The sculptor’s plastic vocabulary combines different levels of abstractization. On the one hand, there is a formal reduction to the energy tracks materialised in a constructive game, attenuated by the warmth of the material or by the meaning of the ensemble, and on the other hand, the architectural fragments expressing on their own the play between functionality and ornament represent the elements of language. Most often than not the ensemble follows a rigorous syntax, but there are some cycles of small pieces where improvisation governs the assembly of simple volumes and the carved or/and coloured ornament grants new dimensions to the connotation. Nevertheless, all the elements of his limited formal repertoire and the meaning itself of the articulation go beyond the arid rigour of modern constructivism and evoke the compositional patterns of the old architects, focused on functionality, albeit never exhibited as a purpose.
Constantin Prut
(Bucharest, 1946)
Academic studies:
1973 – “Nicolae Grigorescu” Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest.
Solo exhibitions:
1983 – Simeza Gallery, Bucharest;
1985 – Experiment Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany;
1986 – Gijzenrooi Gallery, Geldrop, Holland;
1987 – Dis Gallery, Maastricht, Holland;
1988 - Severin-Rautenberg Gallery, Aachen, Germany;
1992 – Theatre Gallery, Colombes, France;
1993 - MAC 2000, Contemporary Art Gallery, Grand-Palais, Paris, France;
2006 – Montage Gallery, Bucharest;
2010 – Baron Samuel von Brukenthal’s Summer Residence, Avrig, Sibiu;
2013 - Mogoșoaia Palace, Ilfov.
Group exhibitions*:
1972 – Bucharest Art Exhibition, Romanian Athenaeum Gallery, Bucharest;
1973 - Constructivism, Studio 35 Hall, Bucharest;
1976 – Small Sculpture Exhibition, Studio 35 Hall, Bucharest;
- Homage to Brâncuși, Studio 35 Hall, Bucharest;
1977 - Studio 35 Hall, Bucharest;
1978 – Orizont Gallery, Bucharest
1979 – Sculptures and drawings of sculptors, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Galați;
- Orizont Gallery, Bucharest;
- Friedrich Schiller House, Bucharest;
- Small Sculpture Exhibition, Sofia, Bulgaria;
- Romanian Art Exhibition, Moscow, Russia;
- Sports in art, Barcelona, Spain;
- Dantesca Biennale, Ravenna, Italy;
1980 - Small Sculpture Exhibition, „Friedrich Schiller” House, Bucharest;
- Romanian Art Exhibition, Berlin, Germany;
- Contemporary Sculpture in Romania, Prague, Czechoslovakia;
1981 - Small Sculpture Exhibition, Community Centre Gallery, Bucharest;
- Sculptures and drawings, Brașov;
- Romanian sculptures and drawings, Belgrade, Yugoslavia;
1982 - Small Sculpture Exhibition, Simeza Gallery, Bucharest;
- Contemporary Romanian Art, Hague, Holland;
- Romanian Art, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland;
1983 – Small sculpture, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest;
- Romanian Art, Jerusalem, Israel;
1984 – Fourth International Exhibition of Small Sculpture, Budapest, Hungary;
1986 – Contemporary Sculpture, National Art Gallery, Bucharest;
1989 - 1991, 1996 - Small Sculpture Exhibition, Orizont Gallery, Bucharest;
1991 – Tenth International Biennale Dantesca, Ravenna, Italy;
1994 - 1996 – Contemporary Art Exhibition, ¾ Floor Gallery, National Theatre, Bucharest;
1997 – Romanian Art, Beirut, Lebanon;
1998 – Orizont Gallery, Bucharest;
1999 – Art Exhibition, Presidential Palace, Bucharest;
- Sculptors’ drawings;
- Bucharest Contemporary Art Exhibition;
- Romanian Contemporary Sculptures , Athens, Greece;
2004 – Apollo Gallery, Bucharest.
Symposia:
1973 - 1977 - 1979 - stone, Măgura, Buzău;
1976 - wood, Arcuș, Covasna;
1978 - stone, Sângeorz-Băi, Bistrița-Năsăud;
1980 - stone, Slatina, Olt;
1981 - wood, Prilep, Macedonia;
1984 - wood, Maramureș;
1986 - wood, Săliște, Sibiu;
1988 - Forma Viva (wood), Slovenia;
1990 - wood, Lumsden, Scotland.
1991, 1994 - wood, Oarba de Mureș;
1993 - wood, Dumbrava Sibiului;
1996 - stone, Borken en Shaft, Holland;
- wood, Contemporary Art Museum, Galați;
1997, 1999 - wood, Behringen, Germany
- stone, Morges, Switzerland;
- stone, Rachana, Lebanon;
1998 - wood, Irdning, Austria;
1999 - marble, Cărbunari, Caraș-Severin;
2000 - marble, Simppetra, Portugal;
2001 - marble, Pitești, Argeș;
2002 - stone, Tulcea;
2003 - stone, Cărbunari, Caraș-Severin;
- wood, Bogați, Argeș;
2004 - stone, Târgu-Jiu, Gorj;
2005 - wood, Caransebeș, Caraș-Severin;
2006 - stone, Bucharest;
2008 - marble, Târgu-Jiu, Gorj;
2009 - marble, Miroși, Argeș;
2011 - marble, Miroși, Argeș.
Monumental works:
1973 - Solidarity (stone), Turnu Severin;
1980 - Caryatides (stone), Slatina, Olt;
1982 – The Dance (stone bas relief), Balș, Olt;
1992 - In Memoriam, Huși, Vaslui;
1994 - Orest Trafali, Tulcea;
1995 - In Memoriam, Comănești, Bacău;
2001 - Hive, Pitești, Argeș;
2002 - Rebirth, Tulcea;
2007 - Rudolf Fontaine, Brașov;
2008 - Liviu Rebreanu (bust), Bucharest;
2011 – restoration of The Heroes Monument, Scheii Brașovului, Brașov.
Distinctions:
1982 – Youth Prize;
1996 - Gheorghe Petrașcu Second Biennale, Târgoviște;
1999 – Prize of the Jury, Morges, Switzerland;
2002, 2006 – The Prize for Ambient Art, Plastic Artists Union.
*since 1972 he takes part in county, republican and commemorative exhibitions.
50 Contemporary Romanian Sculptors, catalog, editat de Chambers of Fine Arts of Greece, 1999.
Fundația Culturală META, Un secol de sculptură românească. Dicționar A-D, Colecția SINTEZE, Editura META, 2001, pp. 103 - 105.