Biography

Belu-Simion Fainaru

Born 1959 in Bucharest, Romania. Lives and works in Haifa, Israel, and Antwerp, Belgium.

Belu-Simion Fainaru studied at the University of Haifa, Israel, and at the University of Chicago, graduating in 1984.
In 1993, he co-founded the Pyramid organization in Haifa, and in 2010, he was a key initiator and curator of The Mediterranean Biennale. In 2014, Fainaru, along with German curator Hubertus Wunschik, established the Free International Art Academy (FIAA).
In 2019, he represented Romania at the 58th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia.

Solo Exhibitions

2024
Void – The sound of silence, Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, RO

2023
One penny for nothing, White Cuib, Cluj-Napoca, RO

2022
The Void of Silence / Vidul tăcerii, Muzeul National de Arta Timisoara, RO
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour, Galeria Plan B, Berlin, DE

2021
Black Milk, de DROM, Kröpelin, DE

2020
Black Milk, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, IL

2018
No One Is Home, Anca Poterasu Gallery, Bucharest, RO

2017
Message in a bottle, Walk and Talk Festival, Sao Miguel, Azore, PT

2016
The Rose of Nothingness, The Art Museum, Cluj, RO
Help Me Lose My Mind – Learning and Unlearning #5, Galeria Plan B, Cluj, RO

2015
The Fullness of the Void, Galeria Plan B, Berlin, DE

2013
4 Broken Walls, Anca Poterasu Gallery, Bucharest, RO

2012
Nothingness – The Poetics of Void, Galeria Plan B Cluj, RO

2010
Everything is going to be alright, Contemporary Art Gallery of the Brukenthal National Museum, Sibiu, RO

2009
Penny for Nothing, Ram Gallery, Rotterdam, NL

2008
Tikun Ka’la, Artist House Tel-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, IL
Dust & Ashes, Danon Gallery, Tel-Aviv, IL

2007
Black Canopy-Kaddish for the Child that Was Never Born, Bar-David Museum, Baram, IL

2006
Canopy – in the image of god, Wizo Art Gallery, Haifa, IL
Jewish time, Ein Harod Museum, Ein Harod, IL

2005
I have no place, Cabri Gallery, Cabri, CA

2003
Jewish Kitchen: A Visual Text, Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art, Herzliya, IL
Everything is going to be alright, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

2000
First Love Life Live, Akiyoshidai Art Center, Akyoshidai Artists Village, Yamaguchi, JP
Timisoara Museum of Art, Timisoara, RO
Out of Place – Belongs Nowhere and to Another Time, Museum (MUHKA), Antwerpen, NL
Everything is going to be alright, Gabriele Rivet Gallery, Cologne, DE
Jewish Kitchen, Herzliya Museum, Herzliya, IL

1999
Belongs Nowhere and to Another Time, Gabriele Rivet Gallery, Cologne, DE

1998
Bait, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE

1997
A Place of Light, Sara Levi Gallery, Tel Aviv, IL
Connection to Aleph, The Israel Museum, IL

1995
Footsteps, Gabriele Rivet Gallery, Cologne, DE
If the world Aleph, Staten Gallery, The Hague, NL

1994
Presentation of the Bride, Kunstverein Arnsberg, Arnsberg, DE
Memories of the Future, Sagacho Exhibit Space, Tokyo, JP

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024
The Meeting Between a Blade and an Orange, Conector / OFF-space, Cluj-Napoca, RO
Absence, 80 years since the Holocaust in Northern Transylvania, Aluvial, Cluj-Napoca, RO
To Fill the Hole in the Heart, Ha’Aheret Gallery, Holon, IL
Anybody Home?, The 5th Mediterranean Biennale, Wizo Academy of Design, Haifa, IL

2023
I am another you, you are another me – Mediation Biennale, ArtIstanbul Feshane, Istanbul, TR
International Festival of Contemporary Art of Sibiu, Brukenthal National Museum, Sibiu, RO
Whispers of the Posthuman World, Baia Turceasca, Iasi, RO
Shapes of Beauty, Open city the 15th Festival of art in public space, Lublin, PL
FIAT BULB. The Edison Syndrome, Fiera Milano, Milano, IT
Videonale # 1 – Image of Happiness, Wizo Academy of Design, Haifa, IL
Material Imagination: Center of Gravity, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, IL
The Language of the Liminal, Ramat Gan Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat Gal, IL

