WILL MATTERS is a group exhibition of contemporary art organized as part of the 2026 Craiova International Shakespeare Festival, which highlights the dialogue between the Shakespearean universe and the artistic sensibilities of the present. Hosted by the ARTA Craiova Gallery, the exhibition brings together works that explore, through diverse languages and media, themes such as identity, memory, imagination, and creative force.
Inspired by the theme of this year’s festival—WILL MATTERS / Will Gives Rise to Matter—the exhibition draws on the multiple meanings of the word “Will”: willpower, desire, intention, as well as a direct reference to William Shakespeare. At the same time, the term “matters” refers both to materiality and presence, as well as to the idea of relevance and importance, creating a space for reflection on the relationship between dream and reality, text and image, the ephemeral and the enduring.
The works on display offer contemporary reinterpretations of the Shakespearean imagination, not as illustrations of the classic texts, but as starting points for questions about today’s world, the fragility of identity, social tensions, collective memory, and the power of the imagination to transform reality.
WILL MATTERS thus becomes a vibrant meeting space between the visual arts, theater, and the community, where Shakespeare continues to inspire new forms of expression and artistic dialogue.
The exhibition is organized by the Romanian Union of Visual Artists – Craiova Branch, at the ARTA Craiova Gallery, in partnership with the Craiova International Shakespeare Festival 2026, and the participating artists were selected following an open call dedicated to contemporary reinterpretations of the Shakespearean universe.
Exhibition opening: May 23, 4:00 p.m.
