The battle for Constantin Brancusi

(Photo source) And so, Romania hopes to have the remains of its most famous sculptor, Constantin Brancusi, returned to his native land. A court decision will be taken here in France in two weeks time. Puiu Hasoti, a previous Romanian Minister of Culture and National Heritage, told French RFI that hopes of returning the remains of Brancusi to Romania rest on the goodwill of the French Government.

"The government is calling upon a cabinet of Parisian lawyers to obtain all the necessary decrees and legal permits necessary so that Constantin Brancusi's remains may be exhumed and brought to Targu Jiu," Ponta said. 

There are many arguments both for and against, and I shall try to outline them all as I see them...

Points in favour of Brancusi returning to Romania:

1) On 16th March 1957 from his deathbed, according to THIS site (and many others), Brancusi allegedly told Father Theophilus Ionescu, the Romanian Church's bishop in Paris, that he wished to be buried in Hobiţa, his native village, beside his mother’s grave. The great sculptor had lived in Paris for many years 'in his own Romanian way', and spent his last years speaking only Romanian. "He died as a Romanian”, says Laurian Stăncescu, the man who walked across Europe, inspired by the legendary story that Brancusi himself walked to Paris when he emigrated there in 1904. Stancescu said he was speaking for 84 of the sculptor's relatives. (See more HERE on the Brancusi Legacy Project.)

(Photo source: Casa memoriala Constantin Brancusi – Hobita) 2) Brancusi is indeed Romania's national sculptor. The Casa Muzeu "Constantin Brancusi" in Hobiţa, where the artist lived until the age of twelve, is amongst the most visited tourist attractions in all Romania next to Castles Bran and Peles - and the number of visitors has increased over the last two years. Inaugurated in 1971 and renovated, it became an architectural monument and today displays belongings (documents, photographs, books, letters) of the Brancusi family along with the original country furniture typical for the beginning of the XX century in Romania. For more on Brancusi's childhood home, see HERE (video and article in Romanian).

3) Mircea Diaconu (a brief ex-Minister of Culture at the end of last year) said Romania owed Brancusi so much. Burying him in his home village would be just a small gesture towards mending the injustices of the former Communist rulers made against the sculptor.

Points against Brancusi returning to Romania:

1) We have only Father Theophilus's alleged word for it that Brancusi asked to be returned to Romania, which makes it hearsay.... Who did the bishop tell? And how did Stancescu know? Since the bishop shuffled off this mortal coil a long time ago, there is no way to corroborate the story. Libertatea reported back in 2012 that, according to Brancusi's son, the sculptor's last will and testament stated that he wished to be laid to rest in Paris's Montparnasse cemetery. There was no mention whatsoever of Hobita. (Note: His son, who resulted from a passionate love affair with famous Australian pianist Vera Moore, was not recognised by his father and inherited nothing from his estate following his death. Nevertheless, John Moore is determined to fight for his father's last will to be respected.)

2) Back in November 2010, an auction including some pieces of Brancusi's work took place in Paris. Romania's then-minister of culture Kelemen Hunor told Agerpres: "This year's budget does not have money to buy either buildings or mobile heritage or items put up for sale or auctioned." This came at a period where a great deal of money was thrown into useless, ugly and unnecessary projects that were clearly more important than the heritage of Constantin Brancusi. Romania didn't seem the least bit interested in the works then, so why the interest in Brancusi's remains now apart from the evident boost to tourism it could bring?

(Photo source) 3) Brancusi cut all links with his home country in 1951, after his work was praised all over the world as revolutionary, but criticised by the Romanian Academy as "decadent". An angry Brancusi then burst into the Romanian Embassy in Paris and handed in his Romanian passport, applied for French citizenship and obtained it the following year.

 4) A reconstruction of his one-time studio in Paris is open to the public at Place Beaubourg here in Paris just behind the Pompidou Centre in rue Rambuteau. After being refused by the Romanian Communist government, he bequeathed part of his collection to the French state on condition that his workshop be rebuilt as it was on the day he died. It was indeed. Overseen by Renzo Piano and today managed by the Pompidou Centre, it is a wonderful place to visit of peace and spirituality. Furthermore, entrance is free and pamphlets of information on each work widely available (also free) for all visitors. He left all his personal belongings to the two Romanian friends who had cared for him, Alexandre Istrati and Natalia Dumitrescu.