2022
Beyond CODE & Time, Palazzina Modelli, Venice, IT
Here After, Bridge Projects, Los Angeles, USA
Open Doors, Anca Poterasu Gallery, Bucharest, RO
Two Imaginary Points, and the Landscape, Haifa, IL

2021
The Haifa Way: 70th Anniversary of Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, IL
On Point, Ahad Ha’am 9 Gallery , Tel Aviv, IL
Living Together–Crossing Borders, The 4th Mediterranean Biennale, Sakhnin Valley, Haifa, IL

2020
Dupa doisprezece ani. Productia artistica din Romania in 180 de lucrari. Expozitia Achizitiilor de Opere de Arta, MNAC – National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, RO
FEAR INDUSTRY, Waley Art Center, Taipei City, TW

2019
Unfinished Conversations on the Weight of Absence, Romanian Pavilion at the 58th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia, IT

2018
Switzerland Shop it, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, IL
Game between analogue and virtual reality, 6th Mediations Biennale 2018, Poznan, PL
Rai din Iad (Between Heaven and Hell), MARe Museum, Bucharest, RO
Memory as vision, European Centre of Contemporary Art, Cluj, RO
“Kabbalah”, Jewish Museum Vienna, AT

2017
Dangerous Art, Haifa Museum of Modern Art, Haifa, IL
Out of Place, The 3rd Mediterranean Biennale, Haifa, IL
The Future of Memory, Casa Tranzit, Cluj, RO
To challenge the Earth, the Moon, the Sun & the Stars, 7th Socle du Monde Biennale, HEART – Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Herning, DK
The City: My Studio / The City: My Life, the Kathmandu Trienniale, Kathmandu, NP
No Place Like Home, Bella and Harry Werxner Gallery, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, IL

2016
Track Changes, curated by Plan B at Mendes Wood DM, Sao Paulo, BR

2016
BERLIN SHOW #4: Inventory, Galeria Plan B, Berlin, DE

2015
Mapping Bucharest: Art, Memory and Revolution 1916 – 2016, MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Vienna, AT
BERLIN SHOW #4: Inventory, Galeria Plan B, Berlin, DE
HIWAR – Meditenean Biennale, AMOCA – The Arab Museum of Contemporary Art, Sakhnin, IL
Ideas for Change, Vienna Biennale 2015, MAK – Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, AT

2014
The SEA – salut d’honneur Jan Hoet, Mu.ZEE – Kunstmuseum aan zee, Oostende, BE

2013
The Second Mediterranean Biennale, Mediterranean Biennale in Sakhnin Arab Heritage Museum, Sakhnin, IL

2012
Salonul de vară, Galeria Plan B Cluj, RO
Objects / Subjects, The Art Museum Cluj, RO

2010
Vandværker / Waterworks, Randers Kunstmuseum, Randers, DK
The first Haifa Mediterranean Biennale, Mediterranean Biennale, Haifa, IL

2009
The End of it is to be found at the Top, Pyramida Center for Contemporary art, Haifa, IL

2008
MoBY Hosting, Bat-Yam Contemporary Art Museum, Bat-Yam, IL
Feeling&Meaning, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Gallery, IL

2007
Balance or Imbalance, Macondo Art Space, London, UK
Connected, Mönchengladbach Museum, Mönchengladbach, DE
More or less in the same place or another, Galeria Plan B, Cluj, RO

2006
Body-present and absent, Bat-Yam Museum of Art, Bat-Yam, IL
Girls, Gabriele Rivet Gallery, Cologne, DE
Visual action, Hebrew Union College, New York, US
Etching with the Brain, Israel Museum, IL
What is Sculpture? The Century of Modern Sculpture, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE
Between Eco&Ego, Kawaguchi City, Saitama, JP
Suitcase, Kunsthal Brænderigården, Viborg, DK
Objekt und Skulptur, Kunstverein Kreis Gütersloh e.V., Gütersloh, DE
9. Bienal de La Habana, Havana, CU
Mädels, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

