Events and Interactive Activities
The National Museum of Art of Moldova announced the expansion of its collections with an event held on September 16, 2025.
On this occasion, a new donation agreement was signed, through which collector and gallery owner Marat Ghelman gifted the museum 74 works by painter, set designer, and graphic artist Theodor Kiriacoff-Suruceanu (1900–1958) and 9 works by artist Andrei Sârbu (1950–2000). The event also marked the 125th anniversary of Theodor Kiriacoff-Suruceanu’s birth and the 75th anniversary of Andrei Sârbu’s birth.
The talent and originality of Theodor Kiriacoff-Suruceanu were recognized early in his life, praised by critics and his mentor Auguste Baillayre. The recent donation restores to the public one of the most important aspects of his career – dramatic and opera set design, celebrated both in Romania and across Europe. The discovery of a significant collection of his works, complementing the pieces already held by the museum, allows a more comprehensive appreciation of this master’s oeuvre.
Andrei Sârbu, a disciple of Mihai Grecu and a prominent figure in Bessarabian art, remains a creator of exceptional refinement, whose artistic journey bridges the tradition of the interwar generation with contemporary explorations. The 9 donated works join the 18 already in the MNAM collection, providing a richer perspective on his visual universe, from pop art and photographic realism to lyrical-abstract painting.
The generous gesture of Marat Ghelman, a renowned gallery owner and international cultural promoter, represents a significant contribution to the artistic heritage of the Republic of Moldova and a symbolic return home of an important part of these two artists’ creations.