5) Politicians and the dinosaur members of the Academy have been preoccupied elsewhere it seems, for they have had their paws on all but the 'last wish' of Constantin Brancusi. Or maybe their usual lack of initiative when it comes to culture may be due to the desire to keep good diplomatic relations with the French. Who knows? The Romanian government and its officials have a dreadful track record when it comes to putting culture first. It seems that, unless they can make money on it, it's not worth getting out of the leather swivel chair for... Rather demolish than save, rather sell off than invest. Frankly, they simply don't deserve to have Brancusi back. They have done nothing but destroy heritage and memory post-89...

Constantin Brancusi was celebrated in an event at the Scala Cinema in Bucharest on February 19th of this year to mark 137 years since his birth. But was it organised by the Romanian Ministry of Culture? No it was not, although representatives of the said government were expected to attend (I don't know whether they did or not). It was the Canada-based International Constantin Brancusi Society that took the intiative. Does that sound like a government keen to have the remains of their national sculptor back on their soil?

6) It's absolute rubbish that the decision rests on the 'good will' of the French government. Once again Romanian ministers are talking tripe. Why? Because the only person entitled to ask for Brancusi's repatriation is the executor of his will, Theodor Nicole, nephew of Natalia Dumitrescu. However, he has done nothing up to now and does not seem to be showing any interest whatsoever to change the present state of affairs in the future either. “We have no knowledge of any official action referring to the transfer of the remains to Romania”, representatives of Romanian Embassy in Paris said. Except, that is, for the two written demands from Laurian Stăncescu. In exchange, said Ziua News in January 2012, Theodor Nicole prefers to make EUR millions from the works of Constantin Brâncuşi through auctions... It should be said here, however, that although this may well be true, Nicole has donated objects from the artist's collection to Centre Pompidou National Modern Art Museum in Paris. That doesn't sound like a greedy profiteer to me.

Demands from Stăncescu, ministers or anyone else for a transfer of Brancusi's remains are useless without the permission of the executor, whether France shows 'good will' or not.

(Photos source: Casa în care s-a născut Brâncuşi) 7) Here's a story you either may or may not know: The actual birthplace of the sculptor, only 200m away from the Casa Memoriala in Hobita, is nothing more than a shameful ruin. See HERE and HERE. Wouldn't you have thought, once again, that if a country really loved this highly-estimed figure of art and creation so admired abroad, the place of his birth would count for something? Instead, it has been left to fall to pieces. Total hypocrisy.

The house is in a lamentable state. The roof was 'removed' twelve years ago, leaving it open to and at the mercy of the elements. Even more shocking, if possible, is that this house was CLASSIFIED on the list of historic monuments, but no one has lifted a finger to do anything at all about saving it. What happened to the roof? Here's another tale: The sculptor (soit-disant- you'll remember him - the one who did the dreadful mock-job of the new King Ferdinand statue now standing in Bucharest having used the original moulds without permission from the Mestrovic family) Florin Codre bought it and wanted to shift it to Bucharest. One night in June 2001, he appeared with a bunch of workmen and began to demolish it, but was stopped by local residents. The local mayor wouldn't allow him to continue as there was no permit for demolition and he fined Codre on the spot. Since Codre's demolition derby, there's been no roof and absolutely NOTHING done to preserve this 'historic monument'. Iulian Camui, a specialist in restoration asked back in 2000 for the house to be saved and renovated and that it be included in the complex of the Casa Memoriala, but up until now, there is no change.

Iulian Cămui

Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/locale/targu-jiu/fotovideo-135-ani-nastere-brancusi-fost-uitat-olteni-casa-parinteasca-artistului-lasata-paragina-1_50ae36227c42d5a6639ab5cb/index.html

7) To exhume remains from a grave is apparently against Orthodox Christian doctrine. However, having said that, it has been done often just lately, eg. the Lahovary crypt at Bellu, where the bones of those lain to rest were thrown away like rubbish to make space for Vanghelie's family... admittedly, Vanghelie said he didn't know that it had been the Lahovary family and couldn't even pronounce the name, but that is hardly the point. Even the communists wouldn't have done such a thing. [Post scriptum added 02h: this argument actually doesn't stand up as I've just been told there's no issue with exhumation in the Orthodox faith providing it is done seven years or more after burial. Thank you, Carmen.]

So, there you have it. My opinion? The Romanian government does not deserve to have Brancusi back on their soil. There is NO concern whatsoever for patrimony, heritage or culture, not from officials nor the majority of the population. If Brancusi left Romania, it was for a reason. If he took French nationality, it was for a reason. And if, in his will, he stipulated that he be laid to rest at Montparnasse, it was for a reason. May he remain there eternally in peace.

