Ecaterina Grigoriev

Born and raised in Moldova, matured in Portugal, and blossoming in the Netherlands. It might not look obvious at first glance, but the countries where I have spent almost equal amounts of time come from completely opposite backgrounds. From one of the poorest countries in Europe, as often described online, to one of the most developed, like the Netherlands, I am constantly living in comparison and observation: from economic systems to conversations with strangers on the street, to the color of lemons at the market. Everything becomes input for potential observation, deconstruction, and rearrangement into new ideas. Nothing goes to waste in my mind. Like an infinite processor, it is constantly brewing ideas that eventually transform into site-specific performances. I do not make objects; I build situations. Objects may emerge, but they are not my primary interest. My focus is on leaving a seed of curiosity, warmth, confusion, memory, and relatability in the audience, by evoking something familiar yet forgotten, something we left in the sandbox long ago, or someone we once encountered but who is no longer there. I let my inner child guide my concerns and interests, and through intuition, I create situations that speak to the present moment. Poetry, metaphors, and gentle sun rays on the face are points of departure and arrival too. A very important question that I carry is: “Will my parents understand what it is all about?”. They are working people, and I think often about how art spaces can feel intimidating or unclear. I want my work to remain open and accessible, so it does not become something reserved only for those fluent in art language.