Ioana Aron’s “We Are Here” is an action-based performance that affirms presence, authenticity, and the courage to remain faithful to one’s inner voice in a world that demands conformity. Born from the tension between fragility and strength, between the body and the world it inhabits, the work unfolds through twelve distinct frames—each a moment, a state, a memory—together forming a single, evolving structure. The artist’s body becomes a site of passage, while water, in all its forms, runs through the piece as sound, rhythm, and symbol, carrying vulnerability, transformation, and emotional residue.
Financially supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute.
Concept in collaboration with Favela Vera Ortiz
Choreography developed with Favela Vera Ortiz and through guided movement exploration with Georgeta Corca
Music composed in collaboration with Abigél Varga
Ioana Aron
ioanaaron.ro
Ioana Aron is a Romanian visual artist whose work has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to contemporary art. Living and working between Paris, New York, and Bucharest, she has exhibited her creations in major museums and galleries worldwide. In 2024, she completed her PhD at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, focusing on the interplay between text and image in the media environment. As the co-founder and editor-in-chief of E T A J magazine since 2020, Aron has contributed significantly to the Romanian art scene, fostering collaboration and creativity among artists. Her first monograph, The Field. IL Y A, published by Triade Art Foundation, is now part of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) collection. Aron has also participated in numerous group exhibitions, including "Young Blood 2.0" at Art Safari and "Tower of Strength" at WASP Gallery, and has presented solo shows such as "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" at MNTRplusC and "Our Dirty Bedroom" at Atelierele Scânteia.
Aron’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in intellectual inquiry and visual experimentation, aiming to provoke introspection and awareness in her audience. Her work often explores themes of identity, memory, and the relationship between the body and its environment. She has been the recipient of prestigious grants and awards, including the Brâncuși Grant in 2019, which enabled her residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, and the Culture Moves Europe grant from the Goethe Institute in 2024. Her installations and performances, such as "Dans Ma Rue" and "We Are Here," have been showcased in prominent exhibitions and cultural events across Europe and beyond.
Favela Vera Ortiz
@favelave
Favela Vera Ortiz is a Finnish-Argentinian choreographer based in Helsinki. She works on the fields of contemporary dance and performance art. Favela’s works have been seen internationally on theatre stages, museums and galleries since 2001. She also works with interdisciplinary projects in collaboration with visual artists. Her latest works are “Crossing Latitudes” presented at the Tampere Dance current Festival in Finland and “Figure Humaine” presented in several galleries in Finland. She also works with dance films, for example “23° West” which was seen at the National Art Centre, Nordic Dance Film Festival in Ottawa, Canada.
Georgeta Corca
@georgetacorca
Georgeta Corca is a Romanian contemporary dance choreographer and performer with over 15 years of experience in the field. She graduated from the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest with a Bachelor’s degree in Choreography. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with numerous renowned choreographers from Romania and abroad, expanding her artistic language and performance depth. Her creative journey has been enriched by international artistic residencies across Europe. In 2020, Corca integrated pole dance into her practice, blending contemporary movement principles with athletic performance. She holds the National Record for the highest score in both Pole Sport Female Elite and Artistic Pole Female Professional categories. Corca’s work bridges contemporary dance and pole sport, combining artistry, technical excellence, and emotional authenticity.
Abigél Varga
abigelvarga.com
Abigél Varga is a Hungarian composer based in Munich. Born in 1996 in Eger, Hungary, she studied composition at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest and continued her training at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich.
Her work spans opera, oratorio, and music theater. Highlights include the operetta Lisa’s Land of Smiles, which premiered 20 times at Neuköllner Oper Berlin, and the oratorio Embrace, performed with singers, ensemble, and dance. Her music has also been presented at festivals such as the Lucerne Festival, Kronberg Academy and Festival, aDevantgarde Festival, and Transparent Sound New Music Festival. She is the recipient of the Fanny Mendelssohn Composition Prize (2025) and has held residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and BASIS Vinschgau Venosta. In 2024, she received a scholarship from the Deutsche Bank Foundation, including participation in the Akademie Musiktheater heute program. Alongside composing, she is active as a concert organizer and coordinator, collaborating with FUGA Budapest, the Crescendo Summer Academy, and the aDevantgarde Festival in Munich.