Madalina Valeanu, 19, was born and raised in Moldova in a small town called Nisporeni. Madalina has been doing art since she was little. She attended art school as an extracurricular activity from 11 to 15 years old. She moved to Denmark when she was only 15 years old to live with her brother because she wanted a new start. She did not feel like she belonged in Moldova, even though it was her home.
Madalina completed her high school studies at Aarhus Gymnasium Tilts, where she was in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. For her final exhibition in her first year of IB, she chose the theme of “Far from Home’’, where one of her pieces was “A Piece of Moldova”.
Artist’s statement:
Inspired by the traditional patterns of Moldova, used on carpets, plates, and embroidered on traditional blouses, this art form is passed down from generation to generation. There are specific features that form the national style, which forms the basis of a national culture, in folk ornaments, language, and music.
This piece was inspired by a rug in my grandma’s home that had a similar pattern; I wanted to recreate it on paper. I used squares and only two colors to make the artwork clean and simple. I used gouache for a more intense color. This way, the age-old pattern is turned into something pixel-like, linked to the modern world. The simplicity makes the art piece uncomplicated, and easy to deconstruct.
When I created this piece, I was missing my country and parents. I wanted to create a piece that would remind me of my culture. After I finished the artwork, looking at it brought me peace and happiness, being able to share a little bit of my culture with my classmates and teachers.
© Madalina Valeanu, 2023
be:longing 