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UZDINUZ Alive

UZDINUZ Alive is an artistic and cultural initiative that brings to life the stories, traditions, art and people of Uzdin, a Romanian village in the Serbian Banat. Rooted in the exploration of memory and identity, UZDINUZ Alive focuses on uncovering the unique heritage of this quiet community, connecting its past with contemporary art perspectives. The project lasted 5 months and included a lengthy audio-visual documentation and two public outcomes co-created by actress Christine Cizmaș and multimedia artist Cinty Ionescu. The first public showing of Uzdinuz Alivea was Cireașa de pe Bega / The Cherry on Bega – an experiential on an old boat while navigating Bega river towards the Serbian border.

The second showing was a theatrical performance called Este lume în toată forma / There is folk in all form performed in Timișoara at the end of October 2024. Produced by the Prin Banat Association as part of the Moving Fireplaces project, the initiative offered a fresh perspective on Uzdin’s legacy, blending tradition with innovative artistic approaches.

Este lume în toată forma / There is folk in all form is a devised theatrical performance based on an extensive documentation of Uzdin, a quiet Romanian village in Serbia’s Voivodina province populated primarily by Romanian ethnics. The title of the piece draws inspiration from a local expression, a wordplay that conveys a dual meaning: it reflects the idea of diversity—”there is folk of all kinds”—while also suggesting that the world can take on different appearances, forms, or perspectives.

Over several months in the summer of 2024, actress Christine Cizmaș and I journeyed to Uzdin, 94 kilometers from Timișoara, in a quiet Romanian village in the Serbian Banat, staying anywhere from a few days to several weeks. The project sought to document both the tangible and intangible heritage of the village—its traditions, community, and cultural essence—while connecting its rich history to contemporary realities. Este Lume În Toată Forma is a powerful exploration of memory, tradition, and the fading destinies of people in a world too often overlooked.

The performance delves into the lives and stories of this community, uncovering echoes of a past shaped by resilience and heritage. With curiosity and care, it navigates the intricate rhythms of village life— as it was observed and documented, sometimes blending in, other times disrupting its flow. Blurring the lines between art and ethnography, “Este Lume În Toată Forma” brings to life the essence of Uzdin through moments that capture both the seen and the intangible—those fleeting elements (of culture) that slip through our fingers.

“Este Lume În Toată Forma” is a tribute to the enduring spirit of community and the richness of human experience in every form.

The Team

A performance by: Christine Cizmaș and Cinty Ionescu
Based on a documentation in Uzdin
Video Design & Documentation: Cinty Ionescu
Sound Design: 150 STOKA – Psihodrom
Guests: TRUBAČKI ORKESTAR “Aleksandar Sandi” (Dolovo, Serbia) and Pavel David Spăriosu Secoșan (Uzdin, Serbia)
Light Design: Solfaur, Norbert Lovasz

Event photography by Andreea Eva Herczegh

The performance “ESTE LUME ÎN TOATĂ FORMA” is a component of the UZDINUZ Alive activity, part of the Moving Fireplaces – The Legacy project, organized and implemented by Asociația Prin Banat. This project is part of the national cultural program Timișoara – European Capital of Culture 2023 and is funded through the Legacy Timișoara 2023 program, managed by the Timișoara Municipality Project Center, with funding allocated from the state budget through the Romanian Ministry of Culture.