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Stefan Esanu Photo

Deconstructing the Human Species

Living and working in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, I graduated from Fine Arts school in 1997 and earned my MFA in Chisinau in 2004. My career path includes a decade working as an Art Director in publishing and advertising, which sharpened my visual communication skills. In 2012, I returned to a dedicated studio practice. Since then, I have developed a solid international profile, transitioning from group shows in London, Vienna, and Warsaw to staging 5 major solo exhibitions between 2015 and 2026 across Moldova and Romania, focusing on critical, large-scale concepts.

My work frequently features traditional or iconic figures whose faces are obscured by fragmented "glitches" or synthetic, colorful balloon shapes. This visual disruption ironizes the gap between our sophisticated cultural facades—whether political, religious, or celebrity—and the tangled, visceral reality beneath. While I primarily paint on canvas, I also engage with photography, graphic design, and installation to explore the weight of human information. Ultimately, I aim to challenge the rigidity of human perception, inviting viewers to look past inherited biases toward the vulnerable, complex, and often absurd heart of our species.

Education 

2002-2004

Masters,
University of Arts, Chisinau,

Republic of Moldova

1997-2002

University of Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

1992-1997

High School of Fine Arts “Igor Vieru”, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

Solo & Group Exhibitions

2026

2026

May 27th - June 17th 2026

"MYSTERIUM" Group Exhibition

Pavot Gallery, Bucharest, Romania

April 3th - May 15th 2026

"In Bubble We Trust" Solo Exhibition

Iusty Art Gallery, Chisinau, Moldova

2025

August 22th - September 19th 2025

4rd Toolip International Art Contest

Toolip Art Gallery, Vienna, Austria

2024

June 24 - June28 - August28

3rd Toolip International Art Contest

Toolip Art Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

2023

NEW IDOLS

Solo Exhibition, Artcor Center

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

2017

 WORK IN PROGRESS

Solo Exhibition, iHUB Chisinau,

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

2017

AT DUTY / LA DATORIE

Chisinau Municipal Library B.P. Hașdeu

Solo Exhibition, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

2015

MAD in MOLDOVA

Solo Exhibition, MolDeco Gallery,

Chisinau, Moldova

2015

EUROPE DAYS

Tipografia Center, Group Exhibition

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

2015

“ART-PLOSHADKA”

Waiting for better times, Zaheta Project Room

Group Exhibition, Warsaw, Poland

2015

Vienna Showcase Art Fair

MOYA Museum Vienna, Austria

2015

Within & Without Contemporary Portraits, Brick Lane Gallery, Group Exhibition

London, UK

Publications

2026

Moldova 2 Cultual TV

"Proiect-Proiect" Interview with

Stefan Esanu

Link

2025

Aatonau

Contemporary Art Blog

Stefan Esanu: The Fury Behind the Frame

Link

2025

Arts to Hearts Project

100 Emerging Artworks, 2025 Edition

Hardcover book featuring 100 artists.

Link

2017

BBC

Moldova art exhibit illustrates $1bn banking fraud

Link

© 2025 by Stefan Esanu.                                                                                                                                   stefanesanu@stefanesanu.com      tel: +373 79100376

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