works
Delia POPA is one of the most relevant contemporary Romanian artists of her generation. Her feminist art includes painting, drawing and prints, installation, video and performance, taking up important topics such as gender relations, power relations and the human-animal relationship. She is the co-founder and leader of ArtCrowd – Artists in Education, an arts organization committed since 2013 to creating positive change in society via art and education.
POPA received a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, University of London, and both a Master in Visual Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Painting from The National University of Arts Bucharest. She also expanded her research into the field of Arts Management and obtained a Doctor in Philosphy in Arts Management from Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania.
Her involvement with animal rights activism and her commitment to social justice have been informing her activity as an art educator, cultural mediator, as well as her studio practice. Her mediums include painting, drawing, installation and performance, as potential tools for social intervention. The choice of allegorical characters, as well as the drive to explore cross-disciplinary methods and various Western and Eastern modes of representation, testify to the unique blend of artistic, social, and diplomatic roles POPA is assuming in her work.
She has been awarded numerous international residencies including artist in residence at Q21/MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, Austria (2018), index Freiraum, Zurich, Switzerland (2015), Bains Connective, Brussels, Belgium (2012), Romanian Cultural Institute in Venice, Italy (2010) and in Paris, France (2009).
Delia POPA's work has been shown in numerous national and international group exhibitions, screening and performance events, including at Kunsthalle Bega, Timisoara (2021), The National Museum of Contemporary Art/MNAC, Bucharest (2020/2015/2013/2005), WASP, Bucharest (2018), at Lateral ArtSpace, Paintbrush Factory, Cluj, Romania (2017/2016), atat Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies/a.pass, Brussels, Belgium (2012), at General Public, Berlin, Germany (2011), at The 5th Video Art Biennial in Tel Aviv, Israel (2010), and at Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida, USA (2008).
Her solo and duo exhibitions include "The Girl with Tentacles" at Sandwich Gallery, Bucharest (2017), "Chelen Amenca/Dance with Us" (with Ellen Rothenberg) at The National Bruckenthal Museum, Sibiu, Romania (2012), and "I am Gustav von Aschenbach" at The Romanian Cultural Institute in Venice, Italy (2010).
Delia has lectured widely on topics such as collaboration, cultural mediation, art in education, language-through-art teaching methods, art history for children, art management, museum education, public art, contemporary art and her art practice at universities, museums and cultural institutions across Romania, as well as in cities such as Madrid, Venice, Vienna, Sarasota, Oslo and Chicago.
To request a lecture please write to delianapopa@gmail.com
To view full Curriculum Vitae please scroll down to the bottom of this page
selected exhibitions
solo and duo exhibitions
2019
The Beach, curated by GrawBoeckler, GrawBoeckler Garage, Berlin, Germany
2017
The Girl with Tentacles, Sandwich Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2015
Growing Up and Staying Young- Tales of Heidi, curated by Anca Sinpalean, Haus zum Palmbaum, index Freiraum, Zurich, Switzerland
2014
Chelen Amenca/Dance with Us, Part II (with Ellen Rothenberg), Performative Lectures, UNA Gallery, National University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania
2013
Anca Munteanu Rimnic and Delia Popa at Salonul de Proiecte, curated by Magda Radu and Alexandra Croitoru, Salonul de Proiecte, MNAC Anexa, Bucharest, Romania
2012
Chelen Amenca/Dance with Us, (with Ellen Rothenberg), curated by Anca Mihulet, The Contemporary Art Gallery of the National Brukenthal Museum, Sibiu, Romania
2011
The Blind Men and the Elephant, (with Diana Sandor), curated by GrawBoeckler, General Public, Berlin, Germany
2010
I am Gustav von Aschenbach or How to Live Your Eternity in Venice, curated by Anca Sinpalean, Romanian Institute of Cultural and Humanistic Research, Venice, Italy
2009
Secret Life of Houseplants, Teutsch Haus, Sibiu, Romania
2003
Teritorry of Fear, UNA Gallery, National University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania
Re: Teritorry of Fear, The Brancovan Palaces, Mogosoaia, Ilfov County, Romania
group exhibitions (selection)
2021
Virus Diary, The 7th Edition of the Black-and-White Biennial, The Art Museum of Satu Mare, Romania,
Borderline Art Space, Iași, Romania, ABM Confecciones, Madrid, Spain
The Apocalypse of the White Elephant, MetaSpace, Garrison Command, Timișoara, Romania
Heartbeat 20/Puls 20, curated by Călin Dan, Kunsthalle Bega, Timișoara, Romania
2017
2018
Artists react to WAR, curated by Olivia Nitis, Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest, Romania
On Childhood and Education, a Radiophonic Exhibition, curated by Daria Ghiu, Romanian Cultural Radio
Being Mountains Being Sees, Lateral ArtSpace, Paintbrush Factory, Cluj, Romania
Process Terminus, curated by Sandwich Gallery at Art Encounters, Timisoara, Romania
Garage Sale [The Great China-Romania Friendship Cafeteria], Sandwich Gallery, Bucharest, Romania
2016
Fete cu idei [Băieți și picturi]/Girls with Ideas [Boys and Painting], curated by Giles Eldridge and Delia Popa, Lateral ArtSpace, Paintbrush Factory, Cluj, Romania
2015
Art on Display #2, (with Liliana Basarab) curated by Irina Botea Bucan, Bucharest Public Space, Romania
Dispositions in Time and Space, curated by Adrian Bojenoiu, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, Romania
2019
2020
After 12 years. Romanian Contemporary Art in 180 Works. National Museum of Contemporary Art/MNAC, Bucharest, Romania
Europa Wonderland, curated by Olivia Nitis, organized by Contrasens Association , Garrison Command , Timișoara, Romania
Contemporary Art Biennials – Our Hegemonic Machines in States of Emergency Symposium, curated by Dorothee Richter and Ronald Kolb, online and Goethe Institute, Bucharest Biennale 9
2014
Momentum #2, curated by Olivia Nitis, Aiurart Contemporary Art Space, Bucharest, Romania
Mobile I Biennial, curated by Club Elctroputere, Oltenia County, Romania
2013
Dear Money, Salonul de Proiecte, VIENNAFAIR, Viena, Austria
Good Girls- Memory, Desire, Power, curated by Bojana Pejic and Olivia Nitis, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, Romania
2010
2008-2009
Traces : Contemporary Romanian Art, curated by Ann Albritton, Mirela Ivanciu, Carmen Iovitu, Centre International d'Art Contemporain, Pont- Aven, France, Selby Gallery Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida, Robert Else Gallery, Sacramento State University, California, USA,
Ready or Not-Romanian Video Art, at Videozone V, The 5th International Video Art Biennial in
Israel, curated by Irina Cios, Center for Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
Gender Zero, POSTBOX DVD Video-Screening, curated by Sanda Watt, #4 POSTBOX Magazine/Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
artistic residencies
2018
2015
2012
2010
2015
2009
MuseumsQuartier/Q21, Vienna, Austria
Index Freiraum, Zurich, Switzerland
Bains Connectives, Brussels, Belgium (with Anca Verona Mihuleț)
Romanian Institute of Cultural and Humanistic Research, Venice, Italy
ArtistNest, Sinaia, Romania
Romanian Cultural Institute, Paris, France
education
2014
2007
2005
2004
2002
Master in Fine Art, Painting Department, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Doctor of Philosophy in Arts Management, Management Department of Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu, Romania
Master in Fine Art, Painting Department, National University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania
Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art, Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK
Bachelor of Fine Art, Painting Department, National University of Arts, Bucharest, Romania