|
An installation made by visual artist Ion Barbu, representing a communist era DACIA car painted in the colors of the Romanian flag and reading “If we don't have a Dacia, we will make it from a Porsche”, is seen during “The day of open mines” – a cultural event organized by “Petrila Cultural Association” on the site of the closed coal mine in Petrila, Romania, on May 1, 2023. One of the shrinking cities, Petrila, like most of the mining settlements on the Jiului Valley, underwent successive social and economic reconfigurations. The locals, together with the renowned Romanian visual artist Ion Barbu and activists for industrial heritage managed to save some of the mine buildings from demolition. Activations and cultural activities at Petrila reach a wide audience through events that bring visitors from all over the country, while exhibitions, film and mural art lay the groundwork for groups that have the potential to save the mine for the future. (Photo by Daniel Mihailescu/AFP Photo)
|
