Fine artist, writer of Moldova inaugurates painting exhibition in native village

Chisinau, 6 May /MOLDRES/ - A fine artist and writer, Leonid Popescu, on 5 May inaugurated a painting exhibition and an exhibition of carpets of his mother in the yard of his parents’ house from the Saratenii Vechi village, central Telenesti district, to mark his 65th birthday anniversary and the 90th birthday anniversary of his mother, Alexandra. Also in this settlement, Popescu launched the novel, ”E pustie Slatina fără tine (Slatina is Empty without You).

Attending the event were the head of the parliament’s commission for culture, education, research, youth, sport and mass media, Vladimir Hotineanu, academicians Mihai Cimpoi and Nicolae Dabija, writers Ion Ciocanu, Iulian Filip, Titus Stirbu, editor of the novel Vasile Capatana, an actress settled in Budapest,Veronica Grigoras, singer Octavian Mandruta from Bucharest, composer, songwriter Ilie Valuta, guests from Maramures region, Romania, etc.    

The exhibition comprises 40 works of painting and 30 icons, as well as carpets and fabrics made by Popescu’s mother.

Contacted by MOLDPRES, academician Nicolae Dabija said that Leonid Popescu is the best painter of icons from Moldova and his icons cry, are happy and are alive.  

”Leonid Popescu led the team which painted the Birth of God Metropolitan Cathedral from Chisinau. Painters, as a rule, paint well, speak badly and write badly. Leonid Popescu paints well, speaks well and writes even better. His novel E pustie Slatina fără tine is homage paid to Maramures, love and kindness. He painted churches in Moldova, Ukraine, in Romanian villages from Bucovina and Maramures and from Romania. His painting emanates piety. This is the reason for which clergy representatives make orders to Leonid Popescu, for the painting of churches,’’ Nicolae Dabija stressed.  

Fine artist Leonid Popescu said the today’s event was a true spiritual holiday for him. ‘’I thank my brothers, my sister and my mother, who organized this holiday,’’ Popescu noted.

Leonid Popescu was born in the Saratenii Vechi village, Telenesti district, on 22 March 1953. He finished the Fine Arts College Alexandru Plamadeala from Chisinau and the faculty of design and industrial graphic of the Kharkiv University, Ukraine. He is a member of the Moldovan Fine Artists’ Union and Writers’ Union. In 2001, Popescu was awarded the honorific title Master in Arts, Order of Honour in 2013 and honorific title People’s Artist in 2016. He holds the order Andrey Rublev. Leonid Popescu has works in public and private collections of Moldova and from abroad.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor M. Jantovan)