Works
About
‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ by Cătălin Pîslaru carries the weight of the grind and the uncertain barrier between effort and rest. When we were kids, we often asked each other about our hobbies and what we did in our free time, and now, time doesn’t allow these kinds of joys. We give ourselves a pat on the back when we accomplish most of the things we set our minds on, but we leave behind the carefree bliss we once had. Cătălin Pîslaru’s activity morphed into his identity and now we see a glimpse of it.
When looking at an artwork we usually tend to search for its original meaning, for the sole idea which started the entire process, forgetting that the public plays an essential role in understanding the work and giving it significance. Pîslaru’s works show the process of simplifying the shapes of everyday objects and situations up to the point of utter confusion, at this point inviting the viewer to decipher what they believe they have in front of them. We can observe experimenting as a keynote of Pîslaru’s practice. Many of his works are organized in series, as a way of taking a subject and a technique and rounding it up in a finished sequence.
When we enter one of his exhibitions, we often feel immersed in a separate dimension where we recognize shapes, but not being able to put our finger on their exactitude. The precision of the works oftentimes overwhelms the viewer while the familiarity of the formats brings them back in.
