Stefan Bertalan Prof. Pamfil, 1988

A driving force of the Romanian neo-constructivist avant-garde, Ştefan Bertalan cofounded the first experimental art collective in the country, 111, and the progressive transdisciplinary collective Sigma, before being exiled by the communist regime to Sibiu in 1981 and then self-exiling to Germany in 1986.

This portrait references the Romanian psychoanalyst Edouard Pamfil, who was an important mentor to many intellectuals and artists, including the Sigma group, which was part of his interdisciplinary Circle of Bionics in the 1970s. The weekly meetings were attended by psychologists, artists, mathematicians, and writers who discussed developments in science, technology, and culture from multiple perspectives. Bertalan’s portrayal is a testament to Pamfil’s strong impact on the artist.