one a day

BUDAPEST DESIGN WEEK 2011

2011-09-29T21:34:00.000+01:00

The 8th annual Budapest Design Week kicks tomorrow and I will be there giving regular coverage of the various exciting events which are scheduled to take place.

Opening BDW is Couleur Locale – The Colours of Europe in Object, an exhibition curated by Viktória Szépvölgyi and Rita Mária Halai and held at the Design Terminal. The show presents a series of contemporary design objects chosen from just under 30 countries which question “whether it makes sense to talk about national character in a globalised world.”

I am really pleased to see that the Open Studios will continue to run this year. Anna Zaboeva from Siberia shoe shop and the award-winning Graphic Design agency Stalker Studio are amongst the 14 design studios and workshops who will be opening their doors to the public for this year’s event. Although I never managed to pop along to any of the open studios last year I hope I’ll manage to squeeze in at least one visit during the jam-packed schedule!

This year’s guest of honour, Poland – currently holding the presidency in the Council of the EU – have been doing the rounds at various design weeks and will be bringing a new and bigger version of their UnPolished exhibition to Budapest’s Museum of Applied Arts. In fact, a whole host of Polish programmes have been organised in the Museum throughout the week: Natasha Pavluchenko will showcase her award-winning Urban fusion collection and a panel of influential Polish designers including Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka will hold an open presentation to discuss the past, present and future of Polish design.

Budapest Design Week 2011 runs from 30th September – 9th October.

Make sure to stay tuned to ONE A DAY for my daily updates and to ARTS THREAD where I will be also reporting on this exciting cultural event!

Read my posts about Budapest Design Week 2010 HERE.

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SUGÁR JÁNOS: THE SITUATION

2011-09-29T21:25:00.000+01:00

Those rather scuffed looking shoes are mine as I stood on the central podium placed between the two screens displaying the latest experimented film directed by Sugár János currently on display in the Videospace Galéria.

The piece is a two-channel video installation entitled 'Kairos vs. Expeditus' in which two narratives are screened simultaneously on opposite walls of the gallery. The viewer must place themselves in the center of the room on a small wooden podium and choose which projection they should watch.

On one screen we see a man struggling with an impossibly long coil of wire, whilst on the other screen there is an airport scene depicting an automatic door which never seems to open. There is a mixed feeling of urgency and frustration as you watch the films, twisting your head from side to side trying to decide which side is more important, all the while urging the two narratives to reach a conclusion.

In addition to this piece, another film is played in the gallery window depicting a daring escape from a subway train carriage accompanied by a scrolling quotation by Donald Rumsfeld given in the wake of 9/11.

For more information about the exhibition visit the Videospace Galéria website.

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LOMO/ FILM/ MOZI EXHIBITION, SZATYOR GALLERY

2011-09-29T21:05:00.000+01:00

I dashed into the Szatyor Gallery last week to have a quick look around the brand new Lomo/Film/Mozi photography exhibition. The show features the work of the finalists from the gallery's recent lomo photography competition based around the the topic of lomography and cinema.

The best works were selected by a panel of judges comprising of photographer Tamás Dobos, Andrea Éva tóth and creative director of Artificial Group Attila Haberlund.

The pieces on show all reference, in some way, the methods used in cinematography from editing techniques to transitions and other special effects.

Highlights included some Moulin Rouge inspired images by Kata Száraz which were created in Budapest's very own Moulin Rouge nightclub (which, from what I've heard, is usually reserved for a much older clientele) and Ági Pabar's 'Barbis' photograph.

The winners of the competition were announced on the opening night on the 20th of September. To find out who snapped up the first place prize, make sure to pop along for a visit!

Lomo/Film/Mozi runs from the 20th September to the 27th of November at the Szatyor Gallery, 36-38 Bartok Bela ut, Budapest.

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Genderqueer, Platan Gallery

2011-09-19T18:44:00.000+01:00

Lidia Krawczyk and Wojtek Kubiak deal with the issue of gender identity in a series of photographs and paintings which are in the same vein as the theoretical writing of Cathy Schwichtenberg and Judith Butler.
The images created by the creative duo seek to question mainstream society's single-minded view of what classifies masculine and feminine. The models in the paintings and photographs can at first glance be coded as male or female but at closer inspection, details will reveal themselves - a bit of stubble, long eye-lashes, a strong jaw-line - which will make the viewer second guess themselves.

Learn more about the exhibition and opening times at the Polish Institute Website.

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Barricade of Dreams

2011-09-10T17:17:00.001+01:00

Oh how I've missed the smell of fresh white paint and red wine! On Thursday the 8th of September I went along to the opening of the Trafó gallery's latest exhibition 'Barricade of Dreams' curated by Áron Fenyvesi.

Featuring five exhibiting artists, the new show examines the complex aspects of Eastern European identity.

Igor and Ivan Baharov explored the exhibition's theme by producing a super8 film entitled Rudderless, inspired by István Domonkos' 1971 poem of the same name. The poem's stanzas focus on the role of minorities and immigrants in contemporary society, which Igor and Ivan then translate into an eerie and noir-ish short film full of surrealist imagery.

Mikyta Svätopluk created large installation full of historical images from the 20th century which he collages together and manipulates with analogue techniques. The resulting pieces blend together political iconography and kitsch, vintage images accompanied by Socialist and other Eastern-European nationalist symbols.

To learn more about the exhibition and opening times, visit the Trafó website.
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Bizottság exhibition, Műcsarnok

2011-09-09T09:28:00.001+01:00

The Budapest Palace of Art (Műcsarnok) unveiled the breathtaking new Bizottság exhibition last weekend. There's been a lot of hype around this exhibition so I thought I would pop in to find out what all the fuss was about!

In order to really understand why this exhibition holds any cultural significance, I needed to do a little background research. I soon discovered (after minutes of trawling through google results) that Bizottság were a collective of artists from Szentendre who formed a band together and achieved cult status in the 1980's.

Now, the music they produced is highly questionable and certainly not to my taste - but then again I've spent the whole summer listening to RuPaul, Sweet Vacation and Britney Spears so who am I to make any comments on taste? However, the art which the key members produced during the height of their notoriety was what really gained my interest. Intrigued by the comparisons to 'The Factory', I felt compelled to see the exhibition for myself.

The exhibition opens with an imposing black and white photographic image the size of the entire wall which towers high above the viewer, the floor covered in grass (possibly real, I didn't touch it) and a strange Hindu-esque alter in the center of the room. You are then lead into another room with an incredible installation which represents the bitter rivalry between the state owned record producing companies and the underground 'indie' labels which was prevalent during late Soviet-era Hungary. Made up from what seemed like hundreds of 12" vinyl record covers, the installation acted as an amazing comparison piece. On the outside are the naff (but 80's tastic) covers which the state owned recording companies were producing, whilst on the inside you find some inspiring, raw and punky designs created for the underground club scene lining the floor.

