Museum-Workshop School of Piscu, Ilfov

A private initiative with a unique concept

Where is it, when to visit and how much does it cost?

Go 40 km north of Bucharest, in the village of Piscu in Ilfov county and on the main street you will find Museum-Workshop School of Piscu. The exact address is: strada Câmpului number 45B. More exactly follow DN1, and as you come from the capital, turn left in Ciolpani towards Tiganesti Monastery, to which there is a visible sign. From here the road is called DJ181 at the beginning, until it branches off to the monastery on the left, we go right on DJ182 in the village Piscu. The road is paved and in very good condition.

On Saturdays and Sundays it can be visited between 11 - 17. Visits during the week are possible by appointment. Full tickets cost 20 lei, concessions 10 lei. There is a family ticket for 50 lei. The price does not include participation in the workshops, which cost 10-15 lei each.

About Piscu School Museum-Workshop

Museum-Workshop School of Piscu is a private initiative, which unlike in state museums uned employees receive their salaries volens- nolens, here is different. The concept is totally original. The construction is built with eco-friendly materials (here I have a hold on the metal staircase). Wood, earth, straw, i.e. "chirpici" as I know it is called. The floor is paved with .. tile. The ceiling between the floors is an eco material and looks like a lacquered thatch. The host is a family of artists who obviously wanted to offer something else. This something else lacks the human connection, in my opinion, although both the husband and wife and their children are involved. I maintain this because I have not heard from the majority "Hello!", "My name is ....", "Welcome to the .... workshop".

1. Courtyard, museum building

Our destination is on the left, after the village school. You will notice a different building and a large, grassed courtyard. You can drive into the yard and park near the gate for free. In the generous, grassy courtyard, towards the back left are 3 several sculptures. On the back side of the building, which is the museum, there are exhibits made of clay, which can also be bought. Near one of the front corners of the building is a large vase, resembling an amphora.

ceramic vases

sculptures

Museum-Workshop School of Piscu

the village of Piscu

large ceramic pot

2. Exhibition on the ground floor

In the ground floor there are shelves and some interesting display systems on which are exhibited pots of sarmale or other food, strachini, cups, mugs, cups, vases, saucers, pots for storing cereals or other products, such as kerosene, bottles, toys, toys-pushcarts, cahle.

cahle

product storage vessels

various ceramic objects

open space

ceramics for sale

3. The exhibition upstairs

Upstairs besides other clay products, there is an exhibition of paintings and other artistic works, even a map and some rugs.

carpet

old map of the area

ceramics

4. Quadrisphere

The main attraction is the "movie theater" where a so-called "quadrisphere", which through a system of mirrors multiplies the image similar to that small kaleidoscope with colored shards that you rotate in front of the eye generating symmetrical images. At the movie theater I watched a report presenting Piscu pottery, from which I learned that today there are only 3 pottery kilns in Piscu compared to several hundred once.

movie run in quadrisphere

the quadrisphere mirror effect

quadrisphere

5. Workshops

We went back downstairs for 2 of the 3 workshops: pottery, painting on fired clay. I did NOT participate in linocut.

workshop

preparing for the workshop

dishes left to dry

Conclusion

The whole idea is ingenious thanks to the integration of the "quadrisphere", otherwise it would be a pottery workshop like many others, even modest. I do NOT doubt the passion and talent of the artists who built what we can see here at Piscu, but the human relations were modest, the people being particularly shy. There is a great emphasis on the eco construction, which personally did not impress me, especially as I have seen others in my life. Worth a visit Piscu School Museum-Workshop, but don't necessarily go with overly high expectations, better to go with moderate ones so that you leave with enthusiasm.

Watch a video presentation here.

All the best!

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