On the fringe project

The project, initiated by Qolony, invites us to enter a liminal space between science and pseudoscience, truth and myth, fact and fiction. By exploring the ‘grey areas’ of knowledge, the artists Andreea Medar, Mălina Ionescu and Floriama Cândea analyse the way in which we classify experiences according to the historically established rules and values that guide our perceptions of the world. Where does knowledge end and speculation begin? Where does fantasy intersect with science in the construction of knowledge? The project encourages reflection on how we distinguish fact from fiction, while appreciating the cultural richness that develops in these spaces of uncertainty.

After a period dedicated to their respective research and the production of the installations, the artists presented their work at an exhibition between 13 and 27 November 2024 at the WASP (Working Art Space and Production) gallery in Bucharest. A talk with the artists, palaeontologist Valentin Paraschiv (Bucharest Geology Museum) and philosopher Raluca Bujor also took place on 14 November, to shed light on the social phenomena linked to the friction between science and pseudoscience.

Land under Wave II - Andreea Medar, Malina Ionescu
The discovery of 5M year-old fossilised shells on a hilltop in Melinesti (RO) serves as a starting point. The local legends that have emerged around these fossils highlight the way in which certain discoveries remain in the shadows. In collaboration with researchers from Romania's Institute of Geology, the artists reveal the geological phenomena that have defined and shaped the region's geographical, social and cultural landscape.
This project is in its second variation, the first one has been presented at Simultan Festival in October 2023.

Fringed Objects - Floriama Cândea
The project focuses on the Pitești Pyramid, a Research Laboratory founded under Ceausescu dedicated to the study of the supposed ‘pyramid effect’. She is researching the reasons for this belief, based on the premise that there is a collective attraction to fantastic explanations and how uncertain information fits into community narratives. She is working with the University of Civil Engineering in Bucharest to separate the true from the false.

The installations oscillate between documentation and speculation, giving the exhibition the appearance of a science museum; Land Under Wave II is presented through two documentary films, photographs on light boxes and shells collected on site, while Fringed Objects unveils 4 pyramids made of Plexiglas, each of which is the subject of a holographic projection and an audio narration recounting an unconfirmed scientific theory, conducive to the most far-fetched hypotheses.

On the Fringe is co-funded by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN). The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the project results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grantee.