Selected Romanian artworks from Milner Library's International Collection of Child Art are on display on the Library's main floor through October 3, 2008. The exhibit is open to the public and available to view during Milner Library's regular hours.

 

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Illinois State University Milner Library’s
International Collection of Child Art

Altered Perspectives: A Consideration of Image and Environs
Kathleen C. Lonbom, Art Librarian

The current exhibit of artworks from Milner Library’s International Collection of Child Art (ICCA) presents paintings on paper created by children from Vulturesti, Romania in the early 1970s.  The artwork was selected from a collection donated to the ICCA by the Rahr Art Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in the late 1970s.   The images depicted in the artworks and their titles indicate themes that predominantly focus around family, friends, nature, space exploration, and building.   Overt references to the condition of life in Romania during this period are not easily detected, however taking a moment to reflect on the environment in which these artworks were created, might suggest an alternate perspective is called for.

Romania, an east European country forced into a communist government during World War II, was ruled by the dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, during the period when the children of Vulturesti painted these depictions of their world.  Ceausescu fixated his attention on trying to establish Romania as a world power by building large, and ultimately unprofitable industries in what had previously been a predominantly agrarian country (Chirot).  He also became known for his egregious mandate prohibiting birth control in an attempt to increase the population.   The harsh dictates of Ceausescu directly affected the youngest citizens of Romania.   In a difficult economic environment, many families could not afford to care for and support the requisite number of children (4, increased to 5 in the late 1980s).  Thousands of children were abandoned, some finding care in the hands of overstressed and understaffed government facilities (Hunt).  Ultimately Ceausescu and his wife and co-ruler, Elena met their demise when the government was overthrown and they were executed in 1989.   Romania’s future continues to evolve in the 21^st century as the country strains to loosen the deeply ingrained political culture of more than fifty years of Communist rule.  Tom Gallagher’s 2005 publication, Modern Romania, provides detailed and telling information about past and present day Romania.

Experiencing the compelling artwork created by children who came of age in difficult environs, both formidable and largely impossible to imagine, offers a fleeting glimpse into the complexities of the world we live in. Recognizing the art of a child collectively enhances our knowledge of children’s creativity, their expressed need for art, and the value of education and imagination in their lives.

Works cited
Chirot, Daniel. "Romania" The Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World, 2e. Joel Krieger, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Illinois State University. 9 June 2008 

Gallagher, Tom. Modern Romania:The End of Communism, the Failure of Democratic Reform, and the Theft of a Nation. New York: New York University Press, 2005.

Hunt, Kathleen. “Romania’s Lost Children: a Photo Essay by James Nachtwey” The New York Times.  (June 24, 1990). May 29, 2008. Academic Search Premier. Illinois State University. 29 May 2008 http://web.ebscohost.com/

Acknowledgements
Support for this exhibit was provided by Illinois State University’s Research and Sponsored Programs.  Translations of Romanian artworks’ titles and miscellaneous information courtesy Sandra Moore.  Advisory support for the ICCA and dedicated enthusiasm for the art of the child, courtesy emeritus Professor of Art, Barry E. Moore. 

Milner Library supports and promotes access to a wide ranging collection of resources embracing multiple aspects of creative expression.  

Please contact the Art Librarian with questions or comments about this exhibit or Milner Library's International Collection of Child Art.