Romanians to finance purchase of artwork
Romania plans to buy the famous sculpture The Wisdom of the Earth by iconic Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși from its current private owners for 11 million euros. However the Romanian government's plan is to put just five million towards the purchase and gather the remaining sum through donations by the end of September. Can this crowdfunding initiative help unite the country?
Crowdfunding strengthens cohesion in Romania
Calling for crowdfunding to finance the purchase of Constantin Brâncuși's The Wisdom of the Earth is an brilliant move, the business journalist Moise Guran writes on his blog Biziday:
“Although the state could simply have bought the statue, Prime Minister Cioloș has opted to call for donations to finance half of the work. In so doing he has invited us, the people of Romania, to pursue one idea together before we lose ourselves in 20 million individual opinions. Very clever! Because when you think about it, shouldn't we all work together for such projects - and for a good conscience? Yes we should! Because every now and then this conscience needs exercise.”
Donation campaign a test for the nation
A donation campaign like this is in fact a test for the nation, political scientist Roxana Dumitrache writes in a guest commentary for the daily Adevărul:
“The call for public donations puts our notorious megalomania to the test. ... It can be predicted with the precision of a Cassandra that all manner of arguments will now be voiced: why don't we donate for hospitals, schools, orphanages, research laboratories or animal shelters? And some sensible things will be said as well: why doesn't the state make our country's corrupt elite fork out, why does it only demand money from art-loving citizens? But The Wisdom of the Earth should not be sullied by such objections.”