The New Year’s traditions in Romania have some of the finest winter attractions and rich in symbols and meanings. Being fascinated by the idea of masculinity and the representation of men’s power, the bears’ tradition and it’s influence on people’s beliefs inspired to start my project. They evoke death but bestow fertile life. They live in the modern era, but they summon old traditions, accompanied by their Gypsy trainer and a youth beating a tambourine-type instrument, the animals crawl through the crowd. Reaching the centre, they perform a dance until eventually, the bears fall dead on the ground. After their hearts are taken by the trainer, they return to life, theoretically, a more gentle one.
