The Instituto Rumano de Cultura in Madrid, under the auspices of the Embassy of Romania, invites lovers of photography and nature to the opening of the photographic exhibition How the Earth Breathes, by the Romanian artist Dan Mihalcea. The exhibition opens tomorrow, Tuesday, April 22, at 7 pm, at the headquarters of the Instituto Rumano de Cultura (Plaza del Cordón, no 1, bottom right), with the presence of the author.
The exhibition, which will be present until next May 22, is part of the celebrations of the 55th edition of Earth Day.
How the Earth breathes presents, through a series of striking images, an unusual natural phenomenon: the Mud Volcanoes of Pâclele Mici, located in the region of Buzău, Romania. This unusual geological landscape, which stretches over a plateau of some 10 hectares, seems to have come from another planet: grey mud cones, cracked earth and a cold and dark «lava» bubbling on the surface create an almost lunar atmosphere, absolutely fascinating.
During the opening event, the public will be able to talk with the photographer and learn first-hand about the story behind the project, as well as taste typical Romanian products in a welcoming and participative atmosphere.
The Volcanoes of Mud are geological formations created by natural gases that emerge from approximately 3,000 meters deep. As they ascend, these gases pass through the clay soil and combine with water from the groundwater, pushing a mixture of water and clay towards the surface. The expelled sludge dries on contact with air, forming conical structures reminiscent of small volcanoes. The result is a spectacular landscape: bubbling grey mud emerging from active craters, while the cracked ground around it seems to beat with the heat and energy of the earth. These formations, spread over dozens of hectares, offer a natural spectacle of unique beauty and almost extraterrestrial.
Dan Mihalcea was born in Râmnicu Vâlcea and currently resides in Bucharest. He is director of film and television, director of photography and artistic photographer, with a PhD in Cinematography and Media at the Faculty of Theatre and Cinema of the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca.
From 1995 to the present, Mihalcea has developed an extensive professional career in the audiovisual field, participating in various artistic programmes and playing multiple roles both within and outside the television environment: art director, editor, Cinematographer, cameraman, documentary filmmaker and photographer specializing in products, catalogues and events.
