On Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the former Moldomobila factory in Iași, the event "The Last Gathering" took place,... a tribute to the rich history of the Moldomobila factory and the artistic initiatives in the area. Over 450 participants had the opportunity to see, for one last time, the place where they had worked, created, met with loved ones, and formed friendships. Those stepping onto the Moldomobila grounds for the first time discovered amazing stories from the region’s local history. The idea and execution of the event belong to the Artipic Association, with support from Kaufland. Asociației Artipic, care a fost susținută de Kaufland.
Throughout the day, several guided tours of the factory were organized by Iasi.Travel, taking visitors through various spaces and moments in time, led by the site’s memory map. Tour participants followed a route that provided information about Hala FIX (which, during its time at Moldomobila, was the largest independent theater in the country) and the murals created by dozens of well-known Romanian and international artists. They also entered the original Moldomobila factory hall, where they learned firsthand about the working conditions at that time. At the end of the tour, everyone discovered the creative transformations brought by the emergence of Hubrica, they wandered through the former workshops, and spoke directly with some of the founders — those who put their minds, strength, and passion at work in this space.
The artist Matei Bejenaruone of the most prolific and versatile contemporary artists in the country, gave a presentation on the development of contemporary art in Iași. The presentation began with Periferic, the contemporary art biennale that brought to the Iasi’s audience artists and performances reflecting, in an experimental manner, the complex issues of the world within a diverse cultural context. The artist called for a critical approach of the contemporary cultural field in Iași and advocated for encouraging independent artistic initiatives to avoid the monotony and monopoly of the artistic scene.
The program also included a debate dedicated to the memory of the place and industrial heritage, moderated by journalist Pavel LucescuSeveral guests took part in the discussion: Marius Chelcu (historian), Matei Bejenaru (artist), Alexandru Paicu (maker and founder of Hubrica), Otilia Chitic (designer and co-founder of Hubrica), Alexandrina Dinga (president of Civica Association), Violeta Cincu journalist Bogdan Curelariu (architect and founder of Hubrica), and Harcea Pacea (artist and founder of Hubrica). The debate was interactive, involving the audience as well, which included actors from Iași’s cultural scene, Hubrica members, representatives of the civil society, and citizens of Iași. The discussions led to interesting conclusions and the outline of possible post-Hubrica solutions aimed at supporting the preservation of the memory of this alternative cultural phenomenon, as well as maintaining the significance Moldomobila had in shaping the identity of the neighborhood and the city.
During the debate, several ideas were put forward to preserve and promote the memory of the Moldomobila industrial platform. Among them was the proposal to create an exhibition featuring objects, machinery, photographs, videos, and artistic installations recovered from the site, to be integrated into the future Kaufland retail park. Participants also emphasized the importance of repurposing items from the buildings scheduled for demolition, through artistic installations and other creative initiatives. Another key component discussed was the establishment of an online photographic archive, designed to provide future access for documentation and historical research purposes. Furthermore, the idea of producing an artistic documentary, in collaboration with industry professionals, was proposed.
The atmosphere was enlivened by performances from bands and artists who engaged the audience with music and dance: Trupă și Suflet, Skaieții, iar Cel Visător, Scuffle, Dubescu, Donisan, Kaze and Darius.
Participants also enjoyed a photo exhibition by Grafo Dragoșcapturing key moments from the history of Hubrica, the most important creative hub in the area, where a vibrant community of artists and visionaries developed their own projects and organized dozens of dynamic cultural events for the public between 2016 and 2018.
The industrial area was highlighted through a new media installation created by artist Georgea Dura in collaboration with Drompwhile the symbolic zebra (a large-scale mural) was brought to life through a videomapping project by Silviu LudaBoth children and adults took part in juggling workshops and demonstrations, and the evening concluded with a spectacular fire show performed by the young artists of FOCus POCus delivering a truly "blazing" finale..
External links:
Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/353167861083975
Debate live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jMAust-bbc
The transition towards a new transformation was marked by a farewell event that brought together hundreds of people in a warm and friendly atmosphere, fueled by hopes for a new beginning and the replication of the creative platform model — one based on collaboration, experience sharing, experimentation, research, and the return of spaces to the community. "The Last Gathering" was more than just an event; it served as a powerful reminder of Iași’s immense creative potential and reinforced the belief that collaborative platforms can give birth to, strengthen, and sustain communities, even in the face of challenges.
Aftermovie:
Photo Galery
