There was a short but important political and ideological breach in communist Romania between 1960 and 1970, known as the ”unfrozen years”, a period in which the country opened to the Western European culture and its values. However, this period of openness didn’t last, as it was followed by 20 years of “frozen” Communism.

The Before and After the Cultural Revolution in Romania: 1971 exhibition, opened at the PostModernism Museum in Bucharest until March 1, reflects that short moment of openness in the Romanian society.

The exhibition features works of Romanian artists such as Ion Bitzan (1924-1997), Pavel Ilie (1927-1995), Paul Neagu (1938-2004), Florin Mitroi (1938-2002), and Victor Ciato (born in 1938).

The artworks and materials in the exhibition are selected out of three private collections, namely the Allegra Nomad Gallery, the Efrima Collection, and the Nasui Collection.

The project is part of DARE – a programme of Documenting, Archiving, Revaluing and Exhibiting the art produced in Romania in 1945-1990, initiated by the PostModernism Museum in 2015. The programme consists of a series of researches analyzing the relationship of Romanian artists to different political ideologies and social climates within the historic periods post-war and communist, 1946-1989. It is the first time when a private or public institution in Romania has had an initiative of research recovery for this historic period of time.

With the blooming of the new generation after the World War II, Romania has experienced the pop culture of the 60s. Newspapers, magazines, perfumes, cloth, cigarettes, beverages, Coca-Cola, and chewing gum were imported from Western Europe, Western movies were screened in local cinemas, and some famous singers were invited to Bucharest. Rock bands started to appear in Romania, such as the famous Phoenix, music festivals were launched (Mamaia, Cerbul de Aur), and night clubs were opened at the seaside.

Moreover, political prisoners were released from prison in 1963-1964. After 1968, former political prisoners such as writers Alexandru Paleologu, Ion Caraion, Stefan Augustin Doinas, and Nicolae Balota were columnist for magazines and newspapers, published books, and travelled West.

However, this openness suddenly stopped in 1971 with late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s ”The July Theses”. These theses had immediate effects: the Western cultural model began to be heavily criticized, with the dominant request of going back to the ”healthy” communist models.

Soon after, Romanian cultural figures started to flee the country. Some of these artists are featured in the exhibition opened at the PostModernism Museum.

“For the Romanian culture and art, this specific period of ”unfrozen years” stages a strong significance and importance for the impact on innovation and for the powerful links which were made between Romanian and the Western culture and art,” according to museum representatives.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo credit: Lucian Muntean)