2005
Lights, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, IL
Spielräume, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE

2004
Stadtlicht – Lichtkunst / Illuminated Cities – Illuminated Art, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE
Haifa Second International Installation, Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, IL
Hülle und Idylle, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

2003
Belgian and international art from the collection, S.M.A.K Ghent Museum of Contemporary Art, Ghent, BE
Objekt und Skulptur 2003, Galerie Kunsthaus Oberkassel, Düsseldorf, DE
Arche Noah, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE
M_ARS – Art and War, Neue Galerie Graz – Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz, AT

2002
Socle du monde, HEART – Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Herning, DK
Formen der Gewalt, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

2001
Messages to the new Millennium, Saitama Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, JP
Sonsbeek 9, Arnhem, NL
Locus Focus – Sonsbeek 2001, Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem – MMKA, Arnhem, NL
The very last – Gruppenausstellung, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

2000
Fujino Sculpture Symposium, Fujino, JP
Het oorkussen van de melancholie, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent, BE
Document Sagacho, Fixed Point Observation, Sagacho Exhibit Space, Tokyo, JP
Continental Shift, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, DE
small size mixed, kjubh, Cologne, DE
Over The Edges, SMAK Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent, BE
The very first, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

1999
Kulturräume. Sculpture since 1970, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, DE
Papier, Galerie Gabriele Rivet, Cologne, DE

1998
Voor het verdwijnt en erna, SMAK – Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent, BE

1997
Ketav, Ackland Art Museum, North Carolina, US
Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.) in Watou, Watou, BE

1996
Fluxus: Art without Limits, Artists’ House, Moscow, RU

1995
Preview of the Arturo Schwarz Collection of Israeli Art, The Israel Museum, IL
Fluxus: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Art without Limits, Smolny-Kathedrale, Petersburg, RU

1994
Memories for the Future, Sagacho Exhibition Art Space, Tokyo, JP
Jahresgaben ’94, Kunstverein Arnsberg, Arnsberg, Kunstverein Bonn, DE

1993
Über-Leben, Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn, DE
In Between, The 45th Biennale di Venezia, Venezia, IT

1992
Makom, National Museum of Art, Seoul, KR
Documenta IX, Kassel, DE
Fluxus Virus, Kaufhof-Parkhaus, Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne; Aktionsforum Praterinsel, Munich, DE

Bibliography

Exhibition Catalogues, Artist Books, Monographs

• 2006
  Belu-Simion Fainaru: nuptials – in the image of god. Haifa: The Neri Bloomfield Wizo Academy of Design & Education, 2006.

  2003
  Weibel, Peter; Holler-Schuster; Günther. M_ars: Kunst und Krieg. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2003.

  2002
  Jeppesen, Lise. Socle du monde. Herning: Herning Kunstmuseum, 2002.

  2000
  Derycke, Luc; Verbiest, Dirk. Over the edges. Ghent: Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, 2000.

  1999
  Brockhaus, Christoph. Kulturraeume: Skulptur seit 1970. Koeln: DuMont, 1999.

  1998
  Zalmona, Yigal; Manor-Friedman, Tamar. To the East: Orientalism in the Arts in Israel. Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1998.

  1996
  Marks: Artists work throughout Jerusalem. Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1996.

  1994
  Făinaru, Belu-Simion. Belu-Simion Fainaru: Presentation of the Bride. Arnsberg: Kunstverein Arnsberg, 1994.

  1993
  Look who’s talking – Views of Israeli Art. Düsseldorf: Galerie Hubertus Wunschik, 1993.
  Katz-Freiman; Tami-Zalmona, Yigal. Anthipathos: Black Humor, Irony and Cynicism in Contemporary Israeli Art. Jeruzalem: The Israel Museum, 1993.
  Omer, Mordechai. The Levi and Fortuna Eskenazi Sculpture Garden. Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University, The Levi & Fortuna Eskenazi Sculpture Garden, The Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, 1993.

