Princeton, NJ — Adriana Groza Art announces its representation of sculptor Constantin “Cotty” Nazarie, with an opening reception, “Stone & Shadow,” on Sunday, July 12, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the gallery’s Princeton studio, 38 Spring Street. Nazarie’s granite and marble sculptures are now on permanent view at the gallery, and the July 12 reception offers a rare opportunity to meet the artist in person and hear him discuss his process and concepts.

The collection on view spans black granite and white marble — a deliberate departure from color, focused instead on form, surface, and the physical weight of stone. The pieces range from dense, architectural granite forms to fluid, hand-polished marble conceptual sculptures, each carved using traditional stone-sculpting methods. As Nazarie’s representing gallery, Adriana Groza Art will continue to feature his work alongside its ongoing exhibitions and Corporate Art Program.

Nazarie, who immigrated to the United States from Bucharest, Romania, trained as a sculptor in Italy before relocating to New Jersey, where he worked in the Stone Division of the Johnson Atelier at Grounds for Sculpture. For more than a decade, he has served as production supervisor for internationally known artist Jeff Koons at the Koons studio in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. His personal work draws on influences including fellow Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, along with Jean Arp, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore, and reflects mentorship from the late sculptor Isaac Witkin, with whom Nazarie worked closely fabricating and installing large-scale work.

Nazarie has described his process as fully immersive, working on one piece at a time until it’s resolved. As he put it in a Princeton Info interview, he is drawn to “the elegance of the material, the versatility, and the durability” of natural stone — a medium he calls “unforgiving” if the work isn’t planned with care. His pieces are abstract but personal, often built around a private theme or emotional reference point rather than a literal subject.

The opening reception is free and open to the public; no registration is required. Nazarie will be present to meet visitors and discuss his work.

WHAT:  “Stone & Shadow” — opening reception for sculptor Constantin “Cotty” Nazarie, now represented by Adriana Groza Art

WHEN:  Sunday, July 12, 2:00–5:00 PM

WHERE:  Adriana Groza Art, 38 Spring Street, Princeton, NJ

COST:  Free and open to the public