Teofil Mihăilescu

The only photo album dedicated to the first Centenary of the united and modern Romania, the photography album The Light of Romania, the result of a project unfolded ‘between 2016-2018 within Transilvania University of Braşov, represents a different concept, a symbolic work, an essay in pictures.  The Light of Romania concept is endowed with a particular significance, starting from the album’s very name and cover, The Light crystallizing multiple connotations making reference to the myriad of relevant meanings for national history associated to the Centenary. The album The Light of Romania is divided into nine sections, as many as Romania’s historical provinces. The order in which the historical provinces appear in the album, each bearing an emblematic byname, i.e. Transylvania – The land anear and afar, Moldavia – The land of history – holy language, Dobruja – The Mesopotamia of the West, Muntenia – The Byzantium after Byzantium, Oltenia – Athanor of Romanian latinity, Banat – El Dorado of Europe, Crişana – Compostella of the East, Maramureş – The Scandinavia at the gates of the Orient, Bukovina – The Athos of Romanian spirit, is marked by a distinct symbolism, by a sign of growth namely the dextral-centric spiral. The latter starts from the centre of the country, i.e. from Transylvania which had been united with Romania a century before, around which the other provinces seem to be joined in a national hora dance, and it extends as far as Bucovina which is the symbolic realm of Romanian spirituality. Mirroring the peculiarities, the history, the geography, the architecture, the traditions, the culture, the atmosphere, the spontaneity and the diversity in unity of the Romanians, The Light of Romania is a visual travel diary in 365 pages and 1000 emblematic photographs by means of which I’ve tried to capture the genuine feeling of the places, the sense of history and the people’s natural self, out of an unconditional love for Romania.