance period
European and global context. We are a one-
of 10 days, but 6 months. And our border with
of-a-kind project in Romania, with a great
Ukraine does not help our insurance rates at
potential to place Bucharest and the entire
all, because now we’ve had to introduce a war
country on the European cultural map, not
clause into the policy. This was in addition to
just on a regional level.
the terrorism clause, which has been in place
largest and the most appreciated art event
Let’s talk about changes on the art market and the continuing art boom since the beginning of Art Safari. How does today’s market work? Can you point to specific trends?
space will also benefit from a lighting system
The value of our insurance policy for the
for several years. Our international partners
Romania has a relevant position in CEE and will have much to say in contemporary art,
What makes Art Safari so special this year?
have been quite concerned about this proxim-
and in recent years Art Safari has contributed
It will be the first time when Art Safari, a cul-
ity to Ukraine, but we are very happy that
to shaping tastes and educating the public,
tural project funded by the Culture Ministry,
there was no question of cancelling the event
including collectors. New generations of
will last 3 months, and the second year in a
or postponing it, because we are prepared to
collectors have begun to emerge over the
row when it will take place in the gorgeous
protect the artwork like every big museum
past few years, resuming the tradition of art
Dacia-Romania Palace, in the old city centre,
does. And people need art; it gives them
investment that had faded away during the
the future headquarters of Pinacoteca Bucur-
hope.
communist period. This new class of young
esti, on 18-20 Lipscani, through a partnership
collectors is discovering the great Romanian
with the Bucharest Museum. Another first
Art Safari will continue until August 7, 2022.
