Iuliana Gradinaru is a sculptor from Iasi, North Eastern part of Romania. I met Iuliana in September 2021, on my visit to Tasuleasa Social, where the Via Transilvanica camp is located. I noticed how totally emersed in her work she was, and I admire her precision when sculpting with the electric grinder. She creates beautiful, intricate, and feminine designs, playing with the structure of the stone in a unique way.
Artist Iuliana Gradinaru at Tasuleasa, September 2021
DK: Iulia, how did you get involved in this project?
Iulia Gradinaru: At the end of 2018 I graduated my first year of the Visual Arts & Design University in Iasi. One of my professors at the time, Mr. Ilie Bostan asked me to join a stone carving camp. I was delighted by the idea to get involved, not knowing what would be the follow-up. I’d never worked in stone before; I only admired the aesthetics of it. I was not totally clear of its toughness, qualities, and how I could work with it when I arrived at Tasu’ (i.e. Tasuleasa), an organization I was not very familiar with at the time, situated in a place enriched by nature. Here I got acquainted not only with the andesite but also with the wonderful people that have started this project.
Since then, I have participated in all the sculpture retreats. Working side by side with the other artists, I developed my stone carving techniques.
DK: What does Via Transilvanica mean for you?
IG: Via Transilvanica is and will always be the best project I was involved with. I am thrilled by the idea of uniting people for a common goal. This project was accomplished through people’s contribution, perseverance, physical work, motivation, and by supporting each other. This is how Via Transilvanica was born, by uniting people. And this is how it will live on.
I wanted to be part of this project and give my best, creating more complex compositions. Physical and mental exhaustion didn't matter anymore because I’ve been part of this project, interacting with special people and creating what I want.
I think that through the Via Transilvanica project I was able to really see what altruism means. It is a soul project that has left its mark on my life.
In the latest milestones, we have synthesized and interpreted visually some aspects related to the human psyche and physique. We have done a series of works in which we find images of gender-neutral beings that are able to define the emotional states experienced by people. I could say that some of them reproduce the image of the soul, but for the most part, I emphasize what defines humans. They often also include animal components in order to more precisely define human behavior.
Working with other colleagues with the same occupation is ideal for an artist. Inspiration can also come from interacting with people in the field. For me, the fact that I had other sculptors with me in each camp had a positive impact. And that almost every year new faces were added.
I think that through the Via Transilvanica project I was able to really see what altruism means. It is a soul project that has left its mark on my life.
More about Iuliana’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/gradinaru.iuliana/
At Tasuleasa with Ivan Ivanov (Bulgaria), Tsvetelina Angelova (Bulgaria), Cris Ianculescu (SUA), Iuliana Gradinaru (Ro), Alexandru Burlacu (Ro), Andrei Boitan (Ro), Daniela Kammrath (SUA) in September 2021
About Via Transilvanica: The 1,400 km trail that unites over 400 communities from North-North-East to West-South-West of Romania is the most notable trail in Eastern Europe and, arguably, the longest art exhibit in the world. All of its milestones are hand-carved by sculptors on the premises in Bistrita. The work started in 2019 and by now over 1,100 of these pieces of art have been finished and installed on the trail. More about the project here.