1. Simpozion imaginar „Despre dragoste” ▲ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 08/2026▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! ABSTRACT Title: Imaginary Symposium – On Love Author: Ion Bogdan Martin Source: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE 108, 08/2026 Synopsis and Themes The text adopts the format of a written "imaginary symposium," set against the musical backdrop of Leonard Cohen’s *Dance Me to the End of Love*. The author explores the many facets of love—ranging from family and civic affections to electoral absurdity, quirky Romanian naming traditions, and domestic relationships—stripping away romantic clichés through self-deprecation, sharp humor, and keen social observation. Key Ideas The Anatomy of the Sentiment: The piece clearly distinguishes between true love (vision, emotion, a state of grace that makes one a better person) and mere instinct or sex, playfully mocking modern exaggerations and myths of legendary conquests. Everyday Absurdity and Onomastics: Through various humorous tangents, the author examines the quirks of given names, the farce of political campaigns, and the small comedies and dramas of marriage. Authenticity and Self-Irony: Using personal anecdotes—from a tense relationship with a future mother-in-law that took a bizarrely beneficial turn, to mock-serious breakdowns of bedroom positions—the text highlights the fragility of the human condition when faced with love. The Symposium's Conclusion: Beyond the definitions offered by great classics (Shakespeare, Tagore), love remains a pure "madness," a complex sentiment that ultimately boils down to what one receives only after giving of oneself unconditionally.
”Colindătorul” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
"Colindătorul" ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In the excerpt from Sub semnul lui 12, titled "Colindătorul" and authored by Ion Bogdan Martin, the narrative unfolds on Christmas Eve in 2014, capturing a domestic debate between Olivia, a principled judge, and Tibor, her pragmatic real estate counselor partner. Set against a backdrop of television news broadcasts covering historic weather warnings, international scandals, and religious history, the couple navigates contrasting worldviews on faith, skepticism, and justice. The atmosphere shifts from playful banter and tension regarding career choices to a touch of the uncanny when an enigmatic, humble caroler visits their apartment, refusing money and sharing spiritual parables before departing mysteriously. The excerpt concludes with an air of suspense as Olivia uncovers an unexpected package left beneath the Christmas tree.
AMALA ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
AMALA ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: Amala – The Tragic Horizon of a Stolen Dream In this poignant excerpt from Sub semnul lui 12 (Under the Sign of 12), Ion Bogdan Martin reconstructs the harrowing reality of the late communist era in Romania, through the fate of Amala and Carmen. Set against the backdrop of the summer of 1989—a time of systemic crumbling and desperate individual aspirations—the narrative transcends a simple story of star-crossed lovers to become a testament to the suffocating rigidity of the regime. Amala, a young man of dignity and ambition, and Carmen, caught in the web of an activist father’s prejudices and political zeal, represent the collision between the human desire for a "Superior Time" and the cruel, immutable gravity of the "Inferior Time." Their journey towards the Danube—the ultimate frontier—is not merely an escape attempt; it is a desperate search for a world where their love can exist outside the constraints of origin and social status. The tragic finale, where the two are reunited in death in the waters of the Danube, serves as a searing critique of the inhumanity of the era. The irony of the activist father calling upon God in his moment of despair, only after his own rigidity had catalyzed the catastrophe, highlights the moral bankruptcy of the system. Through the image of their hands reaching for each other in the depths of the river, the author encapsulates the ultimate sacrifice of the individual before the altar of a regime that sought to control not just the body, but the very right to dream of a better life.
Maria iubea florile ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲
Maria iubea florile, de Ion Bogdan Martin ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.105, 05/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Maria Loved Flowers by Ion Bogdan Martin Excerpt from the book Under the Sign of 12 | ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE No. 105, 05/2026 Abstract: In this haunting and atmospheric narrative, the author recounts a chance encounter within the skeletal ruins of a derelict industrial plant on the outskirts of Bucharest. What begins as a quest for creative inspiration transforms into an unsettling dialogue with an elderly man who refuses to abandon his former workplace, obsessively maintaining an inventory of a single wooden chair. As the conversation unfolds, the crumbling factory—once a symbol of collective labor—becomes the stage for a poignant meditation on love, loss, and the refusal to accept the erasure of the past. The story skillfully blends social critique with a melancholic exploration of the "ghosts" that linger in the wake of privatization and societal upheaval. Through the figure of the old man and his devotion to his late wife, Maria, the text reveals a hidden landscape of personal devotion, culminating in a devastating twist that recontextualizes the entire experience. It is a profound look at how memory can become both a sanctuary and a self-imposed prison in a world that has discarded its history.
