Valuable pieces of traditional clothing from the collection of the Romanian Peasant Museum, including a 100-year-old costume, will go on display at Art Safari, a major art event currently taking place at Dacia-Romania Palace in Bucharest.

They will be on show between November 24 and December 4 in a new infinity room set up especially for this exhibition.

"Folklore and traditional Romanian clothing have been and continue to be sources of inspiration for today's design," said Ioana Ciocan, CEO of Art Safari and commissioner of Romania at the Venice Biennale.

The star of the temporary exhibition is a Regina Maria (Queen Marie) costume dating from the first quarter of the 20th century. According to the organizers, this rare costume "was made in a peasant workshop by war widows and orphans from the Balkan Wars, the War of Independence and the First World War. They were co-opted by ladies from high society in aid associations such as Concordia, Furnica and Doamnele Române. Unlike the traditional pieces made of homespun fabric, these were made of thin cotton fabric."

The fashion was introduced by Queen Elisabeth and was later enriched by Queen Marie to support the idea of national identity through costume, the same source said.

The exhibition also includes a 20th-century (probably first decade) Ottoman-style waistcoat made in urban manufacturing workshops. Ottoman-style pieces were introduced to the port in the mid-1800s due to their exoticism and Phanariot heritage.

Visitors can also see 19th-century aprons from the Banat plain, exceptional pieces from the point of view of materials and techniques, but also of ornamental typology (a rich geometric decoration made by hand-picking).

The 10th edition of Art Safari awaits visitors until December 11, Thursday to Sunday, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Night Tours are also organized every Friday and Saturday between 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM.

Meanwhile, the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 06:00 PM.

During the temporary exhibition, a ticket to Art Safari also offers free access to the Romanian Peasant Museum.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the organizers)