Threads of Heritage

In 2013, I moved from Romania to Germany, leaving behind my friends and family to pursue a career as a civil engineer. During this time of radical change, art became my anchor, helping me find my rhythm when I felt disconnected from my roots. This experience, combined with my mother's love for traditional Romanian folk embroidery, inspired the Threads of Heritage project. Living between two cultures underscored for me the profound importance of collective memory and the stories we carry.

This passion project came to life in 2024 with the invaluable support of the Museum of Ethnography and Border Regiment Caransebeș. The museum generously granted me access to its extensive collection of artifacts and agreed to exhibit my illustrations alongside the original garments that inspired them.

The expert information on the inspiration pieces for this project is provided courtesy of the PhD candidate and ethnologist Alexandra Negrilă.

During the exhibition at the museum that celebrated the collaboration project, in November 2024, I realized a challenge I hadn't foreseen: the artifacts that inspired my illustrations could only be viewed at the museum, limiting the audience's ability to connect with the full story behind the art. This sparked an idea: What if I could bring the museum to the viewer?

During a 2026 art residency at SOON Art Studio in Vienna, I began creating digital extensions for the illustrations using the Artivive app. Now, when you view an artwork through the app, the original garment appears on your screen, accompanied by an expert description from ethnologist Alexandra Negrilă. This digital layer enriches the art with its historical context, allowing anyone to see the sources of inspiration—anytime, anywhere.

Read more about the digital expansion of Threads of Heritage here.

Cultural identity is not static; it breathes and adapts as we move through life. The motifs woven into classic garments are more than just decoration—they are visual metaphors for resilience, community, and the universal desire for purpose. Capturing these feelings became the mission of this collection.