The sculpture „Hydra” by Costin Ionita will be part of the first Sculpture Auction of this year, which will take place on Thursday, from 19,00, both at Artmark Galleries and online, on the Artmark Live platform.

First presented to the public in 2012, on the pedestal where the statue of Lenin stood in the Free Press Square, sculptor Costin Ionita’s „Hydra,” likened to „a seven-headed dragon,” represents, according to Artmark, „a criticism of the political class, as the artist himself confessed.”

„The controversial reactions to it have not ended, especially as it has re-emerged in the spotlight this election year.’The point of the work is that, in the end, the political class has changed only the face, but essentially it is the same. It’s a theme that represents post-decembrist politics. Why Hydra? Because the Hydra is the mythological monster with poisoned blood and infinite possibilities of regeneration. The seven heads of the Hydra are shaped like roses growing out of the decapitated body of Lenin’s statue. The work was part of ‘Project 1990’ and was first exhibited on the very pedestal of Lenin’s statue in the Free Press Square,” explained Costin Ionita, according to Artmark.

In the same auction are well represented, with many sculptures, some even of sizes that can fit in home or office spaces, artists like Oscar Han, with works such as a ‘Kiss’ (with a starting price of 1,200 euros), Ion Jalea – ‘Chip de copil (Regele Mihai)’ (Child face (King Mihai) (starting price 400 euros), Felix Aftene – ‘Despre zbor’ (About flying) (starting price 5,000 euros), George Apostu – ‘Jertfa’ (Sacrifice) (starting price 4,000 euros), Ion Alin Gheorghiu – ‘Himera’ (Chimera) (starting price 1,000 euros).

Artist Vlad Olariu participates in the event for charity, with ‘Masti’ (Masks), and after the sale the funds obtained from this work with a starting price of 2,000 euros will be donated to one of the causes represented by the Romanian Red Cross, according to Artmark.

AGERPRES