This installation sets the tone, if you like, for the sort of cultural environment in which Bizottság rose to fame. The state produced entertainment clearly was pretty shoddy and strictly controlled, therefore it is no wonder that a band who stood up and 'ignored the external pressure' in order to create the sounds and visuals they wanted became so popular.

The rest of the exhibition focuses on the work which Bizottág's key members Zámbó István, László Lugossy and András Wahorn (plus a couple of other artists such as the incredible András Böröcs) created before, during and after the band's peak. The amount of work on show is pretty overwhelming so I would recommend you set aside a good few hours if you want to thoroughly take in all which this exhibition has to offer.

To learn more about the exhibition and opening times, visit the Műcsarnok website.
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FORRAI FERENC EXHIBITION

2011-09-04T14:01:00.001+01:00

After a long, art deprived August, the creative season kicks off again in Budapest. Last night I went for a much needed fix of graphic design at the opening of the brand-new Forrai Ferenc exhibition at Műhely.

The Műhely a petite new cafe and gallery which has just opened in Fő utca in Buda, which is just a stones throw away from Batthyány tér‎. The opening night saw friends and family of the owners as well as a handful of graphic design (and wine) enthusiasts cram into the cosy venue to view the latest work of designer Forrai Ferenc.

For the exhibition, Forrai has produced a series of wine bottle labels featuring some clever visual puns and bold graphic identities including some Bauhaus inspired Pinot Noir, a Bikavér bull made from drops of blood and some amusing 'front' and 'back' bottles featuring an abstract depiction of the naked female form.

Catch the Forrai Ference exhibition at the Műhely kávézó és galéria, 1027 Bp., Fő utca 49.

Go HERE to see a video of the exhibition preparations.
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DRAWING ON WALLS: NEOPAINT STRIKE AGAIN!

2011-07-22T16:33:00.001+01:00

You may remember the feature I did on Neopaint's incredible mural at Kiraly Utca back in May. Well, the team has struck again, this time just a stones throw away from Blaha Lujza ter. Check out the video above which documents the making of their latest outdoor intervention.

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TERRITORIAL PISSINGS

2011-07-13T20:47:00.000+01:00

KOP investigates to what extent personal domains are being claimed by individuals in public spaces.

Human beings are fiercely territorial creatures. I witness this first hand on the trams of Budapest every morning during my journey to work. The commuters of Hungary feel a certain inclination to not only find a seat on the tram, but to ensure that no one else can sit within a 4 foot radius of them. The most common tactic: place your bag on one seat, another on the opposite seat then sit with your back to the window and your legs stretching into the aisle. Try and sit down next to them and you’ll find yourself awkwardly trying to clamber over their legs as they refuse to budge even an inch. These regular turf wars on the public transport system are hilarious to watch but are a severe pain- especially before I’ve had my morning coffee.

It is through everyday observations of ordinary people claiming public areas as their own which inspired Territorial Pissings, the latest project by Dutch creative group KOP. Each week, one of seven different international artists created an ‘Urban Intervention’ in one of the many green public spaces located in Breda, Netherlands. The aim was to see how passers-by and users of these public spaces would react to the sudden change in their environment.

British artist Anna Garforth was one of the many creatives involved in the project. Claiming a children’s playground as her territory, she created a giant typographic piece on the fence surrounding the area using coloured tape. Watch the video at the top of the page to see how it was made.
Also taking part was SpY (Spain’s answer to Banksy) who secretly spray-painted new lines onto a football field, disorienting the players and Harmen de Hoop who staged the reburial of a Bronze Age skeleton.

To learn more about Territorial Pissings visit the KOP website

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THE WALL OF HAPPINESS

2011-07-12T17:50:00.001+01:00

Wallpeople brought the Wall of Happiness to Budapest as part of their global, interactive photography project.

The large public installation encouraged up-and-coming photographers, artists and members of the public to share their own personal photographs. The event was an ideal opportunity for creatives to exhibit examples of their work to a wide audience in the middle of a bustling public area. Unfortunately the turn out in Budapest was not as high as expected but the quality of images provided by those who did participate was exceptionally high. Beautiful landscapes and intimate portraits sat side by side on the glass ‘gallery’ wall at the centrally located Gödör Club.

The main objective of the Wallpeople project is to create the world's biggest photo mural featuring hundreds and thousands of images from cities all over the globe. This year, 20 cities participated and the organisers intend on including more next year!

To learn more about Wallpeople, check out their website

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MATHIAS SCHAUWECKER: THE INDISTINCT BREATH OF THE IMAGE

2011-07-11T18:42:00.000+01:00

Swiss artist Mathias Schauwecker returns to the Várfok Galéria in Budapest, two years after his previous show, to exhibit his latest series of images exploring the human physique and psyche.

On entering the exhibition you are greeted by Schaewecker's giant, nightmarish, mixed media drawings. Standing at over 2m tall, these colossal images are the newest pieces in the show. However, those of you who are familiar with Schauwecker's work will no doubt recognise that he is exploring the same themes and aesthetics which he has explored throughout his career.

The work of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan (amongst others) has had a strong influence over Schauwecker as he subverts and distorts our perceptions of the 'human being'. Each individual drawing is like a series of expert studies of human anatomy amalgamated into one single form. The result? Deformed, writhing, contorted limbs which wouldn't look out of place in a Jeroen Bosch painting or as a creature from the Silent Hill video game series.

In addition to the large-scale series of drawings, Schauwecker presents a selection of paintings from his Sleepwalkers series. These highly expressive paintings portray scenes of hybrid monsters caught somewhere between reality and dreams, like a nightmare which is clawing its way out of the artist's sub-conscious.

Schauwecker continues the theme of dreams - particuarly nightmares - in an animated film which features a simple animated line drawing mapping out the events unfolding within the unconscious mind. Terrifying creatures with sharp, lethal looking fangs twist and spiral around the screen in a continual loop.

Mathias Schauwecker's The Indistinct Breath of the Image runs until the 30th of July at the Várfok Galéria

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RETHINK/REBUTTON!

2011-07-03T11:46:00.000+01:00

The Design Terminal is currently exhibiting 35 of the most innovative pieces created for the Rethink/Rebutton fashion competition which was held on the 8th of May 2011. The competition brief challenged local designers to inject new life into traditional Hungarian costume. Designers who were updating the indigenous dresses created a mixture of wearable clothing, extravagant costume and accessories. I went along to the show to check out the best designs...

