The exhibition “Labyrinth of the Heart and Paradise of the World” brings the work of Romanian painter Radu Băieș to Prague for his first large solo presentation in the city.

The show opens on March 4, 2026, at Bold Gallery and will remain accessible until April 4.

The project reflects the artist’s long-term interest in human inner space and the fragile search for calm in a world marked by uncertainty. Băieș works with painting as a form of meditation, blending figurative traditions with symbolic landscapes that carry emotional and historical memory.

Born in Cluj, Romania, in 1988, Băieș studied painting at the University of Art and Design in his hometown. The artistic environment of the city is often associated with what is informally called the Cluj School, a loosely connected group of artists rather than a strictly defined movement.

Băieș builds on these foundations but moves beyond them through personal symbolism and atmospheric light.

His paintings often show solitary figures in rural or semi-mythical landscapes, where the boundary between reality and dream becomes unclear. Shepherd-like characters appear frequently, sometimes resembling saints, sometimes anonymous travellers moving quietly through vast terrain.

Light plays a central role in the artist’s work. Dramatic illumination shapes the structure of his compositions and gives the scenes a sense of spiritual depth. The canvases sometimes recall baroque visual language, yet the intention is not historical reconstruction but emotional resonance.

Typical motifs include blue sheep and dense clusters of tree crowns that merge into one luminous mass. These recurring symbols form a visual language that allows the painter to speak about unity, nature and human existence without relying on explicit narrative. The landscape becomes a metaphorical space rather than a geographical location.

The title of the exhibition refers to the idea of inner pilgrimage. The labyrinth is not presented as a trap but as a structure through which people move while shaping their own understanding of life. In the artist’s view, modern society exposes individuals to constant pressure from external events, and painting becomes a way to preserve personal reflection.

The current series of works was partly influenced by social and historical tensions of recent years. Băieș explores how individuals maintain inner stability while facing rapid global and personal changes. Rather than presenting dramatic scenes, the paintings express quiet endurance.

Băieș was a finalist for the French art prize The Darmo Art Prize in 2024. Following the nomination, a solo exhibition was organized for him in Paris the same year. Other notable appearances include the exhibition Retacing Identity at The H Gallery in Bucharest in 2022 and the group project HINTERLAND at Cromwell Place in London in 2023.

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