Citius, Altius, Fortius.

CURATORIAL STATEMENT

• Pavel Braila is known for his dedication to memory and politics. With no exception, his new series *Citius, Altius, Fortius*, created specifically for TAEX, tells a story of the Republican Stadium in the heart of Chisinau, Moldova. A monumental and historically remarkable sports complex (built in 1952) is an architectural ghost: after being a ruin for over two decades, the building still represents a memory of Soviet Moldova. The new purpose of the land is also somewhat symbolic — the former stadium will become the largest American diplomatic campus in Europe. Braila’s series reflects on the multilayered background of the stadium: the original 1950s reliefs are accompanied by historical shots from the stadium’s history. While the monumental figures of athletes remain motionless, historical snapshots of sports history flash and fade in a rave-like rhythm. Representing this contrast, Pavel Braila points to an elaborate context related to the history and politics of Moldova, which is implicitly present in urban history and national sport.