Anna Zsófia Kormos, Anett Gálvölgyi, Ádám Baranyai and Márton Zsolt Miovác collaborated together to create the Special Prize winning collection 'Cambric'. The team mixed together various textiles and tailoring techniques from various regions of Hungary along with more contemporary construction methods. First prize went to Renáta Gyöngyösi who married the traditional costume of the Transdanubian Region with punk rock. The collection took several cues from contemporary pop culture and high street trends, with several of the garments embellished with studs and spikes. The public prize went to Rita Gallatz who drew inspiration from the embroidering techniques of artisans from Kalotaszeg, magnifying the ornate details and turning them into large pieces of costume jewellery.

Several of the designers experimented with eye-catching prints. Judit Eszter Kárpáti started with Matyó embroidery patterns and digitally pixilated them, turning the natural form of the flowers into geometric shapes. Judit Pusztai's colour-minimal collection of streetwear featured fun prints resembling Busó masks and wooden carvings of shepherds. Ilona Karácsony drew inspiration from patterns created in the Mezőkövesd region of Hungary.

Also drawing inspiration from Hungarian wood-carvings was Mónika Kovács, who hand knitted and hand-printed her mini collection. Ilona Hendzsel and Mónika Nagy collaborated together to create a sweet collection of accessories titled Little Bird, Little Bird - inspired by Easter eggs and ginger bread biscuits felted together into necklaces and handbags. Artista showed off a piece from their incredibly elegant collection titled Next Spring..(a sneaky peek at things to come hopefully!). The garment makes use of light-weight fabrics cut into contemporary patterns and printed with images of traditional Hungarian costume, marrying the past and present together in one piece.

Dresscode's garment was a golden explosion of netting, plastic and metallic textiles which resembled a pantomime Dame. Second Prize winner Szilárd Surányi incorporated heavy pleating and ruffles into his design. His coloured patterns are split up by strips of white which makes it appear more sophisticated and less costumey.

Several designers created footwear for the competition. Lilla Eszter Juhász was another designer to take inspiration from Matyó embroidery, applying the technique to some brightly coloured heels. Beáta Kutasi's designs were very bizarre - created using braided wires, nylon strings and felt, the shoes looked like a cross between Roman sandals and ice skates. Renáta Mán and Vanda Berecz collaborated together for their collection which included metal ornamental patterns from the Hungarian Conquest via and very intricate laser cutting techniques.

SURFACE @ THE CRYPT CALLERY

2011-06-30T19:55:00.000+01:00

Curated by Louise Harrington and Fiona Chaney, the show will consist of 27 artists from the fields of video installation, photography, painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture and performance.

Each of the chosen artists will be selecting pieces in response to the gallery's wonderful, enigmatic settings whilst pertaining to their own individual point-of-view as an artist.

Amongst the selected creatives is the exceptionally talented Belgin Bozsahin who was featured in my very own 10 for 2010 . Belgin initially specialised in oil colours before moving into three-dimensional work, experimenting with ceramics, sculpture and mosaic. For 'Surface' Belgin will be exhibiting Sweet Dependence, a ceramic installation which she will be hanging from beneath one of the Crypts eerie arches.

Surface opens on the 1st of July and runs until the 10th at The Crypt Gallery, St Pancras Church, Euston Road, London NW1 2BA

Find out more about The Crypt Gallery HERE

MOME graduate fashion show 2011

2011-06-30T10:10:00.002+01:00

On Friday the 24th of June, the 16 graduate fashion designers from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) showed off their final-year collections in the opulent setting of the Budapest Royal Palace.
This years graduates each showed confident collections which ranged from women's knitwear to men's tailoring, accessories and urban wear. Highlights of the show included some incredible laser-cut high-heels designed by Enikő Tóth-Ker, some revealing skeletal pieces by Judit Gaspár, bizarre accessories by Anna Elter (see above) and some very preppy menswear by Viola Egyházi. The show was opened by MOME alumni Je Suis Belle, Dorá Mojzes and Miklós Pazicski, each of which showed off a selection of pieces from their latest spring/summer collections. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery after the 4th graduate designer sent their collection down the runway but you can view images of all the collections HERE

Judit Gaspár

Dorottya Nagy

Júlia Káldy

photography © Calum Ross 2011

PRINTA: UPCYCLE FASHION SHOW

2011-06-25T10:38:00.000+01:00

Local Hungarian fashion designers unveiled their latest recycled clothing collection 'Upcycle' at the Printa Akadémia.

The sustainable clothing line was created using unwanted textiles which were then turned into one of a kind garments. The old fabrics included secondhand jeans and old cotton t-shirts which were cut, dyed and re-invented by local designers Zita Majoros, Kriszta Szakos and Julika Works.

The collection for men and women also featured original prints created in the Printa studio and accessories designed by Emese Dobos, Anett Hajdu and Sára Gulyás. The colour palette featured a lot of neutral shades of grey accompanied by pastels with the occasional block of bright red and purple.

The fun, intimate, salon-style show gave the audience a unique 'close-up' view of the collection as the models made their way through the various rooms in the Printa cafe and gallery, interacting with on-lookers and staff members.

The show also celebrated the launch of Printa's Pest, and illustrated guide to Budapest's urban hot spots. (Check out my twitter page to see more pictures of Printa's Pest.)

BUDAPEST ART ON LAKE

2011-06-19T17:01:00.003+01:00

Budapest's City Park Lake has been turned into an enormous outdoor gallery to celebrate Hungary's term as chair holder for the Council of the European Union.

Organisers from the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts invited twenty-five artists from several EU member countries to participate - each one displaying a brand-new or existing piece of work on the 20,000 square metre artificial lake. The exhibition also allows the broader public to experience and appreciate contemporary art in the open air. One of my favourite pieces was Waiting (pictured above) by Slovakian artist Erik Binder. The piece, which includes a park bench and a street light which appear to be floating on the surface of the lake supposedly challenges our expectations of reality and our perceptions of an objects functionality.

Representing Hungary was Balázs Kicsiny and his sculpture Late Departure, Early Arrival. The piece is consistent with many of his previous works and continues the narrative of his 2010 installation Temporary Resurrection. Featuring the same helmet-wearing figures as before, this time Balázs places them - still eating their dinner - inside a 'four headed' vehicle. "The aim is to condense the contradictions of experiencing space and time into a visual paradox. When we set off from home, we can never be sure if we will return in the same time and space as the one we departed in, just as those who stayed at home cannot be sure that it is the same people returning home who they said goodbye to earlier. The people who stayed at home are personified by the four figures in the welded-together vehicle waiting for supper, and the people returning home are the viewers who wish to interpret the work, who are excluded from the work, from the space of the nonexistent home.” (artonlake.hu)

Czech artist Kristof Kintera chose to display one of his earlier pieces Paradise Now - a series of sculptures created using cordon railings welded and manipulated to look like a herd of metallic, alien-like deer.

