Predictable Constructs _First Solo Show by Genu Berlo

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Introduction by Renay Elle Morris with additional commentary by art historian Marius Tănăsescu.

After a healthy career in NYC, with family in tow, Genu Berlo moved back to his native Romania to rediscover its treasures and give his children a taste of what he had missed_ the wonders of his youth. Equipped with solid skills of art, design, and architecture he settled his family in Bucharest.

As of recent, Berlo and wife and business partner, Elena use their entrepreneurial spirit and technologically advanced skills to for the development of social and artistic internet platforms, while never losing sight of their studies in fine art and architecture. The creation of ARSTLER_ an online resource and presentation arena for exhibiting artists and gallery conversations maintains a slant to invite and interview emerging artists. OnceUponaPaper, is a worldwide destination for consumers and organizations desiring splendid tailor-made ketubah and ceremonial announcements. Even as business calls, they are ever present in the artistic community keeping active in gallery settings along with a host of creative endeavors_ offline!

Having worked together in NYC, Berlo asked me to jump aboard and collaborate with him on Arstler. It has been a fruitful and rewarding experience. So, at this juncture, I applaud Berlo with a commentary on his first solo show_ Predictable Constructs on view at Atelier030202 Galleryuntil 10 November of this year in Bucharest. (See gallery website for details.)

Speaking with Berlo, he tells me “…his vision of the work relates the identity and mind.” And he express his …”affinity for line and structure.” Given these insights, and leaving no doubt, I study the two completely different mediums on display and immediately ascertain that he is propelled by his studies in architecture as well as a certain curiosity in the humanities.

The gallerist, Mihai Zgondoiu is featuring 20 works_ a mixture of oil paintings and sculptures of wood, metal and paper. As I observe the structures, it is evident that they have a sense of something rural and utilitarian_ perhaps in its simplistic form, naive, even primitive, as they are barren, colorless and are “obvious of what is just necessary.” When paired with the oil paintings, it is a splendid display_well balanced and fascinating. Of course this is intentional, and the duality of Berlo’s nature is evident. As linear are his constructs, the oils are organic, colorful, moving and craving to be born. Thus perhaps even biological. Is this a study of the evolution of the human form paired with the tools necessary to maintain and perpetuate life? This study, as I see it, is brilliant, cohesive, and deeply reflective of how all things living and non may be related.

“Genu Berlo is processing constructs which underlying foundation is not the intuition per se; he quite actually relegate the latest to a secondary layer, staying on the lookout, being afraid that this intuition could interfere with his personal unpredictable “primitivism.” Furthermore, this “primitivism” is more of a mental nature rather than tribal, finding its expression in the sort of “postmodern conceptual artefacts” of land art type (see the sculpture-installation), and in a kind of syncretism beyond currents and times, combining the Lascaux cave painting virtues with a Nolde or Kirchner’s expressionistic ability.” _Marius Tănăsescu

Contact info: Atelier030202 or mihaizgondoiu@yahoo.com