Emil Ciocoiu (1948-2020) *71

was a Romanian painter and photographer. After studying at the Tudor Vladimirescu National College in Târgu Jiu, Ciocoiu studied at the Nicolae Grigorescu Fine Arts Academy in Bucharest from 1968 to 1974. In 1972, he won the Musée 2000 Prize in Luxembourg, and the City of Bucharest awarded him the scholarship of Theodor Aman in 1975. In 1976, he joined the Union of Romanian Artists.

In 1980, under the rule of Nicolae Ceauşescu, Ciocoiu left Romania in search of greater freedom of creation. In an interview he stated, "I left Romania because I lacked freedom of movement and research. A complex artist cannot live without seeing the Sistine Chapel or the Louvre". He settled in Aachen, Germany, where he worked out of his own studio.

From 1994 to 2000, Ciocoiu's works were displayed at the Salon des indépendants in Paris. In 1997, the European Parliament organized an exhibition of his paintings. In 2002, his works were exhibited in Monaco. In 2001, he was the subject of a Romanian documentary on exiles from the country during communist rule titled Mémoire de l'exil roumain.