One of the most eye-catching sculptures at the outdoor exhibition was Krzysztof M. Bednarski's neon pink creation - K.M Column-Fountain. Standing at 5 metres tall, the 7 headed Karl Marx fountain towers above the rest of the pieces.

Royal College of Arts graduate Tea Mäkipää's piece Atlantis was the most poignant. The young Finnish artist has created a piece which highlights the fragility of the man-made structures we create, pointing out how we are truly helpless against some of the forces of nature. Following the devastating events which unfolded during the natural disasters in Japan the piece is slightly chilling in comparison to the rest of the sculptures...

WATCH ME MOVE

2011-06-13T14:18:00.001+01:00

I have a confession to make. It's something which I've tried to keep to myself for some time now but I feel like I really need to just come clean: I love cartoons.

I love cartoons so much you cannot even imagine! A perfect day for me is sitting on the couch, eating nothing but peanut butter covered bagels and watching Cartoon Network from 9am to 11pm. Sure, I could watch the news or I could watch something more 'informative', but why make myself depressed by current events when I can tune in to see Billy and Mandy torturing their best friend the Grim Reaper or watch Ben 10 save the world from aliens?

I'm just a big kid at heart really. So imagine my elation when I discovered that the Barbican are opening the most comprehensive collection of animation to ever be exhibited in the UK. Watch Me Move: The Animation Show will showcase the full range of animated imagery which has been produced within the last 150 years. Opening on the 15^th of June, the exhibition will feature the work of such legendary animators such as Walt Disney, Pixar and Aardman.

Watch Me Move will give exhibition goers an incredible insight into the world of animation, allowing us to witness how the animation goes from a simple illustration to storyboard to finished film!

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Watch Me Move: The Animation Show
Opens to the public on 15 Jun 2011 and runs until 11 Sep 2011.
10am–1pm
More information can be found HERE

MODART Graduate Fashion Show 2011

2011-06-13T12:39:00.001+01:00

There's a certain standard of showmanship which I've come to expect from graduate fashion shows.
Just take a look at the insanely over-the-top work of University of East London's Eliesha George or London College of Fashion graduates Kana Tojo and Yashin Kim for example. You cannot deny that these designers know how to put on a show - and you cannot deny the overwhelming excitement which courses through your body as you see these incredible garments come down the runway. This is what I felt was missing while I was watching the Modart 2011 graduate show on Saturday.
Modart perpetuates a certain standard of functionality and wearability which is instilled in the the students. They produce collections which are commercial and accessible and you could really see the pieces integrating perfectly into any woman's wardrobe. But, I just didn't feel like the envelope was being pushed far enough. I think that when it comes to a graduate fashion show, you really shouldn't play it safe. At this time, every year, a sea of graduates emerge from education and you really need to do all you can to stand out high above the rest.

However, maybe these more 'down to earth' shows are more practical in the long-term for students. Sure, they can make a big neon leopard print Victorian gown and they can be called innovative, but it makes me wonder, do the art schools do enough to educate their students on how to make something which a modern woman would actually want to wear? Perhaps some of the colleges should take a page out of Modart's book and educate the up-and-coming designers in a more business-minded way.
Anyway, let's talk about the show! Each graduate presented a mini-collection of half a dozen pieces with inspirations ranging from Poirot to dungeons and there were a few surprises in the form of some adorable toddlers and a flock of pregnant models!

One of the highlights of the show was Andrea Mezöfí who presented us with 'Waterway', a sportswear collection inspired by the experience of sailing - perfect for a summer spent on Lake Balaton! Andrea's athletic garments are made using water repellent materials in a range of neutral colours.

Anett Madar made all of our hearts melt when she brought out her petite models to showcase her collection of childrenswear titled “Szemőke”. Designed for girls ages 3-6, the collection draws inspiration from nature and natural forms and structures. The pieces are all romantic, whimsical and created using natural fibres.

Photography © Calum Ross 2011

GERGELY SZŐKE 'A'

2011-06-10T20:14:00.002+01:00

Last night I went along to the opening party for Budapest University of Fine Arts graduate Gergely Szőke's first solo show 'A'.
The show features a selection of typographic paintings, each one hand rendered and painted by Gergely with exceptional precision.

Gergely re-creates a variety of fonts, concentrating on the upper-case 'A', from which the exhibition draws its name. Although the pieces at first glance appear very bare and minimal, on closer inspection you discover the brush strokes and the textures of the surface which Gergely has painted on.

Gergely Szőke's 'A' exhibition runs until the 22nd of June.
Further details (in Hungarian) can be found HERE

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photography © Calum Ross 2011

LIKE ANYONE ELSE

2011-06-08T20:57:00.000+01:00

like anyone else from women with a movie camera on Vimeo.

Women With A Movie Camera aka Iris Wakulenko and Chryssa Panoussiadou recently sent me a link to their latest documentary Like Anyone Else and I felt compelled to share it with you all. The short film is essentially a human rights story, exploring the themes of marriage and equality for same-sex couples. Filmed at various Royal Wedding street parties in the heart of London's gay district, the two creatives have created a piece which truly celebrates love in all its forms. In 2009 I had the pleasure of interviewing Iris for jotta.com (the piece has sadly been taken down after Jotta deleted almost all of its back-catalogue of articles) during the promotion of Two Way Love, a wonderful short film created in collaboration with the Kyoto University of Art & Design which explores the relationships of Japanese and Western cross-cultural couples.

To learn more about Women With A Movie Camera and watch more of their short films then check out their brand new website!

Q&A WITH ZSUZSI CSISZÉR

2011-06-07T21:51:00.001+01:00

I am very excited to present to you the latest One A Day Q&A session with none other than the remarkable multi-media artist Zsuzsi Csiszér.

I first fell in love with Zsuzsi's work at the Budapest Arts Fair in 2010 and have kept a close eye on her career ever since. Her aesthetic is inherently 'pop' yet it deals with concepts which are much deeper than those explored by the likes of Warhol or Hirst. The portrayal of women by contemporary media, the damaging effects which mass information has on the individual and journeys through life are all themes and motifs which Zsuzsi has explored throughout her varied career. Now, following her successful solo shows at both the Art Blokk and Várfok Galleries plus an installation at the Kiscelli Múzeum, Zsuzsi has taken some time out to answer a few questions...

