A monumental sculpture inspired by Constantin Brâncuși’s artistic principles will be presented at the 2026 Balkanik Festival in Bucharest’s Tei Park from August 28 to 30. The installation will be transformed after dark through video mapping, while a second intervention will invite festivalgoers to participate in a collective ritual of silence.

The program, titled Silent Forms / Illuminated Forms – Constantin Brâncuși at Balkanik Festival, marks 150 years since the Romanian sculptor’s birth. Rather than reproducing his works, it explores themes associated with his art, including simplified form, verticality, movement, light, and silence, the organizers said.

Scenographer Raluca Pavel’s installation The Bird (That Does Not Touch the Ground) will measure approximately 3.5 meters in height and 2.5 meters in width. Inspired by the structure of wings and the idea of ascent, it does not reproduce any of Brâncuși’s famous bird sculptures.

The work is made of sculpted polystyrene on a metal frame, finished with resin and a matte white surface. During the day, it will function as a static sculpture shaped by natural light and shadow.

However, after dark, multimedia artist Adistu will animate the installation through video mapping created specifically for its volumes and cavities. The projections will be accompanied by a sound composition using synthesizers, bird calls, and electronic textures, while the visual production will incorporate generative imagery and artificial intelligence.

The second intervention, titled The Table of Silence, will briefly interrupt the festival’s concerts, conversations, and other activities. The audience will be invited to remain silent and listen to the surrounding sounds, turning silence into a collective performance, according to the same source.

The project is part of the Brâncuși150 program and is funded by Romania’s Ministry of Culture.

The 13th Balkanik Festival will take place for the first time in Tei Park. Its lineup includes Ladaniva, Zdob și Zdub, Taraf de Caliu, Baba Zula, Bubliczki, Shiran & Bakal, Cümbüş Cemaat, and Kristijan Azirović Orkestar.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the organizers)