On November 3, from 3:00 p.m., the Bucharest public is invited to Izvor Park to transport, in a collective performance, fragments representing a reconstruction of Arsenal Hill (also known as Uranus), from Izvor Bridge to the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC). Both the construction and the collective walk of these fragments are intended to be symbolic actions "in reverse" the cutting down of the hill in the 1980s, as well as a reference to the absurdity of moving churches during that period. The event is an open invitation to both former residents of the Izvor-Uranus neighborhoods and to all those who wish to carry or rock pieces of the neighborhood, a gesture that activates a transformative dialogue between participants and various elements of the past – streets, churches, houses. On this ground, representation, always complementary, approaches people and, once it approaches, invites them to remember.

Deal. Reconstituire represents a new sequence of a long-term artistic research by Ioana Marinescu about the destruction of Arsenal Hill and the Izvor and Uranus neighborhoods. The current project is developed in collaboration with Smaranda Găbudeanu and Iulia Mărăcine, produced by the Association for Theatre and Books and supported by the Cartierul Uranus group (Costin Gheorghe, Cristian Văraru).

Through an approach that honors the mourning for the irreversible losses caused by the totalitarian interventions of the 1980s, the project proposes a visual and conceptual exploration of reconstruction, in the form of a sculptural object, focusing on possible, recuperative and reparative directions. The attempt to reconstruct the former Arsenal Hill on a scale does not mean reconstruction, but a dynamic and affective collaboration in the present – an interaction that can be imperfect and indefinite, resulting in an organism in continuous transformation. This approach reflects on the collective effort and endurance required to build not only a physical space, but also a collective memory. The sculptural object was created in a series of workshops with students from the "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism, coordinated by Ioana Marinescu together with architect Thomas Goodey.

In addition to the model-sculpture of the hill, placed in front of the museum in the former People's House, the exhibition will include, on the 4th floor of the building, a documentary film by Laurențiu Calciu, which captures the process of creating the models in the workshops and the performative action on the day of the opening, which will be exhibited later to convey the collective significance of the 'remaking' of the hill. A sound work created by Maria Balabaș, together with Mihai Balabaș, will discreetly accompany visitors to the museum spaces, attempting to reconstruct in sound form a space that remains only in memory. The collective action of transporting the hill is guided by actress Katia Pascariu and choreographers Andreea David, Smaranda Găbudeanu, Iulia Mărăcine and Eliza Trefaş.

Deal. Reconstituire is part of a series of performative projects dedicated to displaced communities, initiated by Ioana Marinescu and produced by PETEC. The 'deal' object is based on a large-scale cardboard and paper model of the Arsenal Hill – Paper Hill – made in 2019, in a workshop led by Ioana together with Thomas Goodey and the Cartierul Uranus team, at the 'Ion Mincu' University of Architecture and Urbanism. Presented in various contexts—exhibited at Casa Costaforu in 2019, at /SAC@Malmaison in 2022 (as a puzzle on wheels in the performance "In three days here grass will grow…"), transported to London in 2023 in the Beaconsfield art space and used as a mobile installation in the performance "Past Present. Fragments of Memory"—the cardboard model, charged with the history of these successive uses, was once again restructured this fall in a workshop with architecture students. The model served as the basis for the creation of 20 negatives/molds, into which the pieces of the new hexagonal hill made of brick concrete were subsequently cast.

These successive working processes are not only an attempt to reconstitute in-memoriam the cut hill and the demolished neighborhoods, but also to imagine a lost place. Crossing the former flattened neighborhoods with the object 'hill' proposes a collective assumption of this complex history and a symbolic reconstruction of the hill.

Those who wish to be an active part of the performance are asked to contact the project team at the email address petecdecultura@gmail.com or at the phone number 0746145516.

Other events

Saturday, November 9

  • 30 – 16.00, the area between Calea 13 Septembrie and the Academy building. Guided tour led by Cristian Văraru (Uranus District). Meeting on Calea 13 Septembrie, opposite the MNAC entrance gate.
  • 00, MNAC. Meeting with the exhibition organizers.

With the support of: Studio Muze, Lemnivor, Nod Makerspace, Vellant Publishing House

Thanks: Lucian Călugărescu, Florin Cobzac, Daniela Custrin, Paul Drogeanu, Alina Grau, Ion Molete, Alex Radu, Ovidiu Toader, the students participating in the workshops, the community of the Izvor and Uranus neighborhoods

MNAC support: Sandra Demetrescu, Mălina Ionescu

UAUIM support: Letiția Bărbuică, Melania Dulămea, Lorin Niculae, Angelica Stan

Producer: Association for Theatre and Book (PETEC)

Partners: National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC), 'Ion Mincu' University of Architecture and Urbanism (UAUIM), Center of Excellence in Image Studies (CESI)

Media Partners: Radio România Cultural, Radio România Internațional, IQads, Days and Nights, Ziarul Metropolis, Revista Golan, Observator Cultural, The Institute, Bookhub, Happ.ro, Spotmedia, LIFE.ro, Palindrome