ONE A DAY: You've just had 3 exhibitions on the go at once so you must be exhausted!

Zsuzsi Csiszér: I always get into a very meditative mood when an exhibition of mine is over, I feel a little emptiness inside. However, the creative process never stops. I can only have a rest when I feel that I have fully resolved a problem - then I can turn my attention towards something else. Maybe I just cannot rest...

OAD: What I find fascinating about you is that you're not afraid to work on several projects simultaneously – how do you manage your creative process?

ZsCs: I need to organize somehow the different ideas of mine, and for this purpose blogs are very handy. When I feel like it I just upload something in a certain topic and I might only go on with it months later. Since I am theoretical, it is important for me to support my ideas from several aspects, this way I can justify a reality of my own for myself. This is how I respond to my environment. The blogs are the public drawers of a desk.

OAD: You've been showing a lot more photographic work recently, is this a medium you want to explore further?

ZsCs: I don’t know, as I am focusing on painting now, but, you see, there are things that work best as photographs. Yes, I’m quite open with this medium, I give fewer answers to the spectator than, for example, in my paintings, where the material itself, the process of work and the technique all have an influence on me. I like living as a mediator so that I can raise questions. Those works of mine where I tried hard to give answers were less thought-provoking.

OAD: In your portraits we first saw you destroying women's faces then in later works you reconstructed them to create something new. Is there a logical progression happening here? If so what comes next?

ZsCs: I think I am conscious, I keep on tearing on and on, while I discover that these works are the reflections of my own life, but I realize these personal and second meanings a lot later. It sounds as if it was a contradiction, but I think things are created from contradictions. However, I feel something because I would always like to get behind and in front of things to find out about myself. Of course, when I started to search in my inside world, first I tore off these layers mentally to check how they existed in this state, then I stuck my memories on each other in the form of photographs and paper, mixed with paint and this is when it started to become very personal. Printed papers have their own meanings and it is very exciting to mix these things. Let them be stuck or painted, in case of these works I have to take special care of what ‘raw material’ I choose, either as topic or as technique. In this sense we can talk about absolutely logical design.

OAD: The 'female experience' seems to be an important topic which echoes throughout your work and I suppose many would label your work as 'feminist'. Is this a label you shun or do you find it's an accurate description of the values behind your work?

ZsCs: Lately I have received these kinds of reactions and I am ready to accept gender-specific exhibitions because I am a woman and this is how I live my life. I think as a woman with all the advantages and disadvantages of it. I get a lot of ideas while doing womanly activities like sewing, combing or putting on make-up. I react to problems surrounding us as a woman. But this is a process - somehow I cannot act any differently, it isn’t intentional. I see men through a woman’s eye, maybe I should have a guy-ish exhibition...

OAD: What made you want to become an artist?

ZsCs: It was never a question, I have always been tinkering with something. First, when I was quite young. This was the time when I could have some privacy. Then it was as if I was doing it professionally because I knew that it wasn’t only a game.

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To learn more about the work of Zsuzsi Csiszér head over to her WEBSITE

all photographs © Calum Ross 2011

IT'S NOT JUST MEDICINE - AN INTERVIEW WITH RUNE K DREWSEN

2011-05-31T21:09:00.004+01:00

Last week I had the chance to meet up with the Danish graphic designer Rune K Drewsen during his brief visit to Budapest.

We organised to meet at the Printa Akadémia, a logical choice seeing as it was where he recently exhibited in his one-man show 'It's Not Just Medicine'. The exhibition, which was inspired by Hungary's favourite national past-time -drinking- featured 24 original screenprints created in the Printa screen printing workshop.

As I arrived and ordered myself a cup of tea from the cafe the door burst open and an excitable couple rushed past me into the gallery space clutching notepads and a map, excitedly shrieking at each other in Hungarian. They dived towards a treasure chest situated on the floor and frantically started entering the lock combination. At this precise moment, Rune arrived – camera in hand, ready to snap away at the lucky couple as they plucked the prizes from the chest. Needless to say I was baffled by the events which had transpired.

“It's the Urban Treasure Hunt,” Rune explained, handing me a bright yellow flyer, “This is the first time we've done it here in Budapest. Previously we held the treasure hunt in Copenhagen, but this year we really wanted to go somewhere foreign. We were really lucky because so many artists and designers here in Hungary wanted to get involved and help us organise it.”

"I think the Treasure Hunt is a great opportunity for locals to experience their home town in a new way - like a tourist. It's amazing the things you notice - and don't notice - in your every day surroundings."

Rune convinces me to give it a try the following weekend but I point out to him that I now have an unfair advantage over other treasure hunters as I know where the treasure is hidden.

“Ah yes, but you don't have the combination number for the lock...so you wont be able to cheat.”

I assure him that I am a well experienced lock-picker so wont require any codes and on that note we make our way into the gallery space. We sit on a small bench just by the gallery entrance and Rune tells me the inspiration behind the name of his exhibition.

“When you arrive in Hungary one of the first drinks people ask you to taste in Zwack Unicum. You take a shot and then this awful bitter taste immediately hits you” - Rune pulls a disgusted face - “and you say 'Urgh its horrible!' But, the Hungarians always say 'Aaah yes - but it's good for you''”

“So really this whole exhibition is inspired by Hungary and the local drinking culture. Each image contains its own narrative based on an event or an experience I've had while exploring Budapest's bars. In several of the images I reference the national drinks such as Palinka and Unicum.

“Unicum was my main source of inspiration for the colour choices in these prints, I used the original colours of the bottle which were red, black and white.”

Incredibly, 'It's Not Just Medicine' is the first collection of screen prints Rune has ever made.

“I was nervous about working with silkscreen at first , I tend to work really fast but this is a very tiresome and slow process. I also like to be clean, I hate getting messy and there is so much ink! Cleaning up was the least enjoyable part of this project.”

“Mistakes will happen when you are screen printing but that's great! Sometimes a detail will be missed or a shape or a line will be created accidently, altering the image and sometimes improving it in a way I hadn't thought of before.”

Each of the prints is in a limited series of 40, all of which have a small red dot of ink applied by hand, making each one unique.

“The small red details were very important to me. They makes the viewer explore the image further. Once they realise there is a red dot in one of the images they will go back to find it in the other ones - it's like a game.”

Although the images are based on a specific event, they are all open to a interpretation. Visual puns are played out and objects can be read in a multitude of ways.

"Sometimes, people who view my work see some strange things. For example in one piece, many people have come up to me saying they like the one with the trumpet and I think 'What trumpet?' They show me and it's the illustration I did of a man who has fallen off the bar stool!"

