I DRAW I HAPPY

Drawings by the Romanian Artist Dan Perjovschi

Dan Perjovschi is considered to be one of the most politically active representatives on the Romanian contemporary art scene. Whether as a socio-critical commentator and political satirist for the Romanian weekly “22” or as a vehement opponent of the National Museum of Contemporary Art opened in the former Ceauºescu palace in 2004: since the mid-1990s, Perjovschi’s artistic works, and above all his socio-political drawings and installations, have received increasing recognition on the international art stage as well. Perjovschi first visited Austria in 1995 as artist-in-residence of “Kulturkontakt”, then again in 1998 for the exhibition project “Public Appearances” organised by “Raum für Kunst” (later: )at the “steirischer herbst” festival. Here, artists were invited to create space-related projects in vacant business premises that the public could see into from the outside. Perjovschi’s works have also been featured at the Venice Biennale several times. His trademark is his minimalistic and rapidly executed drawings, graffiti and cartoons, which address the complexity of interpersonal, international and inter-institutional relationships in a direct and reduced manner. The themes with which Perjovschi engages in his work are based on the social and political conditions in communist Romania and the subsequent transformation against the backdrop of Romania’s desire to become a member of the European Union. He raises questions both about former concepts of nationality and the still relevant issue of the East-West divide. Perjovschi reflected on these changes, for example, with a tattoo done on his upper arm in 1993 bearing the word “Romania”; it was removed ten years later at the exhibition “In the Gorges of the Balkans” (Kassel) as a series of public performances. For the current edition of “Report”, the artist came up with a special series of drawings related to the issue’s main focus. He also spoke to Walter Seidl about his work as a European artist and his Romanian history.