Casa părintească a artistului, lăsată în paragină

Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/locale/targu-jiu/fotovideo-135-ani-nastere-brancusi-fost-uitat-olteni-casa-parinteasca-artistului-lasata-paragina-1_50ae36227c42d5a6639ab5cb/index.html

Casa părintească a artistului, lăsată în paragină

Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/locale/targu-jiu/fotovideo-135-ani-nastere-brancusi-fost-uitat-olteni-casa-parinteasca-artistului-lasata-paragina-1_50ae36227c42d5a6639ab5cb/index.html

Casa părintească a artistului, lăsată în paragină

Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/locale/targu-jiu/fotovideo-135-ani-nastere-brancusi-fost-uitat-olteni-casa-parinteasca-artistului-lasata-paragina-1_50ae36227c42d5a6639ab5cb/index.html6) It would be against Christian tradition to exhume the remains (though that didn't stop Lahovary's tomb and others too being desecrated, the bones flung far and wide - a sign of the times, perhaps, this lack of respect? Not even the communists would have done such a thing).

Comments

[Baillat]

The world famous pianist Vera Moore has had a special relationship with Brancusi that resulted in one child, John Moore. He doesn’t want the remains of C.B to be moved to Romania. I relied on him as well as on her pupils and so many to write her first biography: “Vera Moore, pianiste, de Dunedin à Jouy-en-Josas”. I take this opportunity to make his will known.

[stefanpaunescu]

In primul rand, trebuie sa-i multumesc Sarei (sau, ma rog, Sarah) ptr interesul aratat acestui subiect si ptr documentarea destul de profunda. Si ptr straduinta de a lansa aceasta disputa !

Mai putin placut impresionat sunt de luarile de pozitie a unor romani, nascuti sau nu in Romania, rezidenti sau nu in Romania: nu numai ca nu-si folosesc limba, dar au si atitudini halucinante ! Sa discuti astazi despre motivele pe care le-a avut Brancusi (si poate si parintii unora de mai sus, se pare...) de a parasi Romania (oare este singurul artist sau non artist atras de stralucirea Parisului ca centru cultural al vremii???) sau de a-si preda pasaportul in anii '50 la ambasada etc si sa le legi de actele regimului comunist sau de limitele intelectuale, culturale si/sau financiare ale guvernantilor post-decembristi, mi se pare o obtuzitate puerila ! E ca si cum l-ai acuza pe Sarkozy sau Hollande si pe francezul de rand de astazi ptr actele si deciziile guvernului de la Vichy !!!

Bref, eu consider ca Brancusi (ca si multi alti conationali, in trecut si in prezent) a contribuit din plin in a ne face mai cunoscuti in lume. Mult mai mult decat reusesc reprezentantii nostri politici, cel putin in sens pozitiv. Si nu cred ca am avea mai multe motive de mandrie daca el ar fi (re)ingropat in Romania, fie si la Hobita.

DECAT DACA aceasta ar fi fost dorinta sa clar, explicit exprimata ! Si intuiesc ca-si putea dori sa-si doarma somnul vesnic alaturi de mama sa; iar alte ratiuni mi se par nefondate... Iar acest lucru nu trebuie sa constituie un motiv de disputa intre tari, guverne, popoare ! Sa lasam ca argumentele legale sa-si spuna cuvantul ! Iar arta lui Brancusi ar trebui sa ne lege, nu sa ne dezbine !

Regret ca nu am putu fi mai succint, dar si asa m-am cenzurat cat am putut.

[Viv]

Yes, I think Brancusi should go home. If it is what he wished as people say above and also because Romanians need something to be proud of - there, in their country. Brancusi is much loved, much revered and, unlike many cultural figures, has had his work cleaned up, attracting tourists and Romanians alike and his Memorial House is one of the most visited throughout the country.



True, in France, his atelier is popular and also much visited. But his home is Hobita... What difference does it make to the French whether he is at Montparnasse or Hobita? Probably none at all - and the same goes for T.Nicole, who is the nephew of Brancusi's friend, not a blood tie to the sculptor. It wouldn't make any difference to him either, surely.

[Mihaela2013]

I think he should be returned to his homeland. We have to rebuild this country and we have to start somewhere. No small effort is small and I fear that it is the cynical and "désabusés" that contribute further to this country's downfall, no matter how right they would be in principle.



Mihaela

[Dan]

Parintii mei, cate 11 si respectiv 10 frati nu s-au ocupat de mormintele parintilor...acestea pierzandu-se...desi toti erau licentiati...Eu le-am facut mormant de travertin la Bellu...Se cheama ca sunt nationalist doar pt atat...?