One year ago, on April 6, 2024, before lunch took place in the presence of Mrs. Nica Antonia, deputy mayor of Oradea and executive director of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism for Oradea and Region (APTOR) Alexandru Chira, the inauguration of the Exhibition Center of the International Association “Euro Photo Art” (AIEFA), within the medieval fortress of Oradea, Coprul E, ground floor. The opening of the Centre was also an absolute national premiere, as there is currently no such Centre in Romania dedicated to the promotion of photographic art! Two great-grandchildren of the first Oradea photographer Mezey Lajos attended the event: Dr. Mezey András from Budapest and Kiss Anna from Debrecen (HU). The public present at the event was welcomed by the photographer Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP, president of AIEFA and manager of the Exhibition Centre, who thanked the partner Summit Agro Romania for the support given to the installation of the headquarters of the well-known international Association, as well as for the three Galleries, which are part of this Exhibition Centre: “Mezey Lajos”, “Matei Stegerean” and “Ștefan Vilidár István”. Patricia Știrbu, President of Summit Agro Romania, who appreciated the special collaboration between the company she leads and AIEFA, which made it possible to set up these spaces as photographic art galleries. Time flew by very quickly and at the one-year anniversary of the opening, it can be appreciated with satisfaction that 33 exhibitions of photographic artists from Canada, Germany, Kazakhstan, Serbia, USA, Romania and Hungary have been opened in these spaces and more than 1,500 creations have been presented to the public, with free access for visitors. It is to be appreciated that many of the exhibition openings organised under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), recognised by UNESCO, were attended by photographers from these countries, as well as the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Romania, His Excellency Yerik Ali. It is to be appreciated that in the EFA Exhibition Centre were also opened various international exhibitions such as: “The vine, the wine and the joy of living”, “What are you swinging, codrule …” (dedicated to the National Culture Day), of the Romanian and Hungarian Photographers from abroad, (organized within the Romanian and Hungarian Culture Week) or of Press Photography from the Euroregion Bihor – Hajdú-Bihar (HU). The “Matei Stegerean” Gallery hosted several unforgettable digital image projections grouped under the title “At the mouth of the stove” made up of the works of photographers Morvay Szabó Edina AFIAP, Contantin Demeter from the “Nufărul” Photography Club Oradea and Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP. The atmosphere of the openings were colored with different musical moments offered by the artists of the Community and Cultural Association Sola Fide (SFKKE), represented by violin master Thurzó Sándor József, Rock Filarmonica Oradea, represented by Alexandrina Chelu-Schorr Florian Chelu Madeva, the students of the High School of Arts of Oradea (through the kindness of the deputy director prof. Nagy Gabriela), respectively Nicolae Moranciu. It is also to be appreciated that most of the exhibitions were installed by the photographer Fórián Andrea, president of SFKKE, and that the openings were transmitted online on facebook, thanks to the goodwill of the photographer Csíki János, AIEFA photojournalist, who also immortalized the most representative moments of the openings for the press. The exhibition posters were made by the photographer Hős Norbert from Subotica (SRB), which were printed by Durans Oradea free of charge. A number of positive impressions of visitors from Canada, France, Germany, Iran, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Spain, USA, Republic of Moldova, Romania and Hungary were recorded in the guest books of the three galleries. Among the visitors there were also several students from Oradea, including students of the National College “Emanuil Godju” from Oradea. It is also to be appreciated that the exhibitions organized in the EFA Oradea – Romania Exhibition Centre are also presented on the screens of the means of transport of the city of Oradea, thanks to the protocol concluded between AIEFA and OTL SA. At the one-year anniversary we can see that the new EFA Oradea – Romania Exhibition Centre has become in a short time a cultural Embassy of the city, county and Romania in the world.
