Works by Romanian artists acquired by New York’s prestigious Museum of Modern Art

Curators at the prestigious Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, in New York have acquired three vintage photographic collages by Romanian artists Iosif Király (b. 1957) and Aurora Kiraly.

The famous museum in central Manhattan is considered one of the most influential museums in the world dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Its collection includes over 200,000 works of art from the late 19th century to the present. Millions of visitors pass through its doors annually, making it one of the most visited museums in the world, not just in America.

Iosif Király’s work tackles the relationship between perception, time, memory, and aging. In 1995, he was among the founders of the Department of Photography and Media Arts at the National University of Arts (UNArte) in Bucharest, where he is presently Director of the Doctoral School. He also has been featured in numerous galleries across Europe since 1992.

Aurora Kiraly, a professor at UNArte, delves into feminism, among other topics, through her work. Her collages and paintings also linger on self-reflection as a main topic.

The collages by the two Királys were created between 1986 and 1990, and have now become part of MoMA’s collection, according to a press release. The works were acquired following the selection of curator Roxana Marcoci at the Paris Photo Fair 2024.

Galeria Jecza, which acted as an intermediary in the sale, also assisted in two other such deals. A piece dating from the 1960s by artist Roman Cotoșman has also reached New York, specifically in the collection of Another Space - Daniel and Estrellita B. Brodsky Family Foundation. The foundation has supported curatorial positions at some of the world’s most important art museums, including Tate Modern in London, MoMA in New York, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met Museum).

Two sculptures by Timișoara-based artist Peter Jecza have also become part of an important private collection in Chicago.

Galeria Jecza is a contemporary art gallery based in Timișoara, dedicated to art from the 1960s to the present. Originally founded as a family business in 2011 by Sorina Ianovici-Jecza and Andrei Jecza, the gallery has always maintained a strong focus on the local art scene, which played a significant role in the 1960s and 1970s.

"Our short-term objectives include maintaining our focus on the Eastern European art space while also expanding the gallery nationally. In this context, we are pleased to announce that starting in May, Galeria Jecza will open a second location in Bucharest, with an exhibition by the great contemporary Romanian painter Marius Bercea—the artist’s first solo exhibition in Bucharest in the last 20 years,” Andrei Jecza said, cited in the press release.