Drawing for Capturing the Air 1982

Constantin Flondor’s "Drawing for Capturing the Air" uses ink and pencil to offer us a glimpse into his artistic process. Flondor was associated with Group 111, a Romanian avant-garde movement which opposed the cultural policies of the Communist regime. We can interpret the imagery in this drawing in light of that history. Notice the contrast between geometric shapes on the top left and the free-flowing lines that dominate the composition. This tension might represent the struggle between order and freedom, a theme pertinent to artists living under a restrictive political system. The inscription in Romanian on the bottom right, translating to "all that is born must fly," hints at aspirations for liberation. To fully grasp the socio-political nuances of Flondor’s work, we can look to manifestos of Group 111 and records of state censorship during that period, which provide valuable insights into the constraints and creative responses of Romanian artists at the time. In doing so, we understand art as a product of complex social and institutional forces.