Painting | 2025 | 40x50cm

Trampled Pride
Ioana-Cristina Bobe

Description: Inspired by the testimony of Mrs. Grozdana Ćećez, the painting depicts a faceless, exhausted figure tearing through a heavy camouflage fabric, symbolizing oppression and forced concealment. The figure appears terrified and disoriented, surrounded by darkness, yet their act of ripping the fabric suggests a faint hope for freedom.

A wedding ring on their finger signifies a stolen, disrupted life, while a ribbon tied around the index finger represents memory and identity. The artwork contrasts loss of self with the rediscovery of hope, serving as a tribute to the countless victims of war whose voices remain unheard.

About the artist: Cristina Bobe, Bucharest (1991-) I graduated in 2014 with degrees in Engineering and Law, but, surprisingly, I work in a museum as a graphic designer and photographer. I truly love my job and the amazing people I get to meet! I've always loved drawing but only started painting in 2019 during lockdown — and I haven’t stopped since.

One of my proudest moments as a graphic designer and painter was in September 2024, when my designs won a national competition and were printed on the cups of Romania’s largest coffee shop chain, 5 to Go. As a photographer, I love to explore. I feel most alive in new places, observing my surroundings and how people interact with them.

​Teaching photography workshops at the museum is another activity I enjoy— the kids I work with never cease to amaze me! As a Romanian, I’m honored to be part of this project. I was too young to fully grasp the conflicts at the time, but I believe in the importance of education, to prevent history from repeating itself. I’m grateful we can help spread awareness through art.