I spoke with Luisa Ene Beniog, communication specialist, about the project The year of art filmsfrom the National Art Museum of Romania, a series of monthly screenings of spectacular art documentary films in the museum's Auditorium Hall, between March and December 2024.
Luisa Ene Beniog, communication specialist
The year of art films is a partnership between the National Art Museum of Romania and the chain of cinemas Happy Cinema, which offers the beauty-loving public an alternative space dedicated to film screenings – the Auditorium at MNAR – as well as a memorable cultural and educational experience. Participants have the opportunity to watch documentary films about famous international fine art painters. In this way, a bridge is created between the world of cinema and the world of art, and the public not only enjoys outstanding cinematographic works, but also gets to know more deeply the universe of art in a high-class museum setting.
The truth: Since we are talking about a project dedicated to art, namely the Year of Art Films, I would like to start the discussion with the question: Why do we need art and art films?
Luisa Ene: I think this quote from the book Art as Therapy by Alain de Botton sums up very well why I strongly believe that art plays a crucial role in our lives:
“The feeling of the sublime in everyday lives is usually a transient state that occurs more or less by chance. The sun breaking through the heavy rain clouds, on a distant hill while scrutinizing the highway or the view of the Bernese Alps appearing in the corner of eyes bored by the entertainment programs on the plane or the lights of the oil tankers plowing the Singapore bay… Art can compensate for the risk by giving us the tools that generate experiences helpful, to which we can access whenever we feel the need to escape from the morass of sadness.”
Is there an appetite in Romania for art? Some say that in the age of social media, interest in art and culture has been lost, especially among young people.
I think there is and always will be an appetite for art and inevitably for films about art. The proof is a lot of successful art projects in Romania, where people queue up to enter the event… After all, art has an essential role in people's lives: it is not only an object of contemplation, but also a means of knowing and understanding one's own life. Art can also be seen as a kind of therapy and I think people are aware of it and especially need it in their everyday life. Yes, we live in the age of social media and we are distracted by a lot of cat pictures and viral clips… but after all, social networks can also be a tool to promote art and culture, to keep up to date with news and events in field. Like any invention, social media can be used both constructively and negatively. That's why we need to “flood” social media with things that feed our spirit, like art. The audience exists, we just have to have the ability to reach it.
Here is the project The year of art films debuted with the screening of the film about Titian, an event that was sold-out. And Happy Cinema's social media was flooded with messages from people who were delighted with the experience and who then went on to attend the following screenings.
Tell us more about the project The year of art films.
The year of art films is a partnership between the National Art Museum of Romania and the chain of cinemas Happy Cinema, which offers the beauty-loving public an alternative space dedicated to film screenings – the Auditorium at MNAR – as well as a memorable cultural and educational experience. Participants have the opportunity to watch documentary films about famous international fine art painters. In this way, a bridge is created between the world of cinema and the world of art, and the public not only enjoys outstanding cinematographic works, but also gets to know more deeply the universe of art in a high-class museum setting.
When and how did the project start?
The year of art films debuted in March with the screening Titian. Empire of color, a documentary about the life of an innovative artist, who became the official painter of the Venetian Republic. A sold-out event that delighted audiences of all ages. The hall was full and I was very happy to see a diverse audience there, of all ages, from children to seniors.
What does this project bring?
First of all, it brings a truly special experience to the general public: watching a film about art, surrounded by art, at the National Art Museum of Romania, custodian of the cultural wealth of our country, is an event in itself. I think this kind of project takes art off its pedestal, bringing it to the people, where it really belongs. We need such projects, which make art accessible, show it and explain it in a way that everyone can understand – I think that if you have a context about the artist's story, you see his work with different eyes, you better understand what he wanted to convey and what and you resonate differently with what you see.
How do you reconcile the two distinct cultural fields: art and cinematography?
They are two distinct but complementary cultural fields: cinematographic art and visual art, and the art film is a cultural product that helps the understanding of works of art – a product that is both beautiful and useful. The documentaries that the public can see in this project not only delight and challenge us intellectually, but also open the way to dialogues and reflections that enrich our human experience.
How many art films will run in total and until the project is completed?
