Abel Rad (b. 2000) is a visual artist who lives and works in Cluj. In his practice he works with metaphors that embody a multitude of personal stories. He combines the raw and specific elements of the ordinary world, melding them slowly and with the utmost care into a single piece in which each element is necessary for the other to reveal itself. His work is about searching, about attempting to make a connection with something bigger than yourself, beyond the constraints of reality and the material world.

Untitled (from Gheorgheni series) began as a series intended to honor the artist's childhood memories of a specific place. The stark contrast between his memories and the current image of the area underscores the dramatic changes and deterioration that have occurred in Cluj over the past two decades. In Abel Rad's work, traces of collective memory often intertwine with his personal experiences. By deciphering the layers in his works, one can find oneself immersed in an amnesic vortex, navigating through a personal timeline.

(Gia Țidorescu)