AZULEJOS DIN SPANIA ȘI PORTUGALIA ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.107, 07/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract Title: “UNUSUAL PLACES IN EUROPE: Azulejos from Spain and Portugal” Text: Adina Baranovschi Photos: Bogdan Baranovschi Publication: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE no. 107, 07/2026 “We still believe in culture!” Overview As part of an ongoing 2026 monthly series highlighting unique natural and cultural attractions across Europe, the July installment focuses on the iconic ceramic tiles known as azulejos. Originating from the Arabic term al-zulaydj (meaning "polished stone"), these decorative tiles serve as a defining visual identity and architectural landmark throughout the Iberian Peninsula. The article explores the history and craftsmanship of azulejos, tracing their evolution from Moorish heritage and 15th-century Italian majolica influences in Andalusia to 17th-century Dutch-inspired blue monochrome designs in Portugal. Featuring rich imagery, the piece highlights legendary tilework adorning churches, palaces, and facades across Spanish landmarks (Seville, Malaga, Granada, Córdoba) and Portuguese cities (Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Braga, Guimarães), where geometric patterns and vivid pictorial scenes capture historic, religious, and daily life.
CONVOIUL (XIII) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XIII) de Gheorghe Schwartz Tradus de / Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract Title: “THE CONVOY (XIII)” — Part I: The Body of the Snake (23) Author: Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by: Eugene Matzota Publication: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE no. 106, 06/2026 “We still believe in culture!” Overview Sitting isolated in a quiet hotel lobby, the protagonist observes former members returning from the massive, collective entity known as "The Convoy" to rejoin civilian life—reunions that appear noticeably devoid of warmth or joy. With only three days of accommodation vouchers remaining, he faces growing uncertainty about his future while grappling with the reality of his covert recruitment by a secretive system. Through a communication device concealed as a business card, the protagonist learns why Convoy attire is heavily targeted by criminals: impostors use the uniforms to pose as law enforcement, carrying out robberies and murders under the guise of official authority. As he continues his assigned mission to investigate why individuals abandon the security of the Convoy for a life of hardship, the protagonist discovers that his own thoughts—and those of all marchers—are constantly harvested, processed, and analyzed by advanced computer algorithms, revealing a pervasive system of total surveillance.
Metafizica iubirii între ieri și azi, de Ciprian Cristea ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
Metafizica iubirii între ieri și azi, de Ciprian Cristea ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: The Metaphysics of Love Between Yesterday and Today – A Reflection by Ciprian Cristea In this poignant essay, Ciprian Cristea explores the erosion of human depth in the age of instant connectivity. By contrasting the ceremonial, slow departure of the early 20th-century train with the sterile, high-speed travel of our era, the author illustrates a profound shift in the nature of human relationships. The central thesis is that while we have conquered distance and compressed time, we have inadvertently sacrificed the "sacred intervals"—those quiet spaces where love once grew through absence, patience, and longing. Cristea skillfully dissects the paradox of modern intimacy: - The loss of transience: The transition from the deliberate, emotional weight of letter-writing and waiting to the brutal, surgical speed of instant messaging. - The crisis of presence: The irony that we traverse continents through video calls while feeling more isolated than ever, and that the abundance of digital images has replaced the cherished, singular photograph. - The demand for slowness: The author argues that love, in its essence, is not a product of speed but of time—a slow, almost painful duration where the soul can breathe. The essay serves as a philosophical wake-up call, reminding the reader that true love begins precisely where the speed of the modern world stops. Cristea invites us to reclaim the value of silence and the sanctity of the "interval," challenging the reader to consider whether our technological "progress" is, in reality, a form of spiritual impoverishment.
