Exploring the interplay between studio space and drawing: Geta Bratescu's art takes center stage at Tate Modern

Up until July 2024, The Tate Modern in London has dedicated a room to the artist Geta Bratescu, which can be visited for free. This exhibition, titled “In the Studio,” brings together the space of the studio and the process of drawing, both of which functioned for Geta Bratescu at the threshold between the artist’s mental world and the external world.

Geta Brătescu, one of Romania’s most esteemed contemporary artists, has left an indelible mark on the art world. Her work, which spans a wide range of mediums and themes, reflects a profound exploration of the interplay between personal introspection and the external realm. Brătescu embraced drawing as a transformative force through her conceptual artistic practice, while her studio became a sanctuary for artistic experimentation in the face of political adversity. This article delves into the life, philosophy, and artistic contributions of Geta Brătescu.

The history behind the process of Geta Bratescu’s art

In the aftermath of World War II, Romania faced political unrest and censorship. It was within this tumultuous context that Brătescu developed her conceptual artistic practice. Drawing served as the foundation of her creative exploration, enabling her to navigate the boundaries between reality and abstraction. Brătescu’s sewn works, often referred to as “drawing on textiles with a sewing machine,” breathed life into the artist’s mental world. According to Brătescu, drawing possessed the unique ability to connect tangible space with the intangible, and it served as a medium for decrypting and encoding human experiences.

Brătescu’s work was heavily influenced by mythology, a passion that was nurtured by her parallel career as a book illustrator. Mythological characters, such as Medea, made recurring appearances in her creations, infusing them with symbolic depth and narrative resonance. Drawing on her illustrative skills, Brătescu expertly wove ancient tales into contemporary contexts, transcending time and providing a bridge between the past and the present.

Geta Bratescu’s studio

Amidst the constraints of post-war Romania’s totalitarian political climate, Brătescu’s studio emerged as a realm of liberation and exploration. Positioned at the intersection of the public and private, her studio became an extension of herself. Brătescu proclaimed, “The studio is myself,” highlighting the symbiotic relationship between the artist and her creative environment. It served as a sanctuary where she could experiment with various versions of the self, fostering artistic growth and pushing boundaries.

In her artwork “Hands,” Brătescu masterfully merged the physical space of her studio with the creative process of drawing. This faceless portrait embodied the artist’s belief in the intrinsic connection between the two. The studio, akin to a place of worship, encapsulated the unrestrained power and freedom that drawing embodied for Brătescu.

The Legacy of Geta Bratescu

Geta Brătescu’s impact extends far beyond the borders of Romania. Her artworks have gained international recognition, finding homes in prestigious museums such as MoMA in New York, Tate Modern in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in Vienna. Brătescu’s contributions to the art world have been praised for their progressive development and independent voice, allowing her to leave an enduring mark on the 20th and 21st-century art movements.

As a member of the Romanian Artists’ Union, Brătescu was a versatile artist who chose both traditional and new mediums as her means of expression. She excelled in graphic art, printmaking, drawing, textile collage, tapestry, object art, performance, photography, photo-installation, and film.

Geta Bratescu in UK

The Art on the Underground, Transport for London’s public art programme, has commissioned a year-long programme of women artists in 2018, which marked 100 years since the Representation of the People Act, enabling all men and some women over the age of 30 to vote for the first time. The artists represented in the London underground stations were: Linder, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Geta Bratescu, Marie Jacotey, Heather Phillipson, Nina Wakeford, among others.

Regarding the Romanian artist Geta Bratescu’s work, the official statements notes:

“In Spring 2018, for the 28th edition of the pocket Tube map, Art on the Underground have commissioned Romanian nonagenarian artist Geta Bratescu to create a new artwork, marking her first public commission in the UK. Bratescu’s extensive career has comprised drawing, collage, tapestry, photography, experimental film and performance. Having studied drawing and worked for many years as a graphic designer, her practice has a sustained engagement with the drawn line, whether through collage, a technique she calls “drawing with scissors”, in fabric, or through her meticulous draughtsmanship. Gender and motherhood are recurrent themes in Bratescu’s work, and are often explored through literary figures; she rejects the concept of feminism in favor of a celebration of femininity.”

Read also: Romanian artist Geta Bratescu conquers the London tube

The artist’s recent exhibitions included a solo show at Tate Liverpool in 2015; MATRIX 254 / Geta Bratescu, a solo show at Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in 2014; as well as participations in The Encyclopedic Palace, La Biennale di Venezia in 2013; La Triennale, Paris, Palais de Tokyo, in 2012; and the 12th Istanbul Biennial in 2011. Brătescu’s works are in important collections such as MoMA, New York; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Tate Modern, London; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw; The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest; MUMOK, Vienna; Kontakt Collection, Vienna; Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana; and FRAC Lorraine, Metz.

Photo courtesy of TATE Modern

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