The Symphony 

Sabin Balasa’s painting "The Symphony" pulses with dreamlike imagery. Its layered composition suggests a world in constant flux. The painting was made in Romania, where the institutions of art were heavily shaped by state control. Balasa studied and then taught at Nicolae Grigorescu Fine Arts Institute, a state run institution. The overall effect of Balasa’s approach is to question the very notion of a fixed reality. Its layered composition and ambiguous forms defy any easy interpretation. "The Symphony" can be seen as a subtle form of resistance. In this context, Balasa's art encourages viewers to question the imposed narratives and to embrace the power of individual imagination. To truly understand Balasa’s work, we need to explore the socio-political climate of Romania during his lifetime and the changing dynamics of its art institutions.