Today we’d like to introduce you to Iustin Grancea
Hi Iustin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I had just dropped out of college in London, had nothing really going for me and I was searching for something. I remember attending an exhibition at The Broad that featured some of Julian Schnabel’s plate paintings, as well as a couple of works by Jean-Michel Basquiat. I was enamored by their paintings and moved to start creating my own. It’s been nearly a decade now and I am thankful to have had this time to develop my skills, like a metaphorical creative cocoon.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think it’s all relative, but I wouldn’t describe painting as a smooth road by any means. Put aside the act of creating, the business aspect of being an artist is just as, if not more rocky a road. Much of it comes down to meeting the right people while developing genuine relationships and that takes time. Then there is the love/hate relationship with one’s own work, but these things are unavoidable. I speak vaguely, though each painting is very different, some can be very easy and quick while others are like pulling teeth. Ultimately I am thankful for all the obstacles because overcoming them has made me stronger and more capable as an artist. This is also applicable in the wider sense of life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a painter, born in a Transylvanian town, but grew up in LA since the age of five. My work has been described as neo-expressionist and even surrealist. Personally, I am really inspired by history and the human form. I also have a tendency to explore alternative mediums and materials to paint with or on. I’m fond of a tactile look to my work. Often I end up painting over a work several times and ending up with what I can only compare to layering in the earths mantle. This could be for many reasons, but the outcome is a thick and stratified canvas with much history beneath the surface.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
That’s hard to say. Let’s assume we haven’t collectively destroyed ourselves in the next decade. I think the art world is often changing and shifting, but at the same time and rather paradoxically it has remained one of the only industries to have continued growth, despite hardship or recessions in the past. The global art market is expected to nearly double by 2030. So I have a somewhat hopeful view on its growth and a vested interest in being privy to it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iustingrancea.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_iustin/
Image Credits
Charlie Woodward
