Artists as Constructors: The Life and Work of Sigma 1

Explore the interdisciplinary practice of Sigma 1 during Romania's fragile period leading up to the collapse of communism.

Little has been said outside Romania about the pioneering work of the Sigma 1 collective (1969-1982) across art, education and ecology. And even less has been said about their telling description of themselves as 'artists and constructors'. What does it mean for an artist to be a constructor? This talk will highlight Sigma's modernist influences and forward-thinking approach to creativity during Romania's fragile period leading up to the collapse of communism.

Ela Man currently works as a collections and front of house assistant at the Warner Textile Archive and the Victoria and Albert Museum respectively. She holds an MA in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art, where her research focused on the intertwining of design education, politics and communication technologies as medium and subject in the work of Romanian collective Sigma 1 (1969-1982).