STEFAN DORU MOSCU: And His Beautiful Brushstrokes

Tell us how you got into art? 

My father is a self-taught sculptor and my sister is a painter. I work with both sculpture and painting, so I think my sister and I got our talent from our father. I grew up with the goal of becoming a good sculptor, but I wanted more, so I start painting. Now I paint more than I sculpt. Maybe this will change in the future and I will do more sculpture than painting, but for now, I'm ok with painting. I feel that I can express more of myself through my paintings. I own a painting studio with my wife, Magdalena Iulia Moscu, who is also a painter. 

Where did you study? 

I received a B.A. in Art and Restoration from the State University of Sibiu, Romania. I graduated in 2008.

What are your inspirations? 

I take inspiration from textures of objects degrading, decaying, rusting, or corroding over time. The complex structure of the combination of broad brushstrokes with specific colors (blues grays, browns, and greens) assumes extreme importance in the artwork, taking a critical view of social, political and cultural issues by suggesting a somber, furtive, and enigmatic mood.

I try to expose a contemporary vision of major political narratives and fundamental, universal topics, such as the abuse of power, exploitation and oppression, and also of a personal, individual, human struggle. In my research as an artist, I intend to deconstruct reality, fairy tales, old photos that depict childhood, and adult culture in a discourse that challenges existing political, economical, social, and technological paradigms. Last but not least, I intend to explore the relationship between man and nature in urban environments in an attempt to obscure historical and political references with personal memories, film references and scenes from the entertainment industry, and elements from art history.

What form of painting/drawing would you say your art is? 

I generally paint in a expressionism and surrealism style. My style has evolved purely through practice and reading. Painting is both a physical and cerebral act.

Who are your clients? Have you done many art shows? 

My clients/art collectors are mainly from the United States. I have works in private collections in Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, Texas, etc., but also in the UK, Australia, Monaco, France, Belgium, Germany and Austria. Last year, in 2017, I had a busy year with two solo shows in Germany, one in Munich and another one in Nuremberg, and for the second time, I was a part of an art residency in Belgium. I also exhibited some works in group shows in London and Berlin. In October of this year, I will show my work at the London Art Week, where I will be part of The Other Art Fair in London, presented by Saatchi Art.

What is your next series? Which series are you the most proud of? 

I have been making art for almost three decades, and even though I have explored many mediums, I feel the central themes have remained the same. Currently, I am working on a series of four small-size paintings in which I try to experiment with oil paint over acrylic, working in a new style for me: abstract expressionism. I don't think I'm proud of some specific series I have done, because I always think that I can do better work than those I have already made. So, maybe the series I will be proud of has not yet been created.

Which artists inspire you the most

There are so many good artists now, like Lou Ros, Alexander Tinei, Justin Mortimer, Mercedes Helnwein and the great Romanian painter, Adrian Ghenie. I like their work, their subjects are very powerful and they are truly living inspirations. I aslo like Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and many others. 

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