Discontinuities 

Editor: So, this is Horia Bernea's *Discontinuities*, an acrylic on canvas, and I have to say, there's something really striking about the composition – the contrast between that large, almost earthy red space and the precise geometry on the side. What do you see in this piece, looking at it from your perspective? Curator: I see a visual representation of the fractured identities that were emerging in Eastern Europe during the late 20th century. Consider Romania under communist rule: a society built on imposed uniformity yet riddled with internal contradictions and suppressed individual narratives. How might we read these contrasting planes of color and shape as stand-ins for ideological conflict? Editor: That's fascinating! The geometric section on the right then becomes… a kind of failed or imposed order? And the raw space is the… resistance? Or maybe, just reality? Curator: Exactly. And I think that this "failed order" could perhaps allude to failed social constructs and oppressive regimes that forced uniformity on its population. What effect do the textures and layered applications of paint have on your understanding? Editor: I guess that makes sense… I mean it isn’t like the “bricks” line up as we would expect – instead each of them are disjointed… and that central area has some imperfections too – there is an underpainting or previous iterations visible that gives a sense of change – a search maybe. Curator: Precisely. We should ask ourselves - could this “search” reflect on how identity is formed at the intersection of the personal and political? In that process, what stories emerge, and whose voices remain silent? Editor: This is something to think about, now I understand why the work's title makes perfect sense. Thank you! Curator: Of course. I trust you will keep reflecting on these pressing questions, beyond the studio or the gallery.