Constantin Severin, Text and Time 61 (detail), 2007. Oil on Canvas

Constantin Severin

Constantin Severin, prestigious Romanian visual artist and writer, in his paintings “skillfully executed at the level of Matisse, creates rather complex colorful and compositional effects by using pure vibrant colours” (Nikolay Pavlushko). His monochrome artworks in yellow or red are unique and very successful on the art market. Theorist and promoter of a new concept/trend on the contemporary art scene, the “archetypal expressionism”, he won the “Black Sea Danubian Social&Economic Innovator” Trophy for Art, offered by Eurolink-House of Europe Foundation, Bucharest, in May 2012, in partnership with the European Commission and the Romanian Academy, for ”creating and promoting a new concept in European arts, Archetypal Expressionism”.

Constantin Severin, Text and Time 71 (detail), 2009. Oil on canvas

In his opinion, Archetypal Expressionism lies between ‘’the two major paradigms of contemporary art, the figurative and the abstract. It represents the spiritual quest for common cultural roots, beyond the tragic accidents of history. It is a fascinating approach to rediscovering that Tahiti of our collective memory, through the shapes and the exotic figures of our inner lives. It is art suspended between the real and the imaginary, and it needs rigor and mystery, arithmetic and lyricism, simplicity and paradox […].

Constantin Severin, Text and Time 82 (detail), 2011. Oil on canvas

Some of the best Romanian artists of all times, Constantin Brancusi, George Apostu, Ion Tuculescu, Paul Neagu, Doru Covrig, Alexandru Chira and Ovidiu Maitec, belong to the archetypal expressionism. I intend with my own concept to tell to the art community that from remote times we have “the third paradigm“, the archetypal art, because most of the contemporary art experts asserted that there are only two major paradigms, the figurative and the abstract. The archetypes have a secret power, because they have been used during thousands of years by a large amount of populations and they are now a part of our hidden inner life. That’s why they have a special emotional impact on every human being. Every major work of art begins with an archetype and ends in music, the most ineffable manifestation of time.’’

Constantin Severin, Text and Time 75 (detail), 2010. Oil on canvas

He is one of the founders of 3rd Paradigm International Artists Group and he organized twelve solo shows and joined fourteen group shows worldwide. His artworks are now in private and public collections from Romania, Germany, USA, Finland, Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Ukraine, Italy, Great Britain, etc.

more. constantinseverin.wordpress.com