Art Encounters: Timișoara as a Landmark; The Invisible City Tour

Project team: Sandra Andrei, Roxana Pătrulescu, Oana Preda, Dan Alexandru Bunea

Guides: Cristian Blidariu; Loredana Gaiţă and Roxana Pătrulescu

Established in 2016, Tur de Arhitectură is a unique local initiative which places the knowledge and experience of architecture, built, and lived environment of Timișoara, at its core. A team of architects, passionate about the history of Timișoara, conduct well-researched tours in the city spanning across various themes such as historical neighborhoods, educational buildings, and old ways of habitation. Beginning in December 2018, the collaboration with Tur de Arhitectură marked an important part of the first research visits by artists at the Biennial and informed several projects. As a continuation of this ongoing dialogue throughout the Biennial, Tur de Arhitectură crafted two special tours. Art Encounters: Timișoara as a Landmark will explore the relationship between public space, local history, and artistic interventions through the works of several Biennial artists. The tour will link the Maria Theresia Bastion to Huniade Castle, as well other locations which host works by Biennial artists, such as Prince Eugeniu of Savoya House, the North Train Station, the West University and the Southern Park from the Soarelui neighbourhood. The Invisible City Tour is focused on Timișoara’s cultural infrastructure. Those attending the tour will become familiar with conventional and informal spaces, visible or less known where encounters with art take place or took place. AR