FLORIN ION FIRIMITÃ is a Romanian-born visual artist and writer who made his home in the United States after the fall of communism in his homeland in 1989. Versatile in a variety of mediums, from painting to mixed media and from writing to photography, the artist has continued to explore a wide range of creative expressions. His works are held in private and institutional collections in the United States, Australia, and Europe, including the Rodin Museum in Paris, and have been featured in over 400 exhibits in Milan, Karlsruhe, Venice, Paris, New York, Athens, and a growing list of cities on four continents. In October 2023, his photographs will be exhibited alongside Auguste Rodin’s works at the MUDEC Museo Delle Culture, in Milan, Italy.
The artist grew up in a time and place where storytelling, ceremonies, nature and religious iconography were part of daily life; together they formed his initiation into a world of spectacle, mystery and elusive knowledge. Outside those spiritual walls, Firimitã and his family lived in a harsh police state, experiencing deprivation, censorship, and continual uncertainty. The artist traces his artistic roots to his father’s makeshift photo lab, where his father enlisted his assistance at an early age. By age six, Firimitã was proficient in developing film and printing black-and-white photographs and had grown comfortable behind the lens as well. Yet while his father introduced him to the magic of image-making, it was his mother and grandmother, two strong Greek women whom the young Firimitã adored, who instilled in him a sense of the sacredness and mystery of the world that would later infuse his work. Finally, the artist developed two practices at an early age that would continue to inform his creative work: As soon as he could write, he started keeping a diary, and he developed the practice of constructing elaborate “sets” to give form to his stories and visions.
With the support of his parents, Firimitã took up the study of painting. But his world would soon be upended by the unexpected death of his father and the illness and loss of his beloved mother, followed a few years later by the bloodbath surrounding the fall of Romania’s Communist regime. The artist decided to flee Romania, eventually making his way to New York. He mounted his first exhibition within a year of arriving in the United States, and has gone on to create a considerable and provocative body of mixed media works and black-and-white photography. His experiences as refugee and survivor are an essential influence in his work, as are the familiar images and iconography of his childhood.
Firimita’s creative process begins long before the click of the shutter. Drawing on his experience in stage design at the Bucharest National Opera House, he constructs elaborate settings to bring his ideas and visions to life. His works are visually arresting – the effect of surprising juxtapositions, incongruous images, sumptuousness of textures, sensuous treatment of the female form, or the sheer power of subject and classical composition. They are also literary in their use of symbols and images spanning the history of Western art. Firimitã cites Rodin, Borges, Man Ray, Neruda, Paul Delvaux, the Pre-Raphaelites, and Renaissance art among his influences. A dream set in a Delvaux-like setting inspired his first extensive project, La Librairie (The Bookstore; later rechristened The Library), shot in New England over a period of 10 years. The Library continues to receive awards and international coverage in photography reviews and magazines, and selected works are now part of France’s national collection of contemporary art.
The Art of Leaving, a film about the artist, was released in 2003. Based on his journals, the film was the official selection of seven international film festivals such as Santa Fe, Durango, New York, Chicago, and also Montreal’s 23rd Festival International du Film Sur L’Art.
Additional information is available at www.florinfirimita.com and on Instagram @fifphoto1
Gallery representation for photographic work: GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
EXPERIENCE
2020-present Writer/ Editor, Dodho International Photo Magazine, Barcelona, Spain
2019 Guest artist, Rodin Museum, Paris, France. 1991-2024 Participated in over 300 solo and group art exhibits in the United States and Europe. Published numerous short stories, essays, criticism and exhibit reviews in the United States, France, and the U.K.2002-2004 Screenwriter The Art of Leaving, a film directed by Brian Kamerzel. (re-released in 2012)2002-2007 Visual Arts Co-Director/ The Multicultural Arts and Technology Program at Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT..1988-1990 Manager/ Painting Department/ National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Bucharest, Romania1986-1990 Costume and set painter/ National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Bucharest, Romania
EDUCATION
2024 University of Laverne College of Arts and Sciences.
2005 Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT/ Masters in Art Education1997 Central Connecticut State University/ BS in Art Education
1994 Naugatuck Valley College/ AA in Fine Arts
1983 Nicolae Tonitza Lycée, Bucharest, Romania/ Fine Arts Major
1977-1983 Studies with Romanian artists Constantin Ciocârlie, Adrian Benea, and Gheorghe I. Anghel.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2024 Honorable Mention: The Library (series) / Monovision Black and White Photography Awards, London.
