The Romanian Cultural Institute in Paris is set to host an exhibition titled “Bucarest – trente ans après / București – după treizeci de ani” from March 27 to June 1, 2025, at the Macadam Gallery. Curated by Laure Hinckel, this exhibition aims to visually explore the transformation of Bucharest over the past thirty years.
The opening of the exhibition will take place on March 27, 2025, at 7:00 PM, featuring the presence of Hinckel herself. It is a part of the events celebrating the International Francophonie Day and marks 145 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and France. The exhibition will showcase a series of 18 photographs arranged in 9 diptychs, capturing various locations in Bucharest at two distinct moments: one set taken in 1994 and the other in 2024. Additionally, the event will include memorabilia such as posters, postcards, and personal journal pages.
Accompanying the exhibition is a bilingual album titled “București – după treizeci de ani / Bucarest – trente ans après,” recently published by the Romanian Cultural Institute, which will also be presented in April at the 2025 Paris Book Festival. This album features elements that reflect moments in the life of a capital still rich in discoveries.
Laure Hinckel, known for her translations of Romanian literature, enters this project as both author and photographer. She has been recognized with the “Antoaneta Ralian” Translation Award, given by Radio Romania at the Gaudeamus Book Fair, for her work on the bilingual album. This exhibition follows a similar one held in January 1995 at the French Institute in Bucharest, which displayed photographs taken in 1994 and seeks to continue the visual dialogue between France and Romania.
Hinckel’s initial arrival in Bucharest in 1994 marked her experience of a city emerging from the shadows of communism. The photographs she took then, along with her recent revisit to those same scenes thirty years later, form the backbone of the album, allowing the reader a glimpse into the character of a city steeped in tumultuous history.
Hinckel’s background includes a journalism education from Tours, followed by her contributions to various publications in France and later as a reporter in Romania. She has translated numerous works by Romanian authors, showcasing her dedication to bridging Romanian literature with French-speaking audiences.
The bilingual volume can be purchased at the ICR bookstore located at Aleea Alexandru no. 38, with its entrance on Ermil Pangrati street, Sector 1, Bucharest. The exhibition not only serves as a celebration of Bucharest’s evolution but also cements the cultural ties that bind Romania and France through art and literature.
