Born in 1988, Radu Băieș belongs to a new generation of Romanian artists, for whom Communism has nothing to do with childhood. This might be the reason for their detached, but not uncaring creative attitude in addressing various historical issues.
In Băieș’ painting, reference is made not to the significance of certain historical moments or events: the moments evoked can occur anywhere and anytime. These are heavily laden moment, gaining mysterious presence on the surface of the canvas.
As a constant feature, his paintings create powerful moments, with elements that, whether they are trees, benches, sheep or landscape, become the expression of certain experiences. This leads to the birth of an entire universe which the artist himself names Ostrov. Speaking of the similarly entitled work, he states:
„Ostrov means isladn. This work is my attempt at creating my own island, my own language, my own characters. This is my Ostrov, as a method. As a suggestion, it refers to the other Ostrov, by depicting the straw shade. The painting consequently is a stroll taken is the world of others.”
Radu Băieș, as many of the Cluj painters, set out from his fascination with figurative painting and its contemporary forms. At first, he tried to discover and apply figurative pictorial methods, and then used this elements to construct various configurations in painted collages. These already display a double approach to the pictorial surface: the abstract surface on one hand and the content-bearing element on the other, an approach highly characteristic of the exhibited works.
The gestures have escaped the rigor of form, the initial character of the shape is blurred, Radu trrying to establish a balance of the figurative and the abstract, of form and expression.