Catalin Anastase was born in a family of artists coming from medieval Transylvania since 1660 and the historic Dobruja located in Romania .
Growing up with great adventure books by authors like Jules Verne, Mark Twain or Rudyard Kipling, Catalin have an adventure travel spirit and an insatiable curiosity to visit places and to discover people and a taste for mystery. Funny enough, in the childhood his grandparents called him a kangaroo, because of his ability to jump higher than the other kids and to run faster, so looks like coming to Australia was a legit choice.
The dream of father artist wanting to escape in 1953 from the Romanian communist regime, was continued by Catalin here in the Southern Hemisphere, where he brought this legacy and his art in various exhibitions. He started photography in November 1987 with photojournalism and black and white portraiture
Always with the intention to create a story with the person in front of the camera, Catalin started this idea with one question in mind - What is the story?
Catalin's dramatic interpretation in this image style, was influenced by his education in performing arts, as an actor, puppeteer and director.
Discovered in 1992 by British Journal Of Photography and headhunted to be featured in the prestigious magazine, he was invited in 1995 at the International Festival for Photography in Burghausen in Germany, to experiment and to exhibit portraits studies in a forum of professional photographers, enthusiasts and prestigious camera brands representatives, such as Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Minolta.
It is true that people are so busy these days(homo faber), but they are feeling happy and fulfilled when they find time for art (homo ludens).
We all need art, we all need to find ourselves and see ourselves in a creative way, this being important for ones self esteem and the meaning of life.
Catalin arrived in Australia, almost two decades ago after traveling extensively and exhibiting around the world, helping people to discover themselves and share their beauty.
MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITIONS
Sydney, Australia - Laser Moments - Exhibition at Art Moment Gallery - 2007
Sydney , Australia - Projection Exhibition at TAP Gallery for the book launch OPEN 24 HOURS - 2005
New Zealand, 2002-2004 - The Edge Gallery
New Zealand, 2001 - Newtown Gallery
New Zealand, 2001 People, Traditions and Events - Cameleon Gallery
The Art Museum of Constanta, 1997
The Festival for Avant-Garde Photography - Burghausen, Germany, 1995
The French Institute, Bucharest, 1995
BJP - British Journal Of Photography - 1992
Association of Fine Art Photographers, AAF Bucharest, 1991 - 1994 photojournalism, portraits exhibitions
PUBLICATIONS & EXHIBITIONS - selections
BEST EXPERIMENTAL PHOTO featured in BJP/ 1992
British Journal of Photography
FRENCH INSTITUTE / 1993
BURGHAUSEN PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL / 1995
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND/ 2001
THE EDGE AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND / 2002
ART MOMENT GALLERY SYDNEY / 2007
Private tutoring