The new exhibition of the Méliusz Juhász Péter Library will open on March 3. The show presents 29 paintings and graphic works by Doina Cornea.
The exhibition is the result of an important cultural diplomacy collaboration between the Doina Cornea Foundation and the Méliusz Library. At the opening event, speeches will be delivered by Leontin Horatiu Iuhas, president of the foundation and son of Doina Cornea, as well as István Puskás, Deputy Mayor for Culture.
Who is the mysterious, seemingly fragile woman at the flower-filled window? A secretive smile, white knotted curtains behind the glass, a flickering chandelier inside… The woman is none other than Doina Cornea — teacher, poet, painter, and opponent of the feared Ceaușescu regime. The image appears idyllic, yet at the time Doina had already been confined to her home for years, placed under house arrest by the secret police. What helped her endure the isolation, intimidation, and suppression?
According to her son, Leontin Iuhas, it was her focus on inner strength, love for others, and faith. After the fall of the regime, Doina Cornea was awarded the rank of Officer of the French Legion of Honour, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania, and in 2002 she received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary from President Ferenc Mádl. She passed away in 2018 at her home in Cluj-Napoca.
