The Exhibition “Cucuteni Reinterpreted — From the Neolithic to the Contemporary”
Following the success of the first ceramics competition organized as part of the IARMAROC la Sat Festival, 3rd Edition (May 15–17, 2026), the Association for Artistic Innovation is bringing the “Cucuteni Reinterpreted” exhibition to downtown Cluj, at the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography—offering the general public the opportunity to discover the 10 finalist works.
About the Exhibition
The exhibition brings together 10 works of contemporary ceramics, created by ceramic artists from across the country in response to a simple invitation: to reinterpret the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture—one of the most advanced Neolithic civilizations in Europe, remarkable for its painted pottery and an aesthetic sensibility that is surprisingly relevant today.
Spirals, geometric figures, natural colors, fragmentation—the Cucuteni visual vocabulary served as a starting point, not a template to follow. Not replicas of the past, but conversations with it.
The works were evaluated by a jury of experts (60%) and voted on by the festival audience (40%). Admission to the exhibition is free.
Practical Details
Location: Transylvanian Ethnographic Museum, 21 Memorandumului Street, Cluj-Napoca
Dates: July 15 – August 15, 2026
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Contest Winners and Finalists
First Place: Cătălina Leontescu (The Girl with Clay in Her Hair) — HERITAGE
Second Place: Zsuzsa Deák — In the Rhythm of the Body
Third Place: Matei-Alexandru Siminic (Siminici.Studio) — The Dance of Fertility
The other 7 finalists:
• Alexandra Radu — Eva and Her Daughters
• Alexia-Andrada Vulpe — Sequences
• Anastasiia Tomashivska (Tomash Pottery) — Spiră
• Bianca-Theodora Peter — Culture Bomb
• Mara Patriche (MARARA) — At the Museum
• Ruxandra Dumitru (Demater concept) — Memory Capsule
• Vanessa Singenzia (UAU) — Women of the Stones
Project Context and International Recognition
The “Cucuteni” theme takes on even greater relevance in the context of a recent historical event: in May 2026, the National Heritage Institute of Romania announced that the Cucuteni–Trypillia civilization had been inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative List—the first official step toward obtaining World Heritage status. The nomination is transnational, encompassing sites in Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.
This follows the signing, in September 2025 in Chișinău, of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ministries of culture of the three countries to prepare the joint nomination dossier. The Precucuteni–Ariușd–Cucuteni–Trypillia Cultural Complex comprises dozens of archaeological sites and is described by UNESCO as “the most significant cultural phenomenon of European prehistory.”
In this context, the ceramics competition organized by IARMAROC la Sat represents more than just a cultural initiative—it is a concrete contribution to keeping this heritage alive in the public consciousness through the ways of contemporary art.
About IARMAROC la Sat, 3rd Edition
IARMAROC la Sat is a festival of creativity and the arts, held annually at the Romulus Vuia Ethnographic Park in Cluj-Napoca—an authentic rural setting just 10 minutes from downtown, dedicated to authentic creators, acoustic music, and the community.
The 3rd edition, held May 15–17, 2026, continued the tradition of the first two editions—which drew over 6,200 participants in the first edition and 8,800 in the second—while introducing new experiences: acoustic concerts, creative workshops, art exhibitions, and, for the first time, the inaugural Cucuteni-themed ceramics competition.
The competition attracted dozens of entries from across the country, selected 10 finalists through a mentoring program with specialists in artistic ceramics, heritage, and sustainability, and awarded the winners in front of the festival audience.
About IARMAROC
IARMAROC is a Romanian ecosystem dedicated to local creativity, founded in 2020 by the Association for Artistic Innovation. The project was born out of a desire to bring together the very best creations from Romania, connecting local creators with consumers who appreciate products made with passion and authenticity.
The IARMAROC ecosystem comprises three pillars: IARMAROC.com—the largest online marketplace dedicated to local creators in Romania, with over 500 active creators and more than 10,000 listed products; IARMAROC in the Countryside — the festival of creativity and the arts, held at the Ethnographic Park in Cluj-Napoca; and IARMAROC in the City — the urban concept launched in 2025, which brings the spirit of European markets to the centers of Romanian cities.
Some key figures: over 1,500 creators registered in the ecosystem, over 313,000 unique visitors on the platform, over 20 events co-organized with major festivals, and 17 short documentaries filmed about the creators.
