Mihai Dascalu
Hailing from the picturesque town of Victoria, nestled at the base of the Făgăraș Mountains in Romania, Mihai Dascalu (b. 1960) has forged a remarkable path as one of his generation's most dedicated naive artists. His artistic journey is one of innate talent, profound discovery, and a lifelong commitment to championing a genre defined by its purity of vision.
Formative Years and an Instinctive Talent
The artist's vocation was apparent from a young age. As a child, his drawings were singled out for their remarkable quality, revealing an instinctive grasp of proportion and composition that belied his years. This early promise was nurtured in a school painting class, where a formative experience reproducing a classic seascape in oil ignited a fascination with the interplay of light, shadow, and color that has endured throughout his career.
A Pivotal Discovery
While formally studying Geodesy in Bucharest in the early 1980s, his artistic education flourished outside the lecture hall. He immersed himself in the city's cultural life, frequenting the National Museum of Art and discovering the rich tapestry of art history. However, the most seminal encounter occurred in the pages of an art book: his discovery of the vibrant, soul-stirring works of naive masters from the former Yugoslavia, such as Ivan Generalić. This moment was a revelation, illuminating a path that felt authentic to his own burgeoning style.
The catalyst for his professional pursuit came shortly after, when a personal meeting with the great Romanian naive painter Mihai Vintilă provided the encouragement and validation to devote himself to the art form. He accepted the challenge, feeling an immediate sense of belonging and purpose.
A Prolific Career and a Champion of the Arts
Over a prolific career spanning more than 40 years, Mihai Dascalu has cultivated a rich and expressive visual language. While building a parallel career as an engineer, he has remained a steadfast painter, exhibiting his work extensively. His impressive exhibition history includes 16 solo shows and participation in over 120 group exhibitions, both nationally and internationally, including a notable showing in Versailles, France.
Beyond his personal practice, Mihai Dascalu has become a pivotal figure and tireless promoter of Naive Art. Recognizing a need for community and exposure, he founded the International Salon of Naive Art in Oradea in 2018, an ambitious event that has since brought together dozens of artists from across Europe. Through this work, he continues to foster a global appreciation for an art form that celebrates authenticity, emotion, and the enduring power of an uninhibited creative spirit.