2024 Honorable Mention/ Terravarna (5th Water) 2024 International Art Competition, Phoenix, Arizona, US
2023 Nominee: Dream Cages, The 9th Fine Art Photography Awards, London
2022 Honorable Mention/ the 6th edition of Monovision Photography Awards, London
2021 Nominee Fine Art/ The 16th Annual International Black and White Spider Awards, Beverly Hills, CA
2021 Honorable Mention/ 2021 Monochrome International Photography Contest, Portrait Category
2021 Honorable Mention/ 2021 Monochrome International Photography Contest, Nude Category
2021 Honorable Mention/ 2021 Prix de la Photographie, Paris: The Museum of Desire (from "Dream Cages")
2021 Nominee/ The 7th Fine Art Photography Awards, London
2020 Honorable Mention PX3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris, France
2020 Honorable Mention/ OneShot: Movement: Fine Art/ IPA International Photography Awards, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Three Honorable Mentions/ Fine Art Category/ International Monochrome Photography Awards
2019 Honorable Mention/ Fine Art Nudes/ ND Neutral Density Awards for photography.
2019 Honorable Mention/ Fine Art/ ND Neutral Density Awards for photography
2019 Merit Award/ The 7th Annual International PhotoShoot Awards, Montreal, Canada
2018 Honorable Mention/ ND Neutral Density Awards for photography
2018 Nominee/ The 13th Annual International Black and White Spider Awards, Beverly Hills, CA
2018 Finalist/ Freedom Category/ PhotoShoot Awards, Montreal, Canada
2018 Honorable Mention/ One-Shot Harmony: Fine art/ IPA International Photography Awards, Los Angeles, CA
2017 The Sixth Annual Exposure Photography Award/ New York City
2017 Nominee/ The 12th Annual International Black and White Spider Awards, Beverly Hills, CA
2017 Honorable Mention/ Fine Art Nudes/ ND Neutral Density Awards
2017 Honorable Mention/ Fine Art Nudes Series: The Bookstore Project / ND Neutral Density Awards for photography
2016 Finalist/ 4th Zebra Awards: The Reader (Brianna)/ The Bookstore Project
2016 Finalist/ 4th Eros Awards: Bianca/ The Bookstore Project
2016 Finalist/ 4th Eros Awards: Odalisque/ Brianna
2016 Finalist/ 4th Eros Awards: The Offering
2016 Fifth Prize for Photography/ International American Art Awards, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Honorable Mention/ Monochrome Awards: The Reader (Brianna)/ The Bookstore Project
2015 Honorable Mention/ The Figure in the Landscape/ L.A. Photo Curator: International Photography Awards
2015 Second Prize for Photography, International American Art Awards, Los Angeles, CA
2014 First Prize/ Third Annual Photography Show, Art League of New Britain, CT
2013 First Prize/ Second Annual Photography Show, Art League of New Britain, CT
2013 Best in Show/ MAC650 Gallery Photography Show, Middletown, CT
2011 National Gold Medal for Art Teaching, awarded by Scholastics, New York City
2010 National Gold Medal for Art Teaching, awarded by Scholastics, New York City
2007 Honorable Mention/ Arts Center Killingworth Juried Exhibition
2005 Selected by the editors of Art Business International as one of the year’s Emerging Artists/ Trendsetters
2003-2011 The film The Art of Leaving - A Portrait of Florin Ion Firimitã - official selection of the 2003 Santa Fe International Film Festival; the 4th Annual Durango Film Festival (2004); the 1st Artivist Film Festival, The Egyptian Theater, Hollywood (2004); the 26th Annual Big Muddy Film Festival, Chicago (2004); the New York Film Festival (2004); the Williamsburg Film Festival, New York City (2004); the 23 International Film Festival of Art Films, Montreal (2005)
