Curator Jane Neal has curated a trilogy of exhibitions focusing on contemporary European painting for the Telegraph Gallery. This long-term project, which began in 2021, focuses on three specific geographical and cultural areas, namely Germany, England and the current exhibition Transylvanian Painting Today features artists from Romania. In doing so, it offers a glimpse of the diversity of painting approaches across Europe.
Each of the exhibitions in the trilogy presented a selection of artists who reflect not only local traditions but also wider social and cultural changes. The Romanian scene then occupies a specific position due to its ability to combine historical experience with current issues, often with a subtle irony and critical distance.
This trilogy is a natural continuation of Jane Neal's previous curatorial projects in the Czech Republic, where she has long developed a dialogue between the international scene and the local environment. Among the most significant was the exhibition NightFall at the Rudolfinum in Prague in 2013, which explored the theme of night as a space of uncertainty and transformation. Another important project was Disturbed Imagination at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava, where Neal explored how contemporary artists work with the fragmentation of reality and the disruption of traditional visual structures. This exhibition was also a presentation of The Robert Runták Collection.
Jane Neal's projects are united by an emphasis on painting as a living and still relevant medium, capable of responding to current social issues and personal experiences. Her curatorial approach is characterised by her sensitive selection of artists and her ability to create exhibition units that work on both a visual and conceptual level. The trilogy at Telegraph Gallery thus represents an organic continuation of her long-standing curatorial lineage.
