Qolony is a non-profit organization based in Bucharest, Romania, dedicated to fostering connections among art, science, and technology. Alluding to self-organized bacterial colonies, it stands as a metaphor for the vibrant diversity of human thought and the decolonization of knowledge. Serving as a vital bridge between professionals in these fields, Qolony is driven by the belief that transdisciplinary practices form the bedrock for developing innovative ideas contributing to the construction of a more inclusive and sustainable future. Qolony actively supports and facilitates various events, including exhibitions, conferences, artist-scientist talks, and artist residencies, all centered around the intersection of scientific research and artistic creation.

OUR OBJECTIVES

• Questioning and rethinking collaborative practices within the art and science fields - creating a viable context for experiments and collaboration between artists, scientific researchers and other cultural entities, in Romania and worldwide.

• Supporting the creation of methodologies, protocols and collaborations that allow the extension of both artistic practices, as well as speculative and scientific ones.

• Artistic production, built at the crossroad between creative and research environments.

CORE TEAM

Floriama Cândea
Artist / Creative Director

Floriama is a multimedia artist and a cultural manager. As an artist, she explores the dynamics between objects and the way we perceive them by creating hybrid visual identities. Her versatile toolkit spans interactive, kinetic, and video installations to sculpture, experimental electronics, drawing, and printing, with an additional focus on creating visuals using bio-based materials. With the complex relation between science, philosophy and tech, at the core of her artistic practice, she questions our role as well as the stakes of the Anthropocene, at the dawn of a possible new era.

Floriama’s artistic goals extend beyond individual endeavors, as she actively engages in collaborative projects, often organized in conjunction with Qolony.

Diane Pricop
Curator / Cultural project manager

After studying law and art market, Diane began her career in Parisian art galleries. During her stay in London, she specialised in cultural programming for multifunctional venues and other independent community spaces, for which she produced and developed various events and art exhibitions. Through her work, she promotes young artists and projects with a positive social and ecological impact. She now lives in Bucharest where she develops art-science research based projects, as well as European collaborations in this field.

She co-founded Obsolete Studio in 2019 and, in early 2024 joined the Qolony team with whom she actively implements projects both in Romania and abroad.

Mihaela Ghiță
Journalist / Research coordinator

Mihaela, a graduate in Geology and Geophysics (1985) and Photography and dynamic image (University of Arts Bucharest), brings a wealth of experience to her roles. Formerly a researcher at the Institute of Geology of Romania, she transitioned to become an editor in the Science team at National Cultural Radio in 1998. Since 2016, Mihaela has captivated audiences as the host of the "The Scientific Dimension of Art" radio segment, where she showcases artists adept at intertwining technology and scientific concepts into their creative expressions.

Since 2019, Mihaela has been one of the co-founders of Qolony, driven by her passion for scientific knowledge, artistic expression, and everything in between.