"It's great that people view my work in different ways. The red dots, for example, in one piece could be drops of blood or they could be tears. In another one there is a man holding a baby bottle - it could be a father staying up late, looking after his child who wont go to sleep or on the other hand it could be a guy at a bachelors party."

"Working on this project I think I've learned more than I ever needed to know about Hungary's national drinks," Rune jokes , "If you ever get talking to a man in a bar, I guarantee you he will tell you absolutely everything he knows about Palinka - which region produces the best Palinka, what ingredients to use, how to make it. Everyone here is an expert. The Hungarians are very proud of their drinks!"

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Learn more about Rune and his creative collective Rumkammerat at http://www.rumkammerat.dk/eng
All photographs © Calum Ross 2011

POP CITY TRASH

2011-05-30T20:24:00.006+01:00

Pop City Trash, an exhibition showcasing the photographic work of Prince Hubertus von Hohenlohe has just opened in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. Featuring selected pieces from his Urban Jungles, Elegantly Wasted and Scenes In The Key Of Life collections, the show is a must see for lovers of 21st century Pop Art...

A self proclaimed 'street artist without a street' and an 'accidental photographer' , the post-modern aristocrat captures contemporary urban lifestyle in a vivid and simplistic way. In Urban Jungles and Scenes In The Key Of Life, Hubertus is seen trapped within his own images. The photographer captures his reflection in the shop windows and shiny advertisements which seem to consume him. There is a voyeuristic edge to many of these images due to the suggestive nature of the content and the way Hubertus often crops himself just slightly 'off camera'.

Images from the Elegantly Wasted collection explore how the waste of society can be considered as chic and fashionable. Piles of trash are captured in a glamorous and exuberant way turning them into works of art.

For full details head over to the Hungarian National Museum website
all photographs © Calum Ross 2011

GYULA DERKOVITS ART SCHOLARSHIP

2011-05-27T19:53:00.000+01:00

Endre Kis

As mentioned in yesterday's post, this is the final week of the Gyula Derkovits Art Scholarship Review exhibition at the Ernst Múzeum. If you haven't had the chance to go yet then One A Day highly recommends you do before it closes on the 29th of May.

Mariann Fa

For those of you who are unaware of the Gyula Derkovits Art Scholarship, it was founded by the Hungarian state in 1955. The initiative was open to artists under the age of 35 and those who succeeded in winning a scholarship were provided with a grant to support their creative practise whether they be a painter, sculptor, graphic or media artist. Back then it was only around 3000 Hungarian Forint over a period of three years (which by today's standards is roughly £3.23 per year) but now the scholars receive 80,000 HUF over a period of 11 months.

Gábor Fülöp

Each year there are roughly 200 applicants for the 10 open positions in the first year of the scholariship. The reason the scholarship is so popular is not only down to the program's prestige but because it is the only form of stable support from the government.

For full details head over to the Ernst Múzeum website.

GYULA DERKOVITS ART SCHOLARSHIP: GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION

2011-05-26T20:49:00.000+01:00

István Csákány
The 2010 Grantees of the Gyula Derkovits Art Scholarship Review exhibition is in its final week at the Ernst Múzeum. Featuring 30 artists in total, the show features a vast array of creative disciplines and styles. In this installment One A Day will focus on the graphic design and illustrative work which was exhibited. István Csákány's piece 'Suspended' immediately catches your eye as you enter the exhibition. The woodcut piece is based on an old archive image of workers removing the 'Snake Killer' sculpture by Hungarian artist Pál Pátczay. The original image dates back to post World War II events when the statue, which was supposed to be erected in honour of Raul Wallenberg, a diplomat who helped to rescue many Jews from the Holocaust, was removed and hidden by the Communist government.

Anikó Loránt
Anikó Loránt's illustrations are wonderfully carefree and full of colour. Using both paper and wood as a canvas, the images are perfectly suited for children's story books. Anikó displays 8 pieces in total, the titles of which form a poem: 'There is no model for rationality, all the gods are laughing out loud, how could they fit in when the sun does not need them to dance on a narrow fence.'

Ádám Albert
'Find the key!' and 'RAF manual' by Ádám Albert were firm favourites at the exhibition. The Veszprém born graphic designer has earned scholarships in Rome, Munich and has won the ESSL art award - the Gyula Derkovits Scholariship is another impressive accolade to add to the list!

Beatrix Szörényi
There was also some typographic work in the form of Beatrix Szörényi's Prophecy font chart. The font itself has been aggressively scribbled over and defaced making some of the letters almost illegible.

Attack of the Giant Holyshit!

2011-05-25T20:12:00.000+01:00

After giving up on the Urban Treasure Hunt last weekend One A Day stumbled across this brilliant solo exhibition by Zsolt Domsodi which is currently on show at the Gruzzwe gallery. The ever so subtly titled 'Attack Of The Giant Holyshit!' sees Zsolt mix together his love for illustration and the undead...

Zsolt draws inspiration from old B-movie posters to create his own twisted, grotesque artworks full of zombies, blood, guts, aliens and cannibalistic clowns. In another series of images, Zsolt depicts several adorable feathered and furry friends being tortured or dismembered - so the animal lovers amongst you should probably steer clear of this exhibition!

Zsolt graduated in 2010 from the KREA Contemporary Arts Institute with a degree in graphic design and has since been turning his talents towards video game design as well as exhibiting his works in and around Hungary.

To learn more about Zsolt and to see more of his work, head over to his official site

COLØURLESS

2011-05-24T20:32:00.000+01:00

Just got back from the opening of COLØURLESS at Ötkert, Budapest. The exhibition showcases a selection of Hungary's most talented up-and-coming creatives from the fields of graphics, photography and video art. Curator Noémi Beszédes has selected 11 artists in total including Áron Filkey, Donát Áron Ertsey and Benedek Kristóf Kiss all of whom share one common thread throughout their work - a lack of colour!

The minimal colour palette gives the exhibition both a classic yet thoroughly contemporary aesthetic. Highlights included some deconstructed photographs of Hungarian architectural buildings and an illustrated portrait of a family of mexican luchadores.

For full details head over to the facebook event page

Ötkert

1054 Budapest Zrínyi utca 4.

Budapest, Hungary

Exhibition runs until 7th June

Orsi Szemethy: Méla Madonna

2011-05-23T19:10:00.000+01:00

One A Day popped along to the opening of the new Orsi Szemethy show which has just opened at the Spiritusz Galéria, Budapest. The show, titled 'Méla Madonna' sees Orsi walking the fine line between painter and graphic artist as she deals with the concept of mythological and biblical female characters.

