Teodor Moraru

Teodor Moraru (24 March 1938 – 14 September 2011) was a contemporary Romanian painter.

Life and career

Teodor Moraru was born in Îndărăptnici (today Nucăreni), a village in Orhei county, in Kingdom of Romania (today in Republic of Moldova). His father, Ion Moraru was a notary and his mother, Elisabeta née Goncearenko, was a teacher. In 1944, when the young Moraru was only six years old, the family flees to Transylvania, settling in Fundata commune, in Brașov county. In 1949 the family resettles in Poiana Mărului, where Moraru will attend gymnasium school. Here he meets Horia Bernea, with whom he develops a lifelong friendship. During this time, Moraru's parents divorce. His mother moves to Luciu commune, where she lived and taught until her death in 1985, and his father moves to Moieciu commune, near Bran, accepting a notary position and registering his son to a professional school near Brașov. After one year of military service, he enrols at the Technical School of Architecture in Bucharest (STACO), where again he finds Horia Bernea as a colleague and friend.

He graduates STACO in 1963. However, during this time, his interest shifts towards painting. In 1968 Moraru joins the Poiana Mărului Group, an intellectual circle of artists founded by Horia Bernea. The group highly influenced Moraru's early artistic development.

In 1971 Moraru holds his first solo exhibition at "Simeza Gallery" in Bucharest. This was followed by further solo shows in 1974, 1977, 1980. During 1983 he was artist-in-residence at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris where he also held a solo exhibition in 1984. Along the years, his works have been exhibited at important galleries from Paris, Copenhagen, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Lisbon, Darmstadt, Tokyo, Hanoi and others.

Selected Prizes and Honors

1980, Prize of "Arta" Magazine 1991, The Special Prize of The Romanian Art Union 1993, "Ion Andreescu" Prize from Romanian Academy 2001, First Prize for Painting of "Millenium2001" Exhibition 2001, Special Prize at "Lascăr Viorel" Exhibition, Piatra Neamț, Romania 2002, Prize for Painting from The Art Museum of Bacău, Romania 2003, The Jury Prize of The Romanian Art Union 2004, The Prize of Minister of Culture of The Republic of Moldova 2004, Awarded the Cultural Distinction of a "Great Officer" 2004, The Great Prize of The Romanian Art Union

Gallery