Mădălina Manole pop art

Didn't see this one coming, right?
Well, you'd better read it.

I did listen to Mădălina Manole and kinda like it, but this happen when I was a kid with no idea what music industry was about.
Her inexplicably suicide made me curious on documenting real famous romanian artists and their life's turning point, for some time.
Sadly, we have a lot of this cases and we quickly (a maximum of 4 years) forget about their talent, dedication, hard work throughout their lives. While you read this, her official website is still down.

Because I started this a year ago, Mădălina Manole was the first artist from my series, commemorating 2 years since her death.

A very interesting fact that I've discovered is the similarities between Mădălina Manole & Marilyn Monroe.

So, 2 years, 2 stars, 2 young to die.

1. Their star names are both begining with an "M", 2 words counting and phonetically close.
2. Both commit suicide.
3. Both of them had a beauty mark (mole) on the same side.
4. Mădălina Manole was known as "Fata cu părul de foc" (The girl with hair of fire) for her hair color.
5. Marilyn Monroe was also famous for her "platinum blonde" hair.

Cancer zodiac (constellation).

Carbofuran (molecular formula).

Mădălina Manole was born under the Cancer zodiac (red), the toxic substance "Carbofuran" (pink), all these elements end up on a 13 number, plus her, 14 (the day she was born).

Close up.

Inspired by Andy Warhol's pop art work, I've made a tribute poster for all this story.
The poster has 100x70cm in size, on an expensive 220gr black paper, signed, dated and numbered (only 2 were made).

She deserves to have a star.

Grolsch. Street art on can

In May, Grolsch launched a new beer can in Romania (The G-can). (read more)
The unveiling of the G-can and of the G-can Island took part in 5 major cities with the help of 6 street artists.
So, I was commissioned to take part in this premiere, along with Ortaku, The Fly, Shao, Cage and Ariciu. (read more)

Experimentalist also interviewed me some months ago.
You can read it here.

I chose to go in Brașov, it's a great city if you didn't know.

The G-can Island is a wall made out of 512 G-cans.

It was quite difficult even to make a straight line, because of the cans.

Using a special water-mixed spray paint, it's obvious that the colors where a bit faded. Even so, it was daring enough.
Thou I was not 100% satisfied of the result, a lot more people were happy of the wall outcome, even the company.

Pictures taken, questions asked and so many fucking people had mistaken me with the hypermaket staff! "Hey you, "artist dude", where can I find the tomato soup?".

Later I went to hit the city with some wheat pastes and then "home", in a hotel.
Nice weather, cool experience.

Nights Off Brașov +

This year, Romania has a lot of film festivals going on (some of them are new).
"Să Trăiți Bine!", is a presidential campaign of Băsescu, 8 years ago and still no idea of what he meant.

It's like an awarded movie that since 2004 should hit the box office in Romania. Unfortunately, it's canceled till 2014. The main role is still casting.

Planning the new series actually started months ago, a few days before the violent protests in Bucharest and then in the country. But since I wasn't in the middle of the real action, I left those ideas sketched, for another time.

Real T.I.F.F. poster ad. (Cluj Napoca)

Coincidentally or not, that time arrived along with T.I.F.F. (Cluj Napoca) held almost in the same time with my second trip to Brașov, and luckly it had a great poster ad... to hijack again. Similar with my new series.

Hijacked poster. (Death on the window)

Been there, done that. It was really easy to do that, people thought I was part of the staff. A late one.

Some of the awards are from two romanian televisions that "helped" Băsescu and his campaign.

Official sponsors & partners.

Again, good feedback, "stolen" posters, a serious tan and very nice friends & chicks over there.

I've also done something for FatzaDA Festival Brașov, you might seen it on my Twitter. Anyway, about this and other stuff in a later post.

I want to thank Alex de la Gârcini, Ame Forestlady, George Roșu and Camelia Valuch (main role in "Destin '89" movie) for their help.

Nights Off Brașov

A year ago I've made and wheatpasted in the streets the "Lost" (Pierdut) series.

It was prepared only for Timisoara, but since its huge feedback it rapidly extended to Brasov, Sfantu Gheorghe, Tulcea and surprisingly for me, some of them survived from all of the romanian expressions.

Now, being pissed off by 2012's election campaign in the last month, it becomes clear that a new series has already caught the smell of paint spray.

It was nice that most of the mayors accepted that their posters would be hijacked. Great bastards!

First one is Brasov.

Couple of shots with one of the hijacked posters two weeks ago.

 

Teaser for an upcoming short.

Soon more stuff.

Cheers!

Pierdut Viitor

Almost a week ago, during two nights, I've pasted up 3 series of posters throughout Timisoara.

From what I've seen, people caught up the message easily, even laughing and taking one piece with the years representing Traian Basescu's presidential candidacy, day by day.
When pasting up, I've come across some people that stopped and said with a smile on their face "I can't believe what I'm seeing! Finally some true! Good job..". A lot of reactions.
Oh.. and the best part, that's only half of my stash.

* "Pierdut Viitor" (Missing Future) is a raw movie that I did for myself, later on decided to post it on the web.
** This is the Romanian version of my "No Hope, No Future, No Progress" work.
*** I had to revisit this one cause that's the right way to do.

 

 

* Some recorded stuff during the "making of".

** Wish I had someone with me, filming the reactions when people saw these posters.