Mircea Cantor

© Photo credit：Tony Metaxas

© Photo credit：Tony Metaxas

The Arch of Triumph gathers together and updates universal symbols from a very distant period. In the region of Maramures, in northwest Romania, inhabitants used to have imposing carved wooden doors in their houses, decorated with the tree of life, supposedly to repel evil forces. This symbol is replaced in Cantor's recreation of the door by the contemporary symbol of universal life: the double helix of DNA. The Arch is designed as an urban monument, covered in gold foils, celebrating contemporary humankind, inspired by an ancient humanistic tradition. The 24-carat gold leaf covering, as specified by Cantor, endows the gate with a presence we might associate with an iconic sign, a fairytale or perhaps a rite of passage ritual. For the artist, the DNA strand symbolizes both the desire for certainty and what he describes as "the continuation of tradition" in another form. As these doors usually marked the entrances of important houses in the region, walking through this gold leaf covered gate, signifies passing through and under symbols of aspiration and continuity.

Mircea Cantor

Born in 1977 in Oradea, Romania.
Lives and works in Paris, France and Cluj Napoca, Romania.

The visual artist Mircea Cantor has received wide acclaim for his subtle commentary on issues of contemporary society. Cantor's work is included in The Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris as well as in other collections worldwide.

Recent solo shows:
2009: Which light kills you, The Commun Guild, Glasgow, Scotland; Tracking Happiness, Kunsthaus Zurich,
Switzerland; Preventative kiss for suspicious war, Johnen Galerie, Berlin;White sugar for black days, Yvon Lambert,
Paris; The need for uncertainty, Camden Arts Centre, UK. 2008: Future Gifts, Mucsarnok Kunsthalle, Budapest,
Hungary; The need for uncertainty, Arnolfini & Modern Art Oxford, UK.