For the inauguration of the museum, internationally renowned artist Jeff Wall was invited with a solo show entitled ‘MEN’. The selection comprises some of Wall’s most iconic works dating from the 1980s right up until the present day, grouped in a peculiar way. ”Despite the boastful capital letters, MEN is far from asserting manhood. Solitude, gloom, weakness, even folly and ridicule smother men facing males, females, cities or societies. Elusive narratives and biting nostalgia ask for empathy for their gestures. Like in genre scenes, the chairs in Monologue are allegorical: determinate, they portray their sitters better than their portraits do.

Crisis? MEN shows no exit.” (curator Erwin Kessler, director of MARe). Jeff Wall is well-known for his large format photographs and has held numerous solo exhibitions across the globe from ‘Le Jeu de Paume’ Paris, the ‘ICA’ London, ‘The Museum of Contemporary Art’ Chicago and now, his first ever exhibition in Romania. The exhibition at MARe will feature works such as ‘The Thinker’ (1986), ‘Mask Maker’ and ‘Listener’ (both dating from 2015) there will also be displayed works such as ‘Searcher’ (2007) and ‘Pawnshop’ (2009).

Kessler’s chronological approach showcases the artists’ transition from using light-boxes technology from the 1980s, to large and smaller format photography in the 2000s. Jeff Wall will also deliver a public, artist talk in Bucharest on 8 October, and will attend the opening of MARe. Whilst MARe is mainly dedicated to Romanian art, it will invite three internationally renowned, innovative contemporary artists to exhibit every year. Following the Jeff Wall show, Martin Creed and Thomas Ruff will exhibit at MARe in 2019.