Wild Delta, an exhibition gathering photos by Dan Dinu, is set to open at the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) in Madrid next week.
The exhibition in the Spanish capital marks the beginning of an international tour for the photo project associated with a documentary film on the same topic. Launched in 2022, the project aims to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the Danube Delta.
The exhibition presents 30 photographs that highlight the unique features of this landscape recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also features the trailer for the documentary Wild Delta, directed by Dinu. The film received the Vodafone Hearts’ Award as the Most Popular Romanian Film at the 25th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF).
The Danube Delta covers approximately 5,500 km² and is home to more than 5,000 species of flora and fauna, including over 300 bird species and more than 45 fish species. Formed over the course of approximately 10,000 years, the Delta continues to evolve today. It is the youngest region of Romania, created by sediments carried by the Danube River and shaped by the waves of the Black Sea. It also includes extensive sandbanks covered with distinctive vegetation. Letea Forest, which developed on one of these sandbanks, was designated a protected area in 1938 and is also one of Romania’s oldest nature reserves.
“My first adventure in the Delta took place when I was about seven or eight years old. Of course, I wasn’t a photographer then, but I was fascinated by the wild beauty of this place, which has stayed with me ever since. Much later, I was able to visit this world of water with a camera in my hands, and I was just as impressed. The Delta’s magic lies in the fact that every visit reveals a different story. Whether it’s the mystery of an early morning mist, a flock of hundreds of pelicans fishing, a freshwater mussel filtering the water, a wildcat swimming across a channel, a chorus of frogs, or thousands of waterbirds gathering on the lakes in winter, every moment offers immense joy if you have the patience to discover it,” Dan Dinu explains.
Dan Dinu is a nature and wildlife photographer. In 2007, he founded PhotoLife, one of Romania’s oldest and largest photography schools, where he continues to teach courses and lead workshops. He is a founding member and president of Forona (the Romanian Nature Photographers’ Association) and regularly participates in photographic projects promoting environmental conservation. His work has appeared in publications including National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, and WWF Panda Magazine.
The exhibition will be open at the ICR headquarters from July 14 to August 28.
(All photos by Dan Dinu, courtesy of ICR)
simona@romania-insider.com
Leave a Reply