Petrică Ştefan’s painting evolves under certain rules imposed by the artist himself. With a carefully built studio routine, the painter thoroughly explores ways and methods of rendering matter in its various forms, from heavy, earthly consistencies to aerial vibrations and a certain line parallelism that become, altogether, real communication networks between the types of space he introduces in his works. Although shapes are not missing, and the construction of the image is similar to a study after life, the mental challenges that he creates stand in the comprehension of the whole. One could say that he paints in an abstract manner from this point of view, of abstract thinking transposed into visual image. The fragments he depicts, diverse and combined, seem to be part of a knowledgeable wholeness.

Being taught in an academic environment where abstraction had been practiced for decades, and I am referring to the Art University in Timişoara, he studied with Cristian Sida, a well-known abstract artist himself, who had been Romul Nuţiu’s studio assistant. Petrică Ştefan  continues the practice and transforms it in his own style, always looking for new ways of expression of his ideas. His style can be easily recognized after a few distinctive elements: small, vibrate color spots juxtaposed on rigorous and repetitive parallel lines drawn on large-scale surfaces. His backgrounds are painted in light, aerial colors that remind us of sky details painted by the masters of landscape. He uses mixed media, acrylic or oil paint combined with a rigorous drawing in ink.

After his repeated experience as an artist-in-residence in Cetate Arts Danube program, organized by Joana Grevers Foundation since 2007, Petrică Ştefan, being surrounded by artists working site-specific sculpture and installation, changed the canvas  with walls, making mural interventions inside and outside the working space.

His current exhibition is taking place in the proximity of the residency studios and combines the classical display of works on canvas with site specific interventions. Fluid Networks opens the season for 418 Gallery Munich-Cetate-Bucureşti, after relocation in Cetate. – Simona Vilau