Anatomy of Inspiration: Dan Vezentan’s Zootechnical Library as Muse

Romanian visual artist Dan Vezentan draws profound conceptual & material inspiration from the rural landscapes of his native Maramureș, a region whose agrarian traditions shape both his personal identity and his artistic trajectory. Immersed from an early age in the world of farming, zootechnics, and agricultural machinery, Vezentan’s practice engages with the intersecting themes of food production, sustainability, circular economy, and the symbiotic relationship between humans, animals, and domesticated environments.

During a recent Artist Talk at the Glitch Library (sneak pic above from photographer Dragoș Hanciu), Vezentan offered insights into the development of his artistic practice & revealed the critical role his personal zootechnical library (a hand-me-down from his veterinary father) plays in shaping his work. Reflecting on the materials in this micro-library, located in his Bucharest studio at Malmaison, he spoke about how technical manuals from the 1960s to the 1980s, focusing on veterinary sciences, animal anatomy, and agricultural practices, have become a source of inspiration.

“The zootechnical library in my studio is semi-public. Anyone interested in agriculture or veterinary practices is welcome to come and consult these books. It’s a resource for anyone who needs it,” Vezentan mentioned, emphasizing the democratic aspect of this knowledge-sharing.

“Most of my works from the last nine years originate from these memories,” he further shared. “The background of agriculture, food production, circular economy systems, and feeding animals, all these things inform my practice.”

The Micro-Library: A Repository of Agricultural Wisdom

Animal Anatomy Atlases

One of the most significant elements of his library are the anatomy books, which are filled with detailed anatomical illustrations. These atlases, which dissect the bodies of domesticated animals into fine details, provide an ongoing visual reference for his large-scale drawings. As Vezentan explained, “I often enlarge these small, technical illustrations into monumental drawings. The act of magnification transforms these utilitarian diagrams into something almost mystical.”

“I’ve studied these books, particularly their graphic design. I don’t really draw the human body, just animals… I find them more interesting,” he added, highlighting his fascination with the complexity and visual appeal of animal anatomy over human forms.

Veterinary Practice Manuals

The veterinary manuals in Vezentan’s collection are a vital source of technical understanding about animal care and husbandry. These books provide a wealth of knowledge about the treatment and management of livestock, influencing his artistic interrogation of human-animal relationships, a central theme in his practice. His ability to translate this technical information into visual art allows him to explore these connections on both symbolic and material levels.

Agricultural Magazines

Agricultural periodicals like “Săteanca” and “Revista de Zootehnie și Medicină Veterinară” offer a snapshot of Romania’s rural history, particularly in their depictions of social and economic realities of farm life. For Vezentan, these magazines serve as both historical documents and sources of inspiration for the visual language of his installations and sculptures. He finds their layouts and compositions particularly evocative, using them as a starting point for the more conceptual aspects of his work.

“Agricultural tools are not just utilitarian objects. For me, they carry a kind of poetry, a connection between the past and the present,” Vezentan reflected during his talk.

Transforming Technical Knowledge into Art

Vezentan’s artistic practice centers on the transformation of this agricultural and veterinary knowledge into contemporary art forms. His works, ranging from sculptures and installations to large-scale drawings, engage with traditional farming tools and structures, reimagining them as visual metaphors for larger concerns around sustainability and ecological cycles. His materials include wood, metal, and found objects, often re-contextualizing them within industrial and agricultural narratives.

Research and Documentation

Fieldwork plays an essential role in Vezentan’s creative process. He frequently visits farms, markets, and agricultural fairs, where he documents farming practices and tools through sketches, photographs, and notes. These trips provide an ever-growing archive of visual and material references, which he integrates into his sculptures and installations.

“I like to visit markets and fairs, especially agricultural ones,” he said. “It’s fascinating to observe how people display their products, how they set up their stands—it’s a form of visual art in itself.”

Drawing

Drawing is a pivotal component of his artistic methodology, allowing him to explore and better understand the subjects he engages with. His drawings are primarily executed in ink, often using cerulean blue tones. He magnifies small technical illustrations from his collection into large-scale works that juxtapose the precision of scientific diagrams with an expressive, almost spiritual visual language. As he noted during his Glitch Library Artist Talk, “Drawing in ink is a way for me to study, to internalize the subject matter. The act of drawing is a form of learning.”

Sculpture and Installation

Dan Vezentan’s sculptures often incorporate kinetic elements and explore the tension between traditional and modern technologies, as seen in his Harvesting Structures series, where large-scale installations made from found agricultural tools and industrial objects explore themes of sustainability and the cyclical nature of agricultural processes. 

One of his most striking works is the Water Harvester, a functional kinetic sculpture that is part of the Ivan Patzaichin Architectural Ensemble in Tulcea, situated at the entrance to the Danube Delta. Commissioned by the Rowmania initiative, this floating installation, inspired by traditional Romanian water mills, not only serves to provide potable water to the public but also symbolizes the community’s intimate relationship with the delta’s resources. Constructed with 24 enamel-coated buckets rotating on a floating wheel, the harvester works in harmony with the river’s current, reflecting Vezentan’s broader artistic inquiry into sustainability, water stewardship, and the region’s ecological system. By merging industrial aesthetics with environmental functionality, the work transforms a utilitarian act into a meditation on the past and future of natural resource management.

Themes in Dan Vezentan’s Artistic Practice

Vezentan’s work navigates several overlapping themes that merge his rural roots with contemporary environmental and social concerns. He consistently examines the traditions of rural life and their intersection with modern discourses on sustainability. His exploration of human-animal relationships emerges from the technical knowledge embedded in veterinary sciences and animal anatomy, engaging with both practical and symbolic dimensions. Vezentan is also deeply interested in the aesthetics of industrial design, particularly how utilitarian tools and machines bridge the gap between functional beauty and the poetry of manual labor. Moreover, his practice embodies the transformation of technical knowledge into artistic expression, using specialized agricultural and veterinary information as the foundation for visually and conceptually rich works.

The Reading Nook & Micro-Library at Malmaison

A special mention goes to Dan’s reading nook in his Malmaison studio, an essential annex to his micro-library. Specially designed to become uncomfortable after 20 minutes of reading, the nook is opposite the library and offers a great sunset view. 

“I set up a small reading corner for myself,” Vezentan mentioned during his talk. “It’s a cozy place where the weight of these books, their histories, and the stories they contain come together.”

Vezentan’s work, through its meticulous research and materiality, extends an invitation to reflect on the histories we carry and the knowledge systems that continue to shape our contemporary realities. His studio at Malmaison becomes a living archive, not only for him but for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of agriculture, art, and ecology.

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Dan Vezentan’s Artist Talk on October 10th is part of the Glitch Library’s knowledge sharing program designed to bring together artists and designers and the general public. Past talks have included designer painter & cultural manager Suzana Dan, artist and curator Alina Andrei, photographer Lucian Bran, video artist Larisa Crunteanu. 

If you’ve missed it, here’s some photos on 35mm film from Thursday by Dragoș Hanciu.

The Glitch Library is open to visitors every Thursday and Friday, offering the perfect setting to engage with talks, exhibitions, and the growing collection of art and design materials that continue to fuel creative practice. Visit us to explore more, reflect on the intersections between art and knowledge, and participate in our ongoing dialogue about culture and creativity.

Check Dan Vezentan’s book recommendations for Glitch Library here.

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©️ All photos (and curtesy) by Dan Vezentan.