La pas, prin București, dar și prin istorie ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 04/2026 ▲
La pas, prin București, dar și prin istorie ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.104, 0/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract Strolling Through Bucharest, and Through History (Excerpt from the book Under the Sign of 12) Author: Ion Bogdan Martin Overview A leisurely spring stroll down Bucharest's iconic Calea Victoriei becomes a profound journey through time, dissolving the boundaries between the present day and the city's aristocratic past. Pausing in front of the historic Casa Vernescu (originally built in 1820 as Casa Lenș), the narrator experiences a vivid temporal slip—or a Tibetan tulpa—witnessing a romantic, 19th-century marriage proposal between the estate's original owner, Valachian boyar Filip Lenș, and his beloved Lisavette. Key Themes & Historical Vignettes As the phantom vision vanishes into thin air, the narrator encounters a living archive of the city: Colonel Stamatesco, a witty, 97-year-old retired aviator. The venerable veteran unfurls a rich tapestry of forgotten lore and oral history, linking the mansion to monumental historical milestones: - The Romantic Encounter: The colonel shares his grandmother’s firsthand account of meeting a young, dashing Count Leo Tolstoy at the mansion’s gates in the 1850s. - Political Intrigues: The transition of the estate from the Lenș heirs to the prominent politician George D. Vernescu, and its later dark transformation into a communist protocol house. - The Literary Ghost: The profound political shockwave caused by Romania's national poet and fierce journalist, Mihai Eminescu, whose final explosive article in 1889 forced Vernescu’s resignation. Conclusion Weaving magical realism with authentic historical chronicles, this excerpt captures the eternal spirit of Bucharest as the "Little Paris" of yore. It portrays a city where the past never truly dies—it merely lingers in the air, waiting to be rediscovered at a wrought-iron garden table or over a cold beer at the famous Casa Capșa, under the ghostly, mocking gaze of playwright Ion Luca Caragiale.
De ziua mea ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.103, 03/2026 ▲
De ziua mea ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.103, 03/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract Title: On My Birthday (De ziua mea) Source: Fragment from the book Under the Sign of 12 (Sub semnul lui 12) by Ion Bogdan Martin This narrative fragment follows a young man on his birthday, May 1st, as he accompanies his pious mother to a secluded monastery near Bucharest. What begins as a peaceful, mundane Sunday morning—marked by a quiet walk along a sun-drenched lake—quickly evolves into a profound spiritual encounter. While his mother attends the liturgy, the protagonist meets a mysterious, barefoot old monk who possesses an uncanny, clairvoyant knowledge of his life, his education in journalism, and his future as a writer. The story takes a surreal turn when the monk invites the protagonist to his "dilapidated" cell, which proves to be a gateway to a hidden, metaphysical realm. Guided by a light that seems to defy physical laws, the young man descends forty symbolic steps into a cavernous chamber. In this "sacred laboratory" illuminated by twelve torches, he experiences levitation and witnesses a divine vision upon a golden table: a glimpse of the ongoing church service where believers are distinguished by bluish halos of light. The encounter serves as a spiritual awakening, challenging the protagonist's skepticism and urging him to honor his mother’s devotion while hinting at his own predestined path toward enlightenment.
La Hanul lui Șchiopu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲
La Hanul lui Șchiopu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: At the Lame Man’s Inn (La Hanul lui Șchiopu) By Ion Bogdan Martin Set in the dusty, windswept Bărăgan plain during a period of profound political unrest, this narrative paints a vivid portrait of "Hanul lui Șchiopu" (The Lame Man’s Inn) in the village of Nucetu. As autumn settles over the landscape, the inn serves as a refuge for broken souls, local peasants, and weary travelers seeking solace in the renowned wine of Lady Chriachița Mănescu. Against a backdrop of Turkish tobacco smoke and the haunting melodies of the famous "Zaraza," the story captures the transition of an era—where the abdication of the King and the looming shadow of Communism dominate the anxious whispers of the patrons. The atmosphere of melancholy is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious, imposing figure whose presence commands immediate attention. The plot reaches a tragic climax when a young, innocent girl, captivated by the stranger's aura, attempts a naive gesture of affection. In a moment of brutal reflex, the stranger—later revealed as a gendarme—ends her life, vanishing into the dark Bărăgan night. The story concludes with a chilling return to the status quo: the inn remains a place of desperate escape, where the music plays on, indifferent to the silent tragedy that has just unfolded.