IP Youth Ambassador for Romania: Călin-Tudor Topan
April 4, 2022
Fifteen-year old Călin-Tudor Topan is one of Romania’s nationally-recognized up and coming painters for his unique and award-winning art. Understanding his intellectual property (IP) rights has empowered Călin to present his paintings in competitions, knowing that he has exclusive rights over his work, so he can protect the integrity of his art.
Călin is the winner of the 2020 special edition Autumn Colors international painting competition, and he placed second in the visual arts category at the 15th edition of the National Icoana sufletului de copil competition in 2020. He follows painting courses at the National Palace of Children and is a student at the Nicolae Tonitza Fine Arts High School in Bucharest.
Călin’s love for the arts started in the third grade after he enrolled in painting classes. He started drawing and gradually transitioned into painting landscapes which he found to be peaceful. It took him several years to develop his painting style which now combines impressionism and realism.
Călin often gains inspiration from nature, the renaissance, 1800s French literature, in addition to historical and sci-fi films. He particularly admires Leonardo Da Vinci for his creative and innovative contributions to arts and science. He also admires Horia Bernea and Nicolae Grigorescu for their legacy in Romania, Ferdinand Hodler for his realism work, Albrecht Dürer, and contemporary artists like Zdzislaw Beksinski. He hopes in the future to study both the fine arts and the engineering sciences at university level.
Călin-Tudor Topan painting on a trip to Peștera Muierii (The Woman's Cave) in Gorj County, Romania, during a painting summer school (2021)
Photo credit: Teodora Chinschi
Colț de Grădină (Garden Corner), 2020 made in honor of Romanian painter, Mr. Horia Bernea
Bewitched Queen of Fairies, 2021 – inspired by William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream
Gură de Rai (Piece of Heaven), 2021
Circus, 2020
Still Life, 2020
Support and Mentorship
Călin’s painting teacher, Ms. Irina Florescu, is the president of VisArta, a collective management organization for artists in Romania. She has taught him about IP and copyright in particular. She inspired him to study and learn more about IP by doing his own research online. Călin learnt that under the Berne Convention, his works are protected under copyright simply by the fact of their creation and the expression of his artistic ideas.
He also receives painting mentorship from Ms. Teodora Chinschi, an art teacher at the National Palace of Children, and from Mr. Alexandru Papuc, a visual artist and an award-winning sculptor.
His parents love his paintings and support him by providing art supplies. Călin first struggled with human proportions and dynamics, and color combinations but thanks to the guidance of his mother and mentor, he was able to overcome these challenges. He hopes to continue refining his painting style.
In recognition of all his artistic endeavors, Călin was nominated for the WIPO IP Youth Ambassadorship by the Romanian Copyright Office. The award complements the Intellectual Property for Youth and Teachers (IP4Youth&Teachers) service. His duties as an IP Youth Ambassador are to promote IP education among young people in Romania and the Central European and Baltic States.
It would be very helpful to young painters like myself to have an IP lesson in school, because being knowledgeable on what copyright is would definitely help when building a career in the arts.
Călin-Tudor Topan, Romanian Painter