Teodora Rotaru

Teodora Rotaru is a photographer who exhibits frequently in New York City and Romania and has participated in shows in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Germany, and Finland. Recent exhibitions include...

Teodora Rotaru is a photographer who exhibits frequently in New York City and Romania and has participated in shows in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Germany, and Finland. Recent exhibitions include the European International Biennale of Object Book at the Castle Museum in Carei, Transylvania, 15 Design Gallery in Bucharest, Romania, and quadruple showings at Decagon Gallery in New York City over the span of two years. From 2020-2024 Teodora participated in almost 40 exhibitions. 

The work focuses on several variations of photography such as black and white analog, journalistic, conceptual, digital, and polaroid. Usually capturing incorporating propped, staged scenes and performance art the photography remains quite metaphysical. For the purposes of the article we will be focusing exclusively on Teodora’s polaroid photography. 

These polaroid photographs convey a graininess and high saturation which communicate qualities of aged qualities of settings and environments. Like a still life artist, most of the polaroids contain various props, usually in the form of foliage but also sometimes through objects such as vases, chairs, and fabric. Teodora switches between close up landscapes of earth and foliage, still lifes, and the occasional figure. With poetry and grit, the polaroids convey a sense of ghostly retro qualities using contemporary image-making techniques of close up shots and high saturation capturing subject matter which has the appearance of being aged and vintage just from the grainy qualities of the polaroid photography. Teodora sets up her compositions to be highly angular and asymmetrical, further conveying contemporary inclinations. 

Vases (from Don’t Turn People into Houses series) (pictured above) conveys interesting geometry of found objects. The three vases holding the various green foliage remain neutral except the one in the center which conveys a deep orange reflecting well with the yellow colored table. Off-center electrical panels and cables act as an anchor against the table while the background becomes divided between a harsh navy blue and off-white, followed by foliage strategically coming from one direction. Containing dated fabric, aged infrastructure, and Teodora’s typical grainy and saturated qualities, the polaroid comes off like a grand vintage spectacle. 

Teodora Rotaru remains a fascinating photographer who communicates contemporary aesthetics with the flare of obsolete and dated analog technology. With an eye for unusual composition and appreciation for found objects and nature, she orchestrates a vision of studies in texture and manipulated atmosphere with paranormal overtones.

Artist website: https://www.behance.net/teodorarot0c50