The minimalistic universe of Ciprian Colda
In celebration of the many talents that make up the Brick team, this month we look into the work of Ciprian Colda a.k.a. Cip within our Art of Brick featured artist series. Cip joined Brick in 2015, and since the inception of the company’s Cluj-Napoca-based satellite office in 2019, he has been responsible for the operations of the Romanian studio as CEO. He is a true creative leader and an inspiration to the entire Cluj office. When he is not creating visualizations for architecture competitions or managing his team, he creates digital art in his free time.
He sees this as an opportunity to master new technical skills and channel his creative energies and emotions. He adds that developing personal works is not as straightforward as it may sound. In contrast to commissioned works, which are defined in scope and purpose, the possibilities for self-expression are endless and you have no other input but yourself.
Memories meet minimalism
The painterly compositions of Andrei Tarkovsky and the immersive installations of Olafur Eliasson provide him with inspiration among others. While some of these works explore the intersection of art and science and meditative staging techniques, Cip has the highest regard for the experience and emotional depths they generate.
Personal, emotive memories, those deriving from childhood or trips, influence his art in terms of subject matter. Having grown up near the snow-covered mountain ranges of the Southern Carpathians, not only has he cultivated his passion for mountain biking and skiing, but also his appreciation for clean lines and reduced aesthetics.
‘I enjoy the first snowfall when everything is blanketed in pure, white snow. For me, this also stands for taking out details from the scenery that are unnecessary. There is a certain sentiment that if you fill up an image with details and figures, it becomes better. Quite the opposite is true – the simpler the illustration, the stronger it becomes as an artwork.’
The works titled Winter tale I-III. (above) show his fascination with minimalist, wintry landscapes while reflecting on family traditions. Cip remembers that when he was a child, his family would regularly come together to spend Christmas in the woods. Finding the perfect tree and taking it home together was central to their holiday activities. The illustrations, which feature a figure dragging a pine tree, hint at this joyous event from above in an attempt to evoke and freeze a cherished moment in time.
Tech predictions
Some of Cip’s minimal compositions are imbued with a sense of foreboding, giving rise to hypothetical scenarios. Winter Robo (above) portrays a new system where superintelligent machines triumph over other life forms on Earth. Citing Cip:
‘We could be close to the moment where our own actions will not mean so much, as AI will take over the world. Information is already being served to us, which has a great influence on our decision-making processes. I am very interested in seeing how this will develop in the future – how technology will shape behavioral patterns and how we will be part of this new system.’
Cluj-Napoca Office
Cip explains that Brick’s satellite office in the bustling Romanian city is a smaller, boutique office that may be physically separate from the HQ but is socially and professionally connected. The team consists of 6-7 3D artists, with whom the Budapest office keeps in touch on a daily basis. Future plans involve creating more mobility between the two studios by offering short-term assignments. This will allow Brick artists to experience the Brick set-up in a different cultural environment and to break with the routine of working from one place.
Want to join Cip and his team in Cluj? Check out our current job openings at the Cluj office!