Orsi takes classical motifs and compositions before recreating them in her own unique style. There is a naive charm to the images she creates, which appear more illustrative than painterly. The characters which Orsi creates are somewhat Disney-like with wide innocent eyes and pink, rosy cheeks. In fact, some of the characters bear an almost uncanny resemblance to the Disney adaptations of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty that you have to do a double take.

Orsi Szemethy was born in Budapest and studied at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts before embarking on studies in Guatemala and Paris. She is now one of the Spiritusz Galéria's resident artists and is also part of the creative collective Metamor.

Spiritusz Galéria

Budapest 1012
Várfok u. 14.
http://spiritusz-galeria.hu/

Urban Treasure Hunt

2011-05-22T18:02:00.002+01:00

Summer seems to have finally arrived and what better way to spend the weekend than taking part in Budapest's Urban Treasure Hunt?

The Urban Treasure Hunt was first masterminded by Danish creatives Rune K Drewsen and Mimi Larsson of Rumkammerat in Copenhagen. Following the success of the Urban Treasure Hunt in their native city, the two teamed up with Hungarian artists Dénes Fekete, Marci Bojti, Análog and Dóra Jánosi to bring the challenge to Budapest.

The aim is to find the ten clues which come in the shape of temporary artworks and installations dotted around the city, until finally you can solve the combination to the treasure chest in the final, secret location.

Although this might sound like it is designed for kids, the Urban Treasure Hunt is a great way to experience the city in a totally new way. You start to look at your surroundings in a different light and begin to notice things you had never seen before.

I only managed to make it to the third clue before becoming well and truly confused. I ended up on a pointless quest to the top of one of the hills in the XII district of Budapest (in my mind it made perfect sense) to try and find the fourth clue but to no avail.

So if - unlike me - you have a) a map and b) the cognitive skills - then head off to the Gödör Klub for your first clue!

The Urban Treasure Hunt runs until the 29th of May 2011.
Website (in English and Hungarian): http://www.rumkammerat.dk/Rumkammerat/Basic-info

Day 2 Budapest Essential Looks Highlights

2011-05-15T18:38:00.003+01:00

Day 2 of Budapest Essential Looks offered even more beautiful collections from Hungary's best fashion designers. There were too many to choose from so we've whittled it down to a few of our favourites:

Es-tu un Ange opened the second day of fashion shows with their spring/summer 2011 collection.
Using a variety of natural fabrics, Es-tu un Ange's colour-minimal collection featured black and white floral prints, beautiful lace hems and puffy sleeves.
See my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.es-tuunange.com/

Konsánszky Dóra's latest collection Origin of White - as the name suggests - is also very minimal in terms of colour. New Romantic-esque shirts complete with oversized cuffs and collars, paired with leather jackets collided with transparent fabrics and brassieres to create a collection which seemed at once androgynous and hyper-sexual.
See my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.konsanszky.com/index.html

Artista's collection of urban clothing was another highlight. Their choice of playful accessories brightened up the collection. Butterfly and pegasus motifs were used consistently throughout, as were contrasting prints.
See my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.artistafashion.com/

Finally, we have Makány Márta and her fun and romantic collection. Her expertly crafted pieces touch on many different sources of inspiration yet dance throughout the centuries seems to be the underlying theme. Flamenco and ballet dancers coincide with the apparel of Victorian-era regency and 1920's flapper girls. Although this may sound like a lot to take in, each 'look' in the collection told a story which made the contrasting pieces seem more cohesive.
See my photos of the collection HERE
http://makanymarta.com/

READ THE DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS HERE

all photography © Calum Ross 2011

András Baranyai: Hero Recycle

2011-05-14T20:00:00.001+01:00

One A Day had a little Q&A session with András Baranyai back in January after spotting his incredible serigraph prints at the Printa Gallery. Since then, the Debrecen born artist has been busy getting lost in his own crazy little world to create a new series of work for his latest solo exhibition.

The exhibition, titled Hero Recycle, features a new series of work including stencil-graphics and acrylic on board alongside some of his more familiar pieces - all of which showcase András' trademark
retro-futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic.

The Roham Galéria, which hosts the exhibition, has just celebrated it's one year anniversary and it only seemed fitting that András (who has collaborated with Roham for their illustration/visual arts magazine on numerous occasions) would be involved.

Hero Recycle
Roham Galéria

Vas utca 16. 8 .ker.

Budapest, Hungary

http://roham.hu/

Runs until the 5th of June.

Day 1 Budapest Essential Looks Highlights

2011-05-10T20:22:00.002+01:00

Kate Middleton's wedding dress wasn't the only outfit worth commenting on on Friday the 29th of April as I attended Budapest's first, seasonal Essential Looks fashion event.

Sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, Budapest Essential Looks brought ten of Hungary's finest fashion designers to the runway, each one showcasing their Spring/Summer 2011 womenswear collections. Fuelled by bespoke Budapest Muse Absolut cocktails (FYI - cocktails containing paprika aren't as disgusting as you would imagine) and the throbbing beats of DJ's Doppler and Jérôme Andrieux, I managed to wriggle my way to the end of the runway to report on the two day event for ARTSthread.com. Here are the highlights from Day 1:

A mixture of acid-bright, psychadelic tie-dye textiles and black tailored pieces were the basis for Moholy-Nagy University of Art & Design graduate Dóra Mojzes' spring/summer 2011 collection. Drawing inspiration from techno music and the regalia of the Roman legionaries, the collection juxtaposed strap-back suit jackets with maxi skirts, leather panelling and fringed waistlines. Accessorised with sandal heels and leather wrist bands, the collection also featured motifs created by infamous Budapest-based street artist Miss-KK Barbara, whose 'Puffgirls' were emblazened across the front of several pieces.
View my photos of the collection HERE
www.doramojzes.com/home

Drawing inspiration from their own previous collections, Je Suis Belle have recycled many fabrics taken from their own past creations. Old and new fabrics of various textures are combined by head designers Dalma Dévényi and Tibi Kiss to create a patchwork of textiles. The result is a collection of casual yet elegant pieces - with the occasional cape thrown in for good measure. Linen whites, royal blues and reds accentuate the garments and finishing touches were added in the form of some bizarre looking shoes and headpieces by accessory designers Larisza Pasztircsák and Orsolya Poppre.
View my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.jesuisbelle.hu

Nubu's collection is decidedly 'urban'. Muted and metalic colours coincide in their contemporary yet classic garments. Amongst their pieces in the collection were waterproof jackets, one shoulder dresses, sleeveless jumpsuits, metallic leggings and harem pants. Although the garments were all highly functional, the cuts had just enough fantasy in them to keep the clothes looking imaginative and fresh.
View my photos of the collection HERE
http://nubu.hu

