2011. június 21., kedd

MAGYARS IN NAMOC



An unprecedented large-scale exhibition entitled Contemporary Art in Hungary takes places in Beijing, at NAMOC (National Art Museum of China). There are about 300 contemporary artworks in 8 halls including the works of László Fehér, Líviusz Gyulai, Bea Hauser, Mózes Incze, Lujos Kő, István Orosz, Győző Somogyi. Exhibition on view: between 14 June and 04 of July.  

In China I was asked to exhibit my anamorphic images (Anamorphic images are pictures that are distorted, and need to be viewed from a certain angle, or need to be viewed using a special mirror to appear correctly.) According to some art historians the idea of anamorphosis was developed in China and brought to Europe in the 16th century. Others state that anamorphoses were developed independently in China and Europe at the same time. It is improbable, but since the Chinese culture had a special relationship to the topic of mirror, it is at least probable that the Chinese artists were interested to learn from the European evangelizers the technique of the anamorphic distortion. It is true that during the 17th and 18th centuries the mirror anamorphosis was quite popular in China and it was used to distribute mainly erotic images. Hm:-) I have written more about it in the Hungarian blog

2011. június 11., szombat

FILMFESTIVAL IN KECSKEMÉT

The representatives of Hungarian and international animation gets together at the Kecskemét Animation Film Festival for the tenth time between 15-19 June. There will be quite a busy programme. Also, even for me:

My newest film, Chess! goes in the competition of short films in 15th of June (Wednesday) at the evening programme (7:30 pm).
The reconstruction, based on the recorded moves and a photograph retouched many times, of a chess game played one-hundred years ago. The political aspects of the match override those of the game: the two leaders of the Bolshevik party, Lenin and Bogdanov face each other. The animated film attempts, though in ironic manner, to do justice to Lenin, so that he somehow manages to get out of a tight corner in which he is threatened with checkmate and emerge the winner.
In the next day (Thursday, 16 June) at 5 pm a retrospective collection of my films will be performed also in the Theatre Hall of the Cultural Centre. If you come you can see these films: Toward the Salt Cellar (1978), Time Sights (2004), Mind the Steps! (1989), Private Nightmare (1980), Faces (1998), Ah, America! (1984).
On Friday evening (17 June) at 9 pm will start the opening ceremony of my art exhibition at the Ornamental Palace (local name: Cifrapalota). This exhibition will be opened till 7th of August.
"Self-pictures. Though none of them are real. They say everyone makes self-portraits even if they are landscapes, still lives, genre paintings or mere abstractions. Everything is a portrait of the self, no matter if the artist admits it or not. No matter if we believe him or not. Of course, for some time he keeps it as a secret and tries to appear objective: this is a forest, he says, or a heap of books, and that is a street corner. Then someone comes, blinks his eyes, steps back and spots the head. The face. Details of the personality.”
On Saturday (18 June) at 11am a presentation of new book: the Ambassador and the Pharaoh will be in the Cultural Centre in room nr. 32.
For more details please go to the website of the festival
Also chek out the best of KAFF and Hungarian animation here.