Die Publikation präsentiert eine breite Auswahl der von Geta Brătescu im Laufe der Zeit verfassten Texte – Fragmente, in denen sich die Künstlerin zu Facetten des kreativen Prozesses und den Quellen ihrer Arbeit äußert. Die Anmerkungen der Künstlerin werden ergänzt durch zahlreiche Illustrationen der in ihren Schriften erwähnten Werke.
Geta Brătescu is a prominent figure in Romanian conceptual art, gaining wider recognition after the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013 and a feature in art magazine BLUE in late 2015. This catalog accompanies a retrospective at Hamburger Kunsthalle celebrating her 90th birthday, showcasing key works from over six decades, marking her first museum retrospective outside Romania. Throughout her career, Brătescu has explored themes such as memory, history, conformity, and self-assertion. Her artistic output is diverse, ranging from abstract to representational, and includes various media like drawing, photography, film, textiles, and sculpture. She identifies primarily as a draftsman, referring to her colorful paper collages as "drawing with scissors" and her textile pieces as "drawing with the sewing machine." In her abstract series, the "Cut Outs," she investigates the relationship between line and surface through intricate sequences. Influenced by literature and philosophy, she engages with iconic literary figures like Medea, Dido, and Faust. For decades, she has contributed to the graphic design of Secolul 20 (now Secolul 21), Romania's leading cultural publication. The exhibition runs from April 30 to August 7, 2016, at the Galerie der Gegenwart, Hamburger Kunsthalle.