arch-NEAGU. Paul Neagu & Architecture

officelondon
Jul 7, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jul 30

Exhibition | Talk

British–Romanian artist Paul Neagu (1938 – 2004) made a crucial contribution to the development of conceptual art in Britain from the 1970s onwards. We were thrilled to open a unique exhibition at the Romanian Cultural Institute in London to celebrate his legacy.

Paul Neagu worked in diverse media from drawing and sculpture to performance art, poetry and watercolour. His works can be found in some of the most prestigious museums and private collections around the world, including at the British Museum and Tate Modern in the United Kingdom. He was also a great teacher and had a lasting impact on those who later became some of Britain’s leading sculptors, including Tony Cragg, Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor.

Paul Neagu was born in Bucharest and grew up in Timișoara, Romania. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest in 1963. In 1969, Neagu travelled to the UK for the first time, at the invitation of Richard Demarco, a gallerist and impresario based in Edinburgh. He later moved to London, which became his home for nearly 35 years.

Twenty years on since the departure of Paul Neagu, the Romanian Cultural Institute in London, in partnership with The Paul Neagu Estate UK and the Ambasada României în Regatul Unit al Marii Britanii şi Irlandei de Nord, celebrates his legacy with a unique exhibition, which highlights his influence on architecture. We are thrilled to be able to present some of Paul Neagu’s works, which have never been exhibited before in the United Kingdom. Architect Anca Mihalache curates the exhibition.

The keynote speech of the exhibition opening was delivered by Hugh Pearman, writer and editor, currently Chair of the Twentieth Century Society UK. He was an architecture and design critic for The Sunday Times for 30 years, frequently reviewing art exhibitions. He was also editor of the Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects until 2020.

We are very grateful to The Paul Neagu Estate UK and, in particular, to Iolanda M. B. Costide, a Trustee of the charity, and Paul Ciucur, a nephew of Paul Neagu, for their tremendous support of this event.

Photography Alex Coman.