Light touches
Sztereó is a new exhibition open from 13 February
presenting paintings by Barna Benedek and sculptures by Bálint Józsa. Despite
the different genres, geographical surroundings and the age difference, the
artists are interested in a similar subject: both play with light and the
spatial dimensions of colours and materials.
This year has been named the Year of the Renaissance
in the Hungarian art and culture scene. Since this term means re-birth it can
also be used to speak of the re-appearance of earlier genres of art. This is
how the exhibition of the young Benedek and the older Józsa, who approach the
question of visual appearance by different means, came about.
The line on
Benedek
Benedek comes from the same city as the famous painter
and founder of op-art, Viktor Vasarely. Benedek’s geometric paintings are
almost in the genre of op-art, characterised by cold calculation and
mathematical precision. He uses rhythmically repeating motifs to impressive
effect.
His piece The Anatomy of Greyness takes apart colours
and dissects them. Benedek’s paintings test our senses. Stereo is based on the
light-shadow perspective discovered during the Renaissance period. It is worth
looking at the painting both close up and from a distance, choosing a line and
following its path. It appears as though light is shining through the painting
from above. This effect, however, is achieved through the contrast between dark
and light colours. The young painter from Pécs (southern Hungary) builds on the
interaction between the colours blue, black and white.
Józsa’s bent
Compared to Benedek, Józsa, a Munkácsy prize winner,
is a member of the old school. His geometric sculptures made from chromium
steel have curved surfaces and may strike visitors as familiar: Józsa’s statues
can be seen throughout Hungary. Perhaps the best known is his work Throbbing
which can be found in front of the cardiac institute on Karolina út.
Visitors can see Harvest, a sculpture which combines
his previous works. It attracts attention and brings out the inner child of
viewers. If you found an enlarged version of this sculpture in a playground,
you could discover in it an enchanted boat or a mysterious planet and wander
through it.
All the works convey visual messages about things
which we see day in and day out but barely notice.
Sztereó
MONO Gallery
District I,
Ostrom utca 29, Opposite Mammut shopping centre
Runs from 13
February until 10 March
Open Tuesday
to Saturday from 11am to 7pm
www.monogaleria.hu
