#Exhibit of the Month

The exhibited necklace of beads originates from Funerary Complex No. 6 of Kurgan No. 4, excavated in 1982 by Dr. Habil. Eugen SAVA near the town of Taraclia. The beads were found in the chest area of the deceased, indicating that they had been worn as a necklace and had remained in their original position within the funerary assemblage.
The necklace consists of 11 elements made entirely of Egyptian faience. Eight of the beads are spherical and decorated with vertical incisions forming between 14 and 21 raised ribs. Their diameters range from 13 to 20 mm. Two additional elements are scarab representations measuring 23.5 × 19.5 mm, while the final component is a flattened cylindrical pendant bead featuring a central vertical groove and measuring 22 × 9 mm. The objects range in color from light blue to dark blue and violet hues, reflecting the natural deterioration and glaze variations characteristic of Egyptian faience.
Egyptian faience is an artificial quartz-based material coated with an alkaline glaze, typically blue or blue-green in color. It was widely used in Ancient Egypt and later spread throughout the Mediterranean and Pontic regions through trade networks. During the first centuries AD, such objects served as important indicators of cultural and economic contacts between the Mediterranean world and the communities of the North Pontic region.
Owing to its typological, technological, and symbolic characteristics, the Taraclia necklace is an exceptionally valuable artifact for the study of intercultural relations, the circulation of prestige goods, and the funerary practices of the Sarmatian communities during the first centuries AD (1st-2nd centuries AD).

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Exhibitions

The Tamer of Steel, in Chisinau

November 29, 2023 - Janaury 7, 2024

Daniel Rădulescu, Romanian contemporary artist, known for his special technique of steel sculpture, the most collected artist working in steel in Romania, presents his creations in Chisinau on the occasion of Romania's National Day. The public can admire for a month 8 of his iconic works, made entirely of steel.

Daniel Rădulescu (b. 1990, Brașov) makes his sculptures by hand modeling, with thousands of layers of molten steel, without using molds or forms. This feature makes his sculptures unique, impossible to replicate. Daniel Rădulescu is one of the best-known artists in Romania, his metal sculptures are sought after by collectors from all over the world. The prices of his works increased in 2022 by 1,600% compared to his first works sold.

He studied the sphere of digital and 3D graphics, until he became captivated by any tangible material, from stone, wood and plaster, to the hardness and at the same time fluidity of metal. He explored many possible steel processing technologies until it took shape under his hands. The texture resulting from his impressive working technique has become an emblem of the artist. Daniel Rădulescu has made 97 sculptures to date, all of which are in private collections in 10 countries on 3 continents.

"I want to instill empathy and make visitors look beyond a hard material like steel. Two of these works are inspired by Greek mythology, Bacchus and Daedalus. Each has its own story, but both are made in different chapters of their personal lives. Together, I feel that the 8 sculptures represent me and reconstruct a route of my life; they will communicate well in a common space," says the artist Daniel Rădulescu.

The exhibition takes place at the National Museum of History of Moldova in Chisinau, Bronze Hall, from November 29 to December 20, 2023, and the opening takes place on November 29, at 16:00.

The project is financed by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova within the Government of Romania.