Romanian Blues (IV) - Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Romanian Blues (IV) – Excerpt from "The Ash Man" by Nicholas Jordan ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE No. 105, 05/2026 Abstract: In this vivid segment from The Ash Man, the narrative shifts from the intimate disillusionment of a weary guide in Scandinavia to the high-stakes, gray-market world of 1989 international tourism. As the Berlin Wall falls, signaling the end of an era, the protagonist navigates the precarious boundary between his professional persona and the "black tours" that sustain the elite cadre of guides—modern-day conquistadors trading in everything from illicit goods to lost souls. The narrative reaches a metaphysical climax aboard a cruise ship in Malta, where, amidst the secret geopolitical maneuvers of the Bush-Gorbachev summit, a chance encounter with a mysterious Knight of Malta challenges the protagonist’s perception of destiny, identity, and the cyclical nature of suffering. Merging historical reality with the esoteric, Jordan crafts a haunting reflection on the role of the "witness" in a degrading world, ultimately leading the protagonist to accept the most daunting assignment of all: a "Blue Christmas" pilgrimage through the monasteries of northern Romania.
Sala de așteptare, de Viorel Ploeșteanu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 5/2026 ▲
Sala de așteptare, de Viorel Ploeșteanu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105 5/2025 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! The Waiting Room by Viorel Ploeșteanu Abstract: In this poignant narrative, Viorel Ploeșteanu masterfully delineates the slow erosion of a life through the story of Evelina, an octogenarian living in the heart of Bucharest. Her existence is inextricably bound to the physical landmarks of her past—the decaying apartment on C.A. Rosetti Street and a towering plane tree planted in her childhood. As she faces the isolation of a post-communist society where neighbors are strangers and her family has long since emigrated to the United States, the tree stands as her final companion and silent witness. The sudden destruction of this living monument serves as the ultimate catalyst for Evelina’s detachment from the world she once knew. The Waiting Room is a melancholic meditation on the fragility of memory, the pain of abandonment, and the quiet dignity with which the elderly confront their own obsolescence. It is a powerful portrait of a soul realizing that her entire history has been reduced to "sawdust swept away by strangers," leading to an inevitable, resigned surrender to the final sanctuary.
Câinii, de Nicolaie Dincă ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
Câinii, de Nicolaie Dincă ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! The Dogs by Nicolaie Dincă Abstract: In this satirical short story, Nicolaie Dincă exposes the hypocrisies of rural authority through a clever narrative centered on two of the village's most prominent figures: the local police chief and the parish priest. Caught in a late-night encounter while supposedly tending to their respective duties, the two men exchange pleasantries that thinly veil their true nocturnal intentions. The irony reaches its peak the following day at the police station, when the two officials are forced into a tense confrontation after accidentally leaving incriminating personal items—a tie and a stole—at each other's homes. With the threat of exposure looming, the protagonist-adversaries reach a silent, cynical consensus, attributing their scandalous behavior to the village dogs. Through sharp, dry wit and a keen sense of irony, the story serves as a mirror for human frailty, demonstrating how easily the pillars of moral and civil order can compromise when their own secrets are at stake.
în lanțuri, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 5/2026 ▲
în lanțuri, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 5/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! In Chains by Doria Șișu Abstract: In this poignant lyrical reflection, Doria Șișu explores the existential weight of living within a society defined by artifice and spiritual erosion. The poem serves as a meditation on the paralyzing nature of conformity—a "chain of grins"—where authentic human connection is sacrificed to superficiality. Through evocative imagery of waiting—words and love standing in line, waiting for the "falling of the chain"—the poet depicts the internal struggle to remain human in an increasingly hollow world. The central figure of the woman, rooted in "clay and soul," becomes a symbol of endurance, transforming years of suffering into a grounded, wingless angel. Ultimately, the work posits that true rebellion lies not in destruction, but in the radical act of forgiveness—a virtue that restores the broken human being and validates the struggle for transcendence against the constraints of a dehumanizing reality.
Polul de Putere (I) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
Polul de Putere (I) de Claudiu Iordache ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 5/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Claudiu Iordache – The Power Pole Abstract: This reflective piece delves into the existential and sociopolitical dimensions of individual agency within an indifferent, often hostile system. By invoking the philosophical insights of Paul-Marc Henry, John Prebble, and Leonida Lari, the text examines the inherent solitude of those who dare to challenge established norms and the high price paid by those who act as catalysts for change. The author situates this study within the fluid world of ideas, arguing that no intellectual labor is a solitary endeavor; rather, it is a convergence of voices, historical precedents, and shared concerns. Through a meditation on the nature of research and authorship, the text asserts that a work of ideas is never definitive. Ultimately, the piece posits that the true meaning of any inquiry resides not within the author, but within the reader—who actively reconstructs the author’s perception of reality to mirror their own, thereby claiming ownership over the ongoing evolution of truth.
Arhitectul de pe Marginea Abisului, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲
Arhitectul de pe Marginea Abisului, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: In the 104th issue of ALTCULTURE, Eugen Matzota moves beyond the critique of digital chaos to address the imperative of construction. Having navigated the "Great Sifting"—a process of stripping away the superficial noise of the digital age—the editorial posits that true substance resides solely in one’s character. Reflecting on a life spent balancing the weight of history with the pursuit of an "Inner Temple," Matzota discusses his role not as a self-appointed mentor, but as a lantern-bearer in an era of systemic disintegration. The text serves as a manifesto for the "Architect": a call to move beyond the illusion of effortless creation, urging readers to reclaim the precision of thought and the rigor of craft. In an age of "Copy-Paste" conformity, ALTCULTURE 104 stands as a testament to continuity and verticality, inviting those in search of a compass to join a workshop where the digital tool is forced to serve the Truth.
Romanian Blues (III) – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲
Romanian Blues (III) - Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: This excerpt from Nicholas Jordan’s The Ashman captures an evocative journey through Stockholm’s cultural landscape, seen through the eyes of a newcomer guide from Eastern Europe. The narrative seamlessly blends the historical gravity of the Vasa Museum with the intimate, often subversive experience of a guided tour at the National Museum of Fine Arts. Central to the text is an encounter with a provocative painting—attributed by an enigmatic local guide, Ulla, to the Renaissance master Hans Baldung Grien. As the guide provides a meticulously detailed, almost obsessive analysis of the artwork’s symbolism and anatomy, the protagonist becomes increasingly aware of the dissonance between official institutional records and the guide's cryptic, erudite narrative. *Romanian Blues* serves as a meditation on the subjectivity of art interpretation, the weight of cultural heritage, and the subtle power dynamics between a guide, their audience, and the mysteries hidden within the frame.