Decorative Arts Exhibition XXIII – Mentoring and artistic affiliation / photo gallery

The 2026 Decorative Arts Exhibition, conceived as a reflection on the idea of the extended school, explores relationships of mentorship, artistic filiation and continuity between generations. Mentors and mentees from fields such as glass, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and contemporary jewelry are brought together in a direct dialogue of creation and mutual influences.

Now in its 23rd edition, the event is hosted by the Cotroceni National Museum until July 19 and is curated by Cosmin Năsui and Georgiana Cozma. Through thematic sections, it proposes a coherent route between memory, consecration and new directions in contemporary decorative art.

The selection brings together both established and young artists, building a natural link between tradition and new forms of artistic expression.

Sections

The History section, dedicated to the recovery and symbolic preservation of landmarks from the history of art, highlights the relationship between Dan Popovici and his former student Cristina Iliescu, highlighting the affinities and meeting points between their artistic universes. Their relationship thus becomes an example of continuity in the Romanian fire arts, marking the transition from the analytical rigor of glass to a sculpture with archetypal values.

The Famous section presents the creations of Daniela Făiniș, an emblematic figure of porcelain architecture, as well as those of jewelry artists David Sandu and Andreia Popescu, who created the Assamblage School of Contemporary Jewelry – the first educational platform dedicated to this field in Romania and a benchmark in the training of new generations of artists. Alongside their works is a “best of” selection – the most interesting jewelry made by graduates of the school.

The New Blood section brings together the works of 16 young artists – students, masters and doctoral students of the Faculty of Decorative Arts and Design at UNArte, coming from the departments of Textile Arts – Textile Design and Ceramics – Glass – Metal. The section aims to highlight the latest directions of higher art education in Romania.

Works by Danela Făiniș, also present in the section Focus MNC – dedicated to the heritage of the Cotroceni National Museum – dialog with the creations of artists such as George Filipescu, Alexandra Filipescu-Gheorghe Filipescu, Lena Constante and Cela Neamțu, between whom one can observe a spiritual and technical continuity within the Romanian tapestry.

At the same time, Portfolio Room proposes a documentary incursion into the archive of the Resource Center for Decorative Arts, evoking the memory of recently deceased artists: Judit Crăciun, Patriciu Mateescu, Silvia Radu, Ernest Budeș and Radu Tănăsescu.