Totem for Adrian Chira

The Mureș County Museum – Art Section is pleased to invite you to a special event: the exhibition “Totem for Adrian Chira.” This event is connected to the “Adrian Chira. Traces and Signs” exhibition.

Friday, February 21, 2025, at 6:00 PM
Curators: Mariana Șerban and Cora Fodor
Exhibition period: February 21 – March 16, 2025
Organizer: Mureș County Museum – Art Section
Special guests:

The event-exhibition “Totem for Adrian Chira” is a powerful tribute to the work, talent, and personality of Adrian Chira (1958–2017). It serves as a symbolic totem of friendship from fellow artists in Târgu Mureș and across the country.

Through paintings, graphics, and contemporary sculptures, professional visual artists featured in the exhibition pay homage to Adrian Chira.

Special guests include sculptor Dorel David Morar, a close friend of the artist, who will share personal memories, while Ana Maria Galea (vocals) and Pethő Csaba (guitar) will complement the tribute with poetry and music.

Art historian Cora Fodor and artist Mariana Șerban will discuss the artistic context of the participating artists in relation to Adrian Chira’s work and the “Totem” exhibition project.

Born in 1958 in Dej and passing away in 2017 in Târgu Mureș, Adrian Chira was the founder, organizer, and coordinator of eight editions of the “Totem” exhibitions and art camps, held between 2002 and 2015 with national and international impact.

The symbolic concept of “Totem” has roots in North American indigenous culture, meaning “He is from my kin.” It signifies belonging to a community, whether represented by an animal, plant, or protective object.

In the contemporary art context, the “Totem” symbol was a unifying force that bound artists together throughout the eight editions of the project. This time, Adrian Chira’s fellow artists will create a symbolic totem for him through this special exhibition.

A diverse group of renowned artists will contribute to this exhibition, including:
Gheorghe I. Anghel, Maria Balea, Mana Bucur, Lucia Călinescu, Mihai Chiuaru, Marian Coman, Csatlós Levente, Miron Duca, Vioara Dinu, Emil Cassian Dumitraș, Maxim Dumitraș, Suzana Fântânariu, Fekete Zsolt Jr., Gyarmathy Jánós, Ion Iancuț, Marcel Lupșe, George-Leon Mircea, Adina Mocanu, Mircea Moldovan, Simion Moldovan, Dorel David Morar, Gheorghe Mureșan, Liviu Nedelcu, Ștefan Pelmuș, Mihai Perca, Dorel Petrehuș, Vasile Pop Negreșteanu, Ioan Pop-Vereta, George Sorin Purcaru, Vasile Rață, Constantin Răducan, Mircea Roman, Sánta Csaba, Cristian Sida, Florin Strejac, Szőcs Zoltán, Andreea Șerban-Chira, Mariana Șerban, Ioan Șulea, Iosif Ștefan Tasi (Tajo), Cristian Târnovan, Constantin Tofan, Vasile Tolan, and Adrian Chira.

Ana Maria Galea has always supported special projects for the exhibitions at the Mureș County Museum. This time, she presents “Today in Romanian,” a paraphrase of the “Jazz in Romanian” project initiated by Florian Lungu.

Inspired by Adrian Chira’s passion for poetry and his eclectic musical universe, the performance will blend rock, progressive, blues, jazz, and quality Romanian music.

Since Adrian Chira was born in 1958, Ana Maria Galea and guitarist Pethő Csaba have selected musical pieces by Alexandru Andrieș, Nicu Alifantis, and Nicolae Kirculescu, as well as classic blues and jazz pieces, intertwined with Adrian Chira’s original poetry.

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the legacy of Adrian Chira.