1994 National Prize for Literature/ New York University, Suffern Writing Conference
1992 Honorable Mention/ National Arts Program
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITS
2024 New York Figurative Exhibition, Skylight Gallery, The Salmagundi Club, New York City
2024 The Salmagundi Club 43rd Annual Open Photography Exhibit, Skylight Gallery, New York City
2023 Museo delle Culture (MUDEC), Milan, Italy (October 25, 2023 - March 10, 2024)
2023 The Salmagundi Club 42nd Annual Open Photography Exhibit, Skylight Gallery, New York City
2022 ALOFFT Gallery, Litchfield, CT, U.S.
2022 The Salmagundi Club 41st Annual Open Photography Exhibit, Skylight Gallery, New York City
2022 Art Karlsruhe International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art - Karlsruhe, Germany
2021 Color Your Life - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2020 Masters of Photography - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2019 Masters of Photography - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2019 Chania Photography Festival - Center for Mediterranean Architecture/ Grand Arsenali, Chania, Greece
2019 Portraits - Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2019 Venice - Palazzo Michiel - Venice, Italy - in collaboration with The European Cultural Center
2018 New York Open Center, New York City
2018 Chania Photography Festival - Center for Mediterranean Architecture/ Grand Arsenali, Chania, Greece
2018 Portraits - Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2018 Travelers - Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2018 About Me - Gallery Millepiani, Rome, Italy
2018 Deep Space - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2017 Paris Art Fair - Museum of Modern Art, Paris, France
2017 Group Show - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2017 Art Elysees - The Modern and Contemporary Art Fair, Paris, France
2017 The Sixth Annual Exposure Photography Award - Photoville, New York City
2017 Intimate Portraits (judged by Joyce Tenneson) - Photo Place Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2017 Body/ Image - Darkroom Gallery, Essex Junction, VT
2016 Portraits - Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2015 Black and White - Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
2015 Baylock - Deckert - Firimita - MAC650 Gallery, Middletown, CT
2014 Vision - Six Summit Gallery @ Pier 60, Chelsea, New York City
2014 Snap to Grid - Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts, Los Angeles, CA
2014 Clothing Optional - Blackboard Gallery, Camarillo, CA
2014 The Second Annual Hartford DADA Art Show, Hartford, CT
2010 Henderson Cultural Center - New Milford, CT
2008 The Square Foot Show - Art Gotham Gallery, SoHo, New York City
2008 Sheltered - Central Gallery - Old Saybrook, CT
2007 Necessary Objects - White Space Gallery, New Haven, CT, US
2007 Persistence of Memory - Central Gallery, Old Saybrook, CT
2007 The Feminine Mystique - Gallery 137, Indian Orchard, MA
2007 TAP (Teachers as Artists Project) - Chashama, New York City
2006 Lascano Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2005 White Space Gallery, New Haven, CT
2005 Illuminations - Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA
2001 Circle of Learning - Samuel S.T. Chen Gallery, CCSU, New Britain, CT
1995 The Governor's Mansion, Hartford, CT
1993 Paier College of Art, Hamden, CT
1992 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
1991 Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITS
2019 The Eternal Feminine - The Photography Center of the Capital District, Troy, NY
2017 The Bookstore - GADCOLLECTION Gallery, Paris, France
2016 The Bookstore Project/ 100 Nudes - The Eclipse Mill Gallery, North Adams, MA
2016 The Bookstore Project/ 100 Nudes - Bing Arts Center, Springfield, MA
2015 Reliquaries - University of Connecticut, CT
2009 Reliquaries - Citicorp Center, New York City
2009 A la Recherche Du Temps Perdu / Mixed Media Works 2004-2008, Good News Cafe, Woodbury, CT
2007 Short Stories - Marie-Louise Trichet Gallery, Litchfield, CT
2007 Washington Art Association, Washington, CT
2007 Mill House Gallery, Chester, CT
2007 Gallery @ 85 Main Street, Chester, CT
2005 White Space Gallery, New Haven, CT
2004 ACT II Gallery, New Hartford, CT
2000 The Bushnell, Hartford, CT
1997 Emporium Gallery, Mystic, C
1995 Pat Steier Gallery, Litchfield, CT
1995 Gilbert Gallery - Miss Porter's School, Farmington, CT
1994 York Square Gallery, New Haven, CT
1994 Small Space Gallery, New Haven, CT
1993 Paier College of Art, Hamden, CT
1992 The Afro-Latin Festival, NOW Gallery, Waterbury, CT
1991 Silas Bronson Library, Waterbury, CT
SPECIAL COLLABORATIONS
2021 Jennifer Wen Ma : An Inward Sea - New Britain Museum of American Art, CT
2019 Guest Artist, Musee Rodin, Paris, France
PUBLICATIONS
2022/ M.I.A (Most Influential Art) Magazine, Colorado
2022/ Model Society Magazine
2022/ August (issue #48) ION Magazine, Sydney, Australia
2022/ June (issue #93) Lens Magazine, Israel
2019/ July (issue #20) Shades of Grey, Paris, France
2019/ June - Art of the Nude Magazine, Russia
2018/ July 2018 - Silvershot Magazine
2018/ May 28 - Musee Magazine, New York City
RADIO AND TELEVISION
1995 Guest on the Faith Middleton Show, NPR (National Public Radio)
1994 Guest on 90.7 FM Santa Fe, New Mexico, on the occasion of the premiere of The Art of Leaving.
LECTURES AND CONFERENCES
2011 A Season Of Change, (reading from the novel Reliquary), Henderson Cultural Center, New Milford, CT
2008 Art and Spirituality Forum - Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center, Litchfield, CT
1993 Art and Life - Confrontation - Paier College of Art, Hamden, CT
GALLERY REPRESENTATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY (non-exclusive/ Europe):
http://gadcollection.com/ Paris