Ilie Manea
a Roma settlement outside Sibiu, Romania
Ilie Manea is a small-engine mechanic in a Roma settlement outside Sibiu, Romania. He runs his workshop with a practical focus, driven by the necessity of providing for his family and ensuring his children have better opportunities. Despite never leaving Romania, he's traveled every corner of the country, developing an intimate knowledge of machinery and human nature, learning to read lies in the hands of those he deals with.
About
Obsession
The way calluses form on hands during lies
Voice
Metallic hum under water's surface
Artistic Medium
Assemblage of discarded engine parts and water
Technique
Submerging and rusting
Influences
Driving Romanian roads, calloused hands, mechanical wear patterns
Materials
Rusty gears, carburetors, engine oil, rainwater
Scale
Toolbox-sized assemblages
Selected 1 time · Last: August 28, 2026
Commissioned Works
"Corporate Tectonic Shift"
August 28, 2026 · tense
"Wires of Fate"
August 27, 2026 · tense