In eerie paintings of human figures constricted by an array of devices and materials, Teodora Axente explores states of internal crisis. For Axente, the juxtapositions in these scenes between human emotions and the odd assortment of foil, satin pillows, and nylon bags are meant to evoke the duality of spiritual and material and reference the human desire to reshape oneself. A member of the Cluj School, Axente shares with this young group of Romanian painters her dark, sultry color palette and preoccupation with the uncertainty of the individual in modern society. Despite the uncanniness of her subject matter, however, she considers her practice to be a game of sorts. “I see the game as an escape,” Axente says. “Who can prove to me that the world I build is not the real one?”
Teodora Axente (b. 1984, Sibiu, Romania) received both her MFA and PhD at the Univerisity of Art and Design, Cluj Romania (also known as 'The School'). Succeeding former graduates Adrian Ghenie, Ciprian Muresan, Victor Man and Serban Savu, Axente is finding her own unique voice and a new story to tell. Her work has been exhibited at MoCA in Boulder Colorado, the Museum of Art at Cluj-Napoca. She aslo had a solo presentation at Hugo Voeten Art Center. Axente is the recipient of The Grand Prize at the 3rd Frissiras Award for European Painting and the Essl Art Award.