Julie Crenn is an art historian, art critic (AICA – International Association of Art Critics) and independent curator. Since 2018, he is associate curator of Transpalette – Centre d’Art Contemporain de Bourges. In 2005, he obtained a master’s degree in art history and criticism at the University of Rennes 2, with a thesis on the art of Frida Kahlo. Following her research on feminist and decolonial practices, she obtained a PhD in art (history and theory) at the University Michel de Montaigne, Bordeaux III. Her doctoral thesis is a reflection on contemporary textile practices (from 1970 to the present). Since then, she has carried out interdisciplinary research on bodies, memories and artistic activism and organised a series of exhibition projects in France (Paris, Caen, Rochechouart, Clermont Ferrand, Bourges, Tarbes, Bordeaux), in the Indian Ocean (Reunion Island, Mauritius and Saint-Denis de La Réunion), in Belgium (Brussels and Gent) and in Germany (Leipzig). Through the exhibition “Artistes et paysans. Battre la campagne”, currently on show until 24 August 2024 in Toulouse at the Musée Les Abattoirs – Frac Occitanie, Julie Crenn offers us new opportunities to explore the bridges between art and agriculture: “This dialogue between art and agriculture thus conveys essential visions and words about the current challenges of working in the countryside. In a thematic tour, the exhibition addresses issues such as the representation of the farmer, seeds, landscaping or gestures and skills, and presents historical and emerging artists who place the figure and work of farmers at the heart of their practice.” The exhibition therefore presents the realities of peasant life in a variety of ways, for example by raising questions about consumer society and human alienation from the land, and proposing new connections between artistic and agricultural practices. The curator’s current exhibitions are “Agir dans son lieu” at Galerie du Dourven, Locquémeau (29 March – 30 June 2024) and “Inner Powers: Margot et Anne Rochette + From Gaza, with love: Taysir Batniji”, exhibited at Transpalette, Bourges (7 June – 22 September 2024).

Delia Popa is a visual artist and works with mediums such as painting, video, installation, performance and participatory projects. Her current research focuses on the representation of landscape and local topography in relation to agriculture, gentrification and climate change. As an art pedagogue and cultural mediator she contributes to the development of life skills and visual culture among children and young people. Since 2013, she has led ArtCrowd-Artists in Education, an art education association. Between 2022 and 2023 Delia was interim coordinator of the Education, Communication, Cultural Projects Department of the National Museum of Art of Romania, where she now works as education specialist. She lives in Bucharest and in Crețești, Ilfov.

Curator Julie Crenn in dialogue with artist Delia Popa

19.06.2024
Popa Soare 26 street, Bucharest

The discussion will focus on exploring relationships between people and animals as well as rural curatorial and artistic practice.
This talk is organized by ARAC and Goethe-Institut Bucharest in the framework of AFAR Network project.
Artists for Artists Residency Network (AFAR) is an EU co-funded project and residency program, aiming to improve the mobility of contemporary visual artists and curators in Romania, Germany, Croatia, and Austria. The project is led by the Romanian Association for Contemporary Art (ARAC) with its three consortium partners – Goethe Institute Network, Croatian Association of Fine Artists, and Künstlerhaus Vienna.

The AFAR Network project is co-funded by the European Union: ”Views and opionions expressed are however those of the autohor(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsable for them.”