Visiting H’art Appendix, a glass case on Calea Victoriei, I had the lovely surprise of discovering Adrian Preda’s exhibition during The White Night of Galleries. On Heavenly Bodies is a fresh project, full of cute metaphysical political associations spread across heavenly bodies. The exhibition begins with a series of cartoons, carefully and attentively created; an entire universe, literally and figuratively, marked with streaks of humanity. Preda pays particular attention to texture, which he thoroughly hatches: cultural name brands become identity icons printed on the stars. I was terribly amused by the grandiose portrait of Decebal, a monumental meteorite wearing the severe face of the Dacian ruler, carved into rock near the city of Orşova. The Romanian identity had to be conserved even in space! But the smile fades before works that remind of all the plastic we buy and dump everywhere with no remorse, at the thought that candy wrappers float freely through space and we managed to affect the structure of the atmosphere with all the pollution we keep producing. Preda makes simple associations that are visually pleasant and that manage to bring positive energy into the exhibition (the image of a sun with a perfect denture stuck with me), or addresses political matters (especially of ecologic nature).

Adrian Preda reinvented himself through the H’art Appendix exhibition. The artist follows the methodology of symbolic associations and seeks fitting visual analogies, but changes the thematic register, thus giving his works a fresh vibe. He refined his technique, he has undoubtedly matured and moved on to a different level. On Heavenly Bodies is a remarkable exhibition that deserves your attention.

On Heavenly Bodies was at H’art Appendix on 24 April 2015, the White Night of the Galleries.