RELATOPIA is a multidisciplinary project exploring how romantic relationships and the idea of family have changed in Romania over the past six decades. “Looking at the couple doesn’t just mean observing a relationship between two people; it means deciphering, through it, the invisible mechanisms of an entire society. In the way partners chose each other, in how they divided their home, in their silences and their conflicts, unfolds the broader story of a whole community: the dynamics between genders, how authority is passed on, the worth given to work and affection, and the shifting line between what is public and what is private.”  — Cătălin D. Constantin, anthropologist and book editor The project created an interdisciplinary framework to decipher these dynamics and reimagine them artistically. Conceived and curated by visual artist Andu Dumitrescu, the events are immersive experiences at the intersection of reality and imagination, where the boundary between artistic expression and social interaction dissolves. The setting fosters dialogue, engagement, and active participation.  Within these events, visitors will discover three main components: Artworks from the creative residency Developed by a group of eight artists from different creative backgrounds, these artworks emerge from documentary materials, interviews, and interdisciplinary reflections (anthropology, psychology, sociology and law). Through audio-visual installations, video performances, and sculptural objects, the audience can explore how cohabitation has been decoded, reflecting historical and social change as well as the complexity of contemporary coupledom: trust, freedom, needs, responsibility, and shared time. The Cohabitation Kit for Couples Conceived as a collective product, the kit gathers a series of objects proposed and developed by the residency artists, under the guidance of four experts in psychology, sociology, anthropology, and law. The kit emphasizes communication and active listening, respect and negotiation, closeness and space, alongside themes such as change, affection, the need for play and creativity, and the connections between past and present that shape our understanding of relationships. At each event, a limited number of kits will be offered to the public through a special giveaway, carrying the RELATOPIA experience into the intimate space of everyday life. Interactive installation Borrowed Faces Stories collected through interviews – participants’ personal testimonies and accounts about their friends and family – have been processed, partly fictionalized and woven into an immersive experience that invites visitors into a dialogue between past and present. The installation „Borrowed Faces” reanimates portraits found in archives – brought to life by visual artist Alexandru Claudiu Maxim using AI-based technology and by guest actors who lend them their facial expressions and voices. The installation explores themes of love, vulnerability, conflict, and resilience, suggesting that the experiences and stories of past relationships shape contemporary forms of cohabitation. Public access begins at 6:00 pm.  Entry is free with prior reservation at: hello.relatopia@gmail.com.  Exhibiting artists: Andu Dumitrescu, Cuzina, Alina Tofan, Vero Nica, Jenniffer Corrales, Constantin Axinte Amza, Mihaela Lungu, Cătălina Moisă.
Interactive work “Borrowed Faces” – concept and execution: Alexandru Claudiu Maxim, visual artist;
Dramaturgy: Daniel Oltean, Oana Hodade
Direction of monologues: Alice Oșlobanu
Performers: Lucian Pavel, Otilia Panainte, Filip Popescu, Vero Nica
Sound designer: Ana Teodora Popa; Junior sound designer: Maria Bianca
 Our parteners: The Consulate General of Romania in Thessaloniki, Olympolis Art Project/Olympus Eagles, Atelier 030202, Festivalul Internațional de Teatru pt Publicul Tânăr Iași, Centrul Internațional de Artă Contemporană „Baia Turcească", Katerini Public Library, Red Culture Bar - Katerini, Propagarta, Revista Cultura, Radio România Cultural, București FM, B-Critic, Zile și Nopți, Viva FM. This project is co-financed by the grant NCFA / National Cultural Fund Administration and supported by AMIQ. The project does not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. NFCA is not responsible for the content or for the means in which the results of the project are used. These are responsibilities that fully belong to the funds’ beneficiary.