  1992
  Belu Simion Fainaru. Ramat Gan: The Museum of Israeli Art, 1992.
  Shaman, Sandford Sivitz. The Israeli Artists of Documenta IX. Haifa: University of Haifa – Faculty of Humanities, Gallery of Art, 1992.
  Sculpture towards Theatre. Ein Hod: Janco-Dada Museum, 1992.
  Schüppenhauer, Christel; Friedman, Ken; Frank, Peter. Fluxus Virus 1962-1992.
  Keulen Aktionsforum Praterinsel München, 1992.

  1991
  Jabès, Edmon; Shapira, Sarit; Zalmona, Yigal. Routes of Wandering: Nomadism, Voyages and Transitions in Contemporary Israeli Art, Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1991.

  1990
  Belu Simion Fainaru. Ghent: Vereniging voor het Museum voor Hedendaagse Kunst, 1990.

  1988
  Foncé, Jan; Van Looy, Glenn. Belu-Simion Făinaru. Antwerpen: Internationaal Cultureel Centrum, 1988. [catalogue]

  1987
  de Backer, Leen; Koninckx, Désirée; De Wachter, Liliane. Inside Outside: An Aspect of Contemporary Sculpture. Antwerp: Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen, 1987.

  1986
  Belu S. Fainaru: ‘t Chelgan’ for sun-lovers. Ein Hod: Janco Dada Museum Ein-Hod, 1986.

Articles and reviews

• 2022
  Kralapp, Carolin. “Licht, Leere und ein Zeit-Raum Belu-Simion Fainaru in der Galeria Plan B”, gallerytalk.net, 2022

  2021
  Zgondoiu, Mihai. ”Interviu cu Belu-Simion Fainaru”, Propagarta, 2021

  2018
  Ghiu, Bogdan. ”de-clic(k) / atelier deschis. Acasa, A-casa,” Observatorul cultural, February 2018.

  2017
  Blau, Simon. ”The Third Mediterranean Biennale-Out of Place: A place for change,” artbahrain.org, October, 2017.
  ”Flavours of the City,” thehimalayantimes.com, April, 2017.
  Rouges, Lunettes. ”Using art to whitewash oppression. Comment utiliser l’art pour légitimer la colonization?,” lunettesrouges.blog.lemonde.fr, June, 2017.

  2016
  Năsui, Cosmin. ”Belu-Simion Făinaru ‘Trandafirul Nimicului’ @ Muzeul de Artă Cluj-Napoca,” modernism.ro, October, 2016.

  2015
  ”Art as a Bridge to Peace,” jpost.com, June, 2015.
  Valentine, Colton. ”How An Arab Art Museum Is Sparking Dialogue In A Small Israeli Town,” huffingtonpost.com, April, 2015.
  Sedacca, Mathew. ”Inside the First Arabic Museum of Contemporary Art,” creators.vice.com, July, 2015.
  Joseph, Anne. ”A New Arab Museum on the Periphery,” forward.com, May, 2015.

  2014
  ”Arab-Jewish art museum opens window on a new world,” israel21c.org, December, 2014.
  ”Amocah. The Arab Museum of Contemporary Art,” artmarketmag.com, 2014.

  2012
  ”Belu Simion Făinaru at Plan B,” Iacob’s review, April, 2012.

  1995
  Von Taschitski, Thomas. ”Judith Fleishman and Belu-Simion Fainaru: Ambiguous, Gabriele Rivet, Köln,” zingmagazine.com, 1995.

Press

• Kralapp, Carolin. "Licht, Leere und ein Zeit-Raum Belu-Simion Fainaru in der Galeria Plan B", gallerytalk.net, 2022

• Zgondoiu, Mihai. ”Interviu cu Belu-Simion Fainaru”, Propagarta, 2021

• ”Flavours of the City”, The Himalayan, 2017

• Blau, Simon. ”The Third Mediterranean Biennale – Out of Place: A place for change,” art bahrain, 2017

• Valentine, Colton. ”How An Arab Art Museum Is Sparking Dialogue In A Small Israeli Town,” HuffPost.com, 2015