Spaces 2005

Geta Bratescu made this mixed media collage entitled ‘Spaces,’ combining drawing, paper and textile. Bratescu’s exploration of space can be seen as a response to the restrictive social and political climate of communist Romania, where free expression was stifled and artistic autonomy was compromised by state control. Her collage may represent an attempt to create mental spaces, even utopian landscapes, as an escape from the limitations of the real world. The formal arrangements, which she called "exercises of the subconscious," create a sense of depth and movement. This invites us to consider the artist’s role in society, as either a conformist or an agent of change. Looking into archives, personal letters, and the political history of Romania at the time helps contextualize Bratescu’s work within the broader scope of art history. Approaching art in this way reveals it as a dynamic interplay between personal expression and socio-political context.