‘Thiar, Fountain of Youth’ draws its inspiration from Lucas Cranach's iconic
Fountain of Youth, a masterpiece of 16th-century Western painting. This painting
depicts women quenching their thirst with the rejuvenating water, believing in
the eternal youth promised by this miraculous spring. Water symbolises
immortality, as a purifying and invigorating force. Radu Oreian uses this theme
to create works that explore the complexity and finitude of the human body. In
today's context, where social networks expose images of the self that are often
idealised and rigid, the cult of the body has never been so much in the
spotlight. Radu Oreian confronts us with our own questions through richly
detailed paintings, inviting the viewer to explore multiple possible
interpretations. His works encourage us to reflect on the quest for eternal
youth, and the acceptance of life as it is, with its imperfections and ephemeral
beauties.
In short, Radu Oreian's exhibition is a plunge into a world where painting
becomes a meditation on history, mythology, life and death, while questioning
the place of the body in our contemporary society. The artist offers us a
profound and immersive visual experience, inviting us all to explore the layers
of meaning and beauty hidden in his fabulous pictorial language.
