Ax-Art exhibition — modern and handmade Moldovan art

Posted on 15 apr 2008

Ax-Art exhibition is a unique cultural event that lights up the every-day life of Moldova. More than 90 artists present traditional and modern styles of art, handmade Moldovan articles, photography, paintings, drawings, sculptures etc.

Yesterday we posted the announcement about the Exhibition of Handmade Moldavian Art, which will be held in June in Chisinau. Today we offer you the report on the last year's analogous event.

"Ax-Art" exhibition project is a cultural event that is aimed to satisfy the need of fine arts in the modern Moldavian society. Year by year the art exhibition gains more popularity, attracting more artists, visitors and other participants. This year a total of 90 artists, 59 popular handicraftsmen, 30 photographers, 3 non-governmental organizations, 2 sculptors have taken part in the event, presenting more than 5000 exhibits to the public. The fact that paintings, graphics, sculpture, traditional handmade Moldavian articles, photography, jewelry items etc. are gathered in one place, make Ax-Art a truly unique art exhibition in Republic of Moldova.

The spirit of democracy, riding off any boundaries between styles and formats of art, helps in creating a special atmosphere and initiating a dialog between the artists and the public. Both young and well-known artists were exhibiting their works. The exhibition was also held under the motto – European integration by means of art – and that could be seen from the presence of many painters and photographers from Georgia, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Some of the most popular artists from Union of Popular Handicraftsmen of Moldova presented their handmade works, which reflect the originality and centuries-old traditions of popular handicraftsmen. The shapes and colors of these works are what make artists from Moldova to be unique. Handmade ceramic items, table crockery embodied the spirit and experience of our world-known ancestors-potters.   Many-sidedness of Moldovan handmade art was demonstrated in the works of masters on wood carving: household goods with elements of traditional Moldovan ornaments and religious motifs; exclusive works in rustic style (made of artificially aging wood), which could add color to any interior design. Impressive handmade works of Moldovan handicraftswomen on embroidery, who executed sceneries in art hemstitch, using "French beads" technique, two-side hemstitch, as well as cross-stitch one, which impressed by their luxuriance of colors shades and variety of motifs in this kind of art. National traditions in weaving, preserving symbolism of Moldovan traditional big carpet of XV century, were demonstrated in different works. Ax-Art exhibition also presented traditional Moldovan handmade musical instruments, including violins and fluers.

For four days venues of "Moldexpo" were turned out into a cozy traditional "Сasa Mare" hall, where masters embroidered, weaved, crocheted and carved from wood, accompanying the working process by exciting stories about popular traditions and customs of Moldova. In front of your very eyes wonderful works of popular handicraftsmen were born and secrets of mastering were shared.

The events of the business program of Ax-Art exhibition have helped in obtaining information on new offers and perspectives. Within the frames of the business program "Ars-Dor" Association held the conference regarding interaction of art and business through informational technologies, having demonstrated advantages and possibilities of art works promotion to world market through Internet. AGEPI organized "Defense of objects of modern art in the Republic of Moldova" seminar, where the matters concerning objects of popular art handicrafts, as industrial models as well as problems of defense of authors’ rights for handicrafts items were discussed, and where AGEPI offered a range of services on intellectual property defense.

Besides the official part of the exhibition, Ax-Art also gave to the audience a possibility to interact with the artists. A range of master-classes, forums, round-tables and contests has ignited the atmosphere of creativity and helped many people in satisfying their need of art and expression. "Ax-Art-2007" exhibition was held under the motto – art is a key to the soul of modern society – and the organizers of this cultural event undoubtedly succeeded in opening that door.