In total, there are 11 exciting films that will run monthly, on Fridays, at MNAR, starting with Titian. The empire of color, Jeff Koons. A Private Portrait which have already run and continuing with:
· Easter in Art (2023), Friday, April 26, 2024, 7 p.m
· Munch. Love, ghosts and lady-vampires (2022), Friday 10 May 2024, 19.00
· Borromini and Bernini. A Challenge for Perfection (2023), Friday, June 7, 2024, 7 p.m
· Vermeer The Greatest Exhibition (2023), Friday 19 July 2024, 19.00
· Exhibition on Screen: Klimt and The Kiss (2023), Friday August 9, 7 p.m
· Exhibition On Screen: Pissarro: Father of Impressionism (2022), Friday 20 September 2024, 19:00
· Exhibition On Screen: The Danish Collector – Delacroix To Gauguin (2021), Friday 4 October 2024, 19:00
· Sunflowers. The mystery of Van Gogh's greatest artworks (2022), Friday 15 November 2024, 19.00
· Exhibition on Screen: Raphael Revealed (2020), Friday, December 6, 2024, 7 p.m
Can these art films only be watched in Bucharest, at MNAR?
Because the project started so well, and the colleagues from Happy Cinema received a lot of questions from people outside of Bucharest who wanted to see the documentaries but couldn't make it, the project expanded outside the capital as well. Thus, art films Jeff Koons: Portrait of a Life, Vermeer: Retrospective, Munch: Love, Ghosts and Noble Vampires, Klimt and the kiss and Borromini and Bernini: The Challenge of Perfection they can also be watched at Happy Cinema cinemas in the country, in cities such as Bacău, Bistrița, Botoșani or Buzău.
An interesting detail you learned from an art film is….
From the documentary Titian. Empire of color, I realized how much networking mattered and still matters, here, even in the art world. I knew that Titian was the official painter of the Venetian Republic and I knew some of his works, but I didn't know his entrepreneurial side – how adept he was at making connections with the “good world” and marketing his works. He even had an agent… Thus he managed to win the sympathy of popes and emperors with his emblematic works, becoming one of the artists who symbolize the Renaissance itself. An extraordinary talent and a brilliant entrepreneur, innovative both in his works and in their marketing, but also a huge artist, sought after by the richest and most famous Courts in Europe. Here, such a movie can serve as inspiration for our professional life.
Tell us more about the films that can be watched in April and May respectively at MNAR.
As the Easter holiday is approaching, I urge the public not to miss the following documentary, Easter in Art, which will run Friday, April 26, 2024, from 7 p.m. It is a fascinating journey from Europe to Jerusalem, examining how the Christian story of Easter has been represented artistically, from the beginnings of Christianity to the present day.
The story of Christ's death and resurrection has dominated Western culture for the past 2,000 years. It is perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the Gospels, but equally as depicted by history's greatest artists. From the triumphant to the savage, from the ethereal to the tactile, some of the greatest works of art of Western civilization focus on this pivotal moment. Filmed in galleries in Jerusalem, the United States, and across Europe, the film shows the different ways artists have depicted the Easter story throughout the ages and thus depicts the history of us all.
Then it follows Munch. Love, ghosts and lady-vampires, Friday 10 May from 19.00, film exploring the life and works of the famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, illustrating his fascination with powerful symbols. With a novel approach, the film brings to the fore the complex story of the artist, illustrating the emotional influences, the ghosts of the past and the tumultuous relationships. Through remarkable images and interviews with art experts, the film offers a deep foray into the artistic universe of Edvard Munch and his inner world full of passion and mystery. It is a fascinating journey into the life and works of one of the most influential artists in the history of modern art. Modern society owes an enormous debt to the painter Edvard Munch, from Andy Warhol to Ingmar Bergman, from Marina Abramovic to Jasper Jones. His paintings have become symbols, but also a sign of the tragedies of the 20th century.
Luisa Ene Beniog is a freelance communication specialist and enthusiastically promotes projects in the sphere of culture, art, music and literature. He deals with communication for publishing houses such as ap (ACT and Politon), Crime Scene Press and Tritonic, the chain of cinemas Happy Cinema, the International Theater Festival Ariel Vâlcea Fest and for a lot of talented artists. An avid reader, in her free time she writes on her personal blog dedicated to culture, luisaene.ro.
