ENTRY #2: ANDREI SCLIFOS

A dogma usually has a negative overtone and is as often automatically linked to religion. We also transform certain idyllic concepts into dogmas. We all strive towards continuity, unknown, the infinite. They got sought so much until they became part of the standard. We then give them the power of dogmas. And that's how they became as useless as the ones we already had.

So this exhibition looks at just that: uselessness. There is an ironic take on the broken-bucket fountain, on the way the candles melt in vain, on the poor man cranking the well and the fish which doesn't get to live forever. And the whole concept of the exhibition started from a chimney - which is, indeed, useless to the house it serves. But it creates an illusion: of purpose on the outside and of infinity on the inside. Two things the contemporary man strives towards. Sclifos presents his humorously-dark point of view, building from the center of the room (/exhibition/ world) outwards to some of man's latest concerns.

Diana Roşca

Dogma by Andrei Sclifos is the exhibition project that won the second edition of Quadro 21 Gallery’s entry [ˈentri] programme. The programme is aimed at strengthening the dialogue between artists, the Gallery and the public and encouraging the diversification of the Cluj art scene by promoting young artists.

"When I found out about the call I thought of submitting some of my paintings. I later went to revisit the space and make an imaginary selection of the ones I had in my studio. But there I saw the chimney - kind of hard to miss it since it is right in the middle of the room. The chimney has a small double door which I opened, stuck my head in, looked down, but couldn’t see any ending of because of the darkness. That’s how I came up with the starting idea of the project."

Andrei Sclifos