Ion Bîrlădeanu

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Ion Bîrlădeanu was a Romanian outsider artist and subcultural figure who gained international recognition for his collage practice. Born in the village of Zăpodeni, Vaslui County, he came from modest circumstances and had little formal artistic training. Throughout his life he held a series of precarious jobs - from factory work to gravedigging - and at times supported himself by collecting and recycling bottles. Discovered in 2008, Bîrlădeanu became known for his sharp political wit and distinctive visual language, often described as a fusion of Pop Art and Dadaism. His collages stage a collision between East and West, vividly reflecting the new consumerism that marked post-communist society in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2009, he became the subject of the award-winning documentary The World According to Ion B. Celebrated for his resilience and uncompromising individuality, Bîrlădeanu exhibited widely in institutions such as Fred Gallery, London; Kunsthal Rotterdam; Halle Saint Pierre, Paris; and the Museum of Recent Art, Bucharest. His work was presented at Volta Basel, Paris FIAC, Photo London, and the 2015 Vienna Biennale.