What remains when the market goes silent?
EN
MATCA artspace Calea Turzii 21, 400193 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan Beudean / Lucas Farah / Bianca Papuc / Iulia Pușcașu / Judas Ștefan
Opening: 31.07, 7:00 PM 31.07 – 10.08.2026
On 31.07, from 7:00 PM, the opening of the exhibition titled What remains when the market goes silent? took place at MATCA artspace, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The exhibition brings together works by artists Dan Beudean, Lucas Farah, Bianca Papuc, Iulia Pușcașu, and Judas Ștefan. The exhibition’s attitude is rather pessimistic, being concerned with the multiple crises generated by the recent developments of capitalism. It openly questions, without looking for answers, the role of the work of art in the context of artists’ being overexposed to both the informational overload and to the material conditions in which they exist and create as well. What remains when the market goes silent? is the third exhibition taking place as part of the FORWARD residency programme, curated by residents Eva Luca and Tudor Costin, with Miruna Drăgușanu as assistant curator. Following the opening event, the exhibition can be visited Wednesday–Saturday, by appointment made at least one day in advance.
Curatorial concept:
What remains when the market goes quiet?
The present forms of contemporary capitalism do not only generate multiple crises, but also a continuous exposure to their effects. Job scarcity and precariousness caused by the financialization of capital particularly affect a generation whose skills are no longer needed, with big capital being less and less focused on real production, but increasingly on speculative markets. The genocides in Gaza and the DR of Congo, the political instability present throughout the empire, and the flooding of all communication channels with information become paralyzing. The effects of climate change on human beings lead to a state of fatigue and tiredness. On social media, the endless stream of images and videos featuring influencers, fake gurus, therapists, and recipes for happiness shapes a world where the individual finds themselves unable to build long-term relationships with others, remaining isolated or locked into superficial interactions.
In this context, artists find themselves in an unusual position. All these crises ripple through them, affecting how they relate to the world, to their own work, and to the art market itself. What is the place of the artwork in such a world? Can it remain sincere, reflecting the multiple crises in which creators are forced to exist? Is artistic practice itself feasible in the current political and economic climate? In itself, the act of cultural production shapes a marginal yet resilient community of artists who continue to express their anxieties, hopes, and research, in spite of the oversaturating negativity generated by speculative visions of the future.
Moving from pain to humor, from the incapacitation of action to the absurd gesture, the exhibition views today’s crises with a certain resignation. Questions are asked, yet answers are not even sought. The humor is absurd, almost unhinged, like the laughter of a prisoner locked in solitary confinement. Laughter does not appear as a manifestation of joy, but as a form of resistance. The future is left unaddressed, with positive outlets found instead by looking back toward a past remembered as better. Is there still meaning in what we do, without looking for material benefits it might bring us?
The present constantly displays itself in binary and decimal terms, with people reduced to simple, depersonalized, and somber numbers.
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Event part of rezidența FORWARD.
Cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for how its results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding recipient.
Event organized with the support of the City Hall and Local Council of Cluj-Napoca.
Partners: Universitatea de Artă și Design Cluj-Napoca, Empower Artists, ArteVezi, ArtCrawl Cluj, Centrul Cultural German, Into The Bubble, Contemporary Art Today, Asociația La Pătrat