MUZEUL INSTALATORULUI DIN PETROȘANI ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
MUZEUL INSTALATORULUI DIN PETROȘANI ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.106, 06/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: The Plumber’s Museum – Satire as an Avant-Garde Statement The June episode of ALTCULTURE takes an in-depth look at the "Plumber's Museum" (Muzeul Instalatorului) in Petroșani, a truly unique cultural landmark founded by the acclaimed caricaturist Ion Barbu. Established in 2016, this institution stands as Romania’s first humor museum and the only one of its kind in Europe dedicated to satirical installations. Defying traditional museum conventions, the space is a bold experiment in deconstructivism, blending kitsch, raw satire, and surrealist art. Through a blend of found objects, provocative photography, and biting caricatures, Barbu tackles the complexities of Romanian politics and social realities with intellectual wit and fantasy. From its avant-garde facade to the "hard-hitting" exhibits inside that challenge the boundaries of good taste, the museum functions as a post-modern reflection of our contemporary reality—often trivial, yet profoundly thought-provoking. This feature, with text by Adina Baranovschi and photography by Bogdan Baranovschi, invites readers to explore a space where the absurd is elevated to a legitimate form of contemporary art.
Eu parcă simt că vine ceva…, de Ciprian Cristea ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
Despre iubire, memorie și rezistență în „EstePi”, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract Title: Of Love, Memory, and Resistance in "EstePi" Author of Review: Eugen Matzota Subject: The Dictatorship of Silence – EstePi Love by Ciprian Cristea In this compelling review, Eugen Matzota introduces a new voice in contemporary literature, Ciprian Cristea, whose debut into the world of philosophical dystopia marks the beginning of an ambitious nine-volume series. Matzota, who acted as a mentor to the author, explores the manuscript titled The Dictatorship of Silence – EstePi Love, a work that transcends simple storytelling to become an urgent radiological examination of the present. The text analyzes a frozen, perfectly administered world where human essence—emotion, longing, and identity—has been surgically removed in exchange for a sterile and controlled order. In this universe, individuals are stripped of their names and reduced to mere statistical functions—exemplified by the chilling identification of a loved one as "7-241." Matzota argues that Cristea’s work is not merely a projection of a bleak future, but a meditation on the dissolution of the soul within a society that confuses absolute control with happiness. Ultimately, the review highlights the central theme of the novel: love as the most radical and illegal act of spiritual resistance against a world governed by algorithms and programmed conformity.
CONVOIUL (XII) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XII) de Gheorghe Schwartz Tradus de / Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! The Convoy (XII) by Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE No. 105, 05/2026 Abstract: In this introspective chapter, the protagonist navigates the unsettling reality of life after exiting the "Convoy"—a regimented, utopian-like structure he refers to as the "Body of the Serpent." Trapped in a city that feels both alien and hauntingly familiar, he seeks refuge in a hotel lobby during a relentless rainstorm, searching for answers among other defectors. His attempt to decode the motives behind their "unthinkable" abandonment of a secure life culminates in a strained, enigmatic encounter with a fellow exile—a man of refined, diplomatic demeanor who embodies the very contradictions of their shared past. Through their dialogue, the story masterfully explores the existential cost of uniformity, the illusion of personal initiative in a world governed by rigid hierarchies, and the subtle, psychological surveillance that transcends the boundaries of the Convoy itself. This segment serves as a profound meditation on the struggle to maintain one’s individuality—and the "small habits" that anchor it—within the crushing pressure of a controlled society.
MUZEE BELGIENE ALE CIOCOLATEI ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
MUZEE BELGIENE ALE CIOCOLATEI ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.105, 05/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Unique Destinations in Europe: The Belgian Chocolate Museums Text: Adina Baranovschi | Photo: Bogdan Baranovschi Abstract: As part of a year-long series dedicated to Europe’s most remarkable natural and cultural sites, this issue spotlights Belgium’s rich heritage in the art of chocolate-making—a tradition officially recognized as part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage since 2025. Through a curated exploration of three premier institutions—Choco-Story in Brussels, Chocolate Nation in Antwerp, and Choco-Story in Bruges—the authors guide readers through a sensory and educational journey. From the equatorial cocoa plantations to the artisanal craftsmanship of iconic Belgian chocolatiers, the article examines the geographical, cultural, and gastronomic processes that have turned a spicy ancient Aztec beverage into the world’s most coveted confection. More than just a guide for tourists, this piece serves as an immersive look into the industrial history and culinary mastery that define the Belgian chocolate experience.