Use Unused's latest offering was a surprising departure from their previous collections. The three designers behind the label- Eszter Füzes, Attila Godena-Juhász and András Tóth - have taken inspiration from 1970's fashion, resulting in an array of loose fitting shirts, maxi skirts and denim pieces. The colour palette centred on natural, sandy shades of brown alongside varying tones of blue, interjected by the occasional splash of orange. The denim textiles were complemented perfectly by tasseled mini dresses and skirts which added movement to the garments.
View my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.use.co.hu/

Closing the show was London College of Fashion graduate Sandra Sandor aka Nanushka. A highly versatile designer, Nanushka showcased her ability to create a wide variety of styles and shapes. Jump suits, off-the-shoulder body-con and maxi dresses were all on display. Nanushka often sticks with demure greys and tones of black but this season she has incorporated coral pinks and pastel shades into many of the pieces. Fans of Nanushka's pervious collections will note that her signature 'rounded hem' has been used again for this collection - a small detail which makes her designs instantly recognisable.
View my photos of the collection HERE
http://www.nanushka.hu/

Drawing on walls: Neopaint

2011-05-09T20:20:00.002+01:00

If you feel like taking a stroll along Kiraly utca in the 7th district of Budapest then make sure to check out the latest work by Neopaint. The beautiful landscape piece aims to draw the viewer's attention to the neglected historical buildings in the city centre which are in dire need of renovation. The image acts as an escape for the local residents of the area (which includes the old Jewish ghetto), bringing joy to a somewhat depressing setting.

You can find out more about Neopaint over on their official website www.neopaint.hu

Budapest Essential Looks: Kill Routine

2011-05-08T12:36:00.002+01:00

Abodi Dóra and Boruzs Andrea Artista and Gergely László

Es Tu un Ange and Kovács Krisztián Je Suis Belle and Blazsovszky László

Léber Barbara and Körző Krisztina Makány Márta and Rózsa Erzsike

Mojzes Dóra and Muzsik Edina Nanushka and Herczeg Csaba

Nubu and Mencsik Zsolt USE UNUSED and Hortobágyi Kászon

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Max Mara

2011-05-07T19:20:00.001+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Márta Makány

2011-05-07T19:11:00.001+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Under the Damp Earth - Stuart Kolakovic

2011-05-04T20:17:00.003+01:00

Independent publishers Nobrow are unveiling their newly extended gallery space this week and have an exciting inaugural exhibition prepared! The premier show, titled Under The Damp Earth will feature the work of one Nobrow's most celebrated illustrators: Stuart Kolakovic.

Stuart's work is instantly recognisable and highly successful, with past clients including Ted Baker, Marks and Spencer and various international publications. However, Under The Damp Earth sees Stuart take a departure from his usual commercial style to focus on creating a series of much darker imagery.

Currently based in the Midlands, the Kingston University graduate is an illustrator in the most traditional sense, relying heavily on hand rendered techniques to produce his beautifully realised images. His rich illustrations have a distinctive eastern european folk art aesthetic which he draws from his own Serbian family roots.

Stuart's exploration of his Eastern European heritage lead to him being awarded the D&AD New Blood Award for his graphic novel Milorad. The 80 page book revolves around Stuart's relationship with his grandfather and the influence he had on his life.

The pieces which are going on show for Under The Damp Earth have been kept tightly under wraps so make sure to pop along for the grand unveiling!

Under The Damp Earth
Open 5th May - 23rd June
62 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR, London, United Kingdom
http://stuartkolakovic.co.uk/

Budapest Essential Looks: Barbara Léber

2011-05-03T20:38:00.001+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Dóra Konsánszky

2011-05-02T20:08:00.001+01:00

Budapest Essential Looks: Es-tu un Ange

2011-05-02T19:01:00.001+01:00

Photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Artista

2011-05-01T14:39:00.000+01:00

Budapest Essential Looks: Nanushka

2011-05-01T10:41:00.000+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Use Unused

2011-05-01T10:14:00.000+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Nubu

2011-04-30T21:59:00.000+01:00

Budapest Essential Looks: Je Suis Belle

2011-04-30T14:46:00.000+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

Budapest Essential Looks: Dóra Mojzes

2011-04-30T13:49:00.001+01:00

photography © Calum Ross 2011

27

2011-04-27T08:42:00.001+01:00

A right royal interview with: Jennifer Camilleri

2011-04-26T15:10:00.001+01:00

The last in the series of 'Right Royal Interviews' is with illustrator Jennifer Camilleri. Jennifer has been exhibiting in a number of group and solo shows since 1991 and is currently displaying some of her Monarchy inspired prints at My Big Fat Royal Wedding. With only a few days to go until the big day, lets see if any of Jennifer's predictions come true....

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I am a small woman with big hands.

What will you be doing on the day of the wedding?

Filing my corns

Why do you think the Royal Wedding captures so many people's imaginations?
I am not sure if it captures my imagination, but it does make me want to laugh out loud.

Best celebrity wedding of all time?
Liza Minnelli and David Guest

What are your predictions for the ceremony?
Busty women streaks down the aisle.

What would you buy for the happy couple as a wedding gift?
Thrush cream

Finally, how long do you think the marriage will last?
Too long

Take a look at Jennifer's official website to see more of her stunning illustrations!

A right royal interview with: Dale Edwin Murray

2011-04-20T19:55:00.001+01:00

London-based illustrator/graphic designer Dale Edwin Murray is one of the many creatives currently on show at My Big Fat Royal Wedding. In his piece, Dale explores the theme of 'quitessential englishness' through food-based typography. What does he think of the whole royal wedding malarky?

What will you be doing on the day of the wedding?

I'm actually a staunch anti-royalist so the whole say will pass me by to be honest. I might worm the dog in honour of the occasion.

Why do you think the Royal Wedding captures so many people’s imaginations?

I think as a nation, whether we like to admit it or not, we love kitsch - and there isn't much more kitsch than a Royal Wedding.

Best celebrity wedding of all time?

I would have to say Les Dennis and Amanda Holden - pure dynamite!

What are your predictions for the ceremony?

Lots of flowers, lots of weeping, and lots of secret police.

What would you buy for the happy couple as a wedding gift?

My "Full English Breakfast" print

Finally, how long do you think the marriage will last?

Forever and ever of course!

Check out more of Dale's work over on his official website:

http://www.daleedwinmurray.com/index.html

Drawing on walls pt. 8: Kosice

2011-04-18T20:34:00.000+01:00

A right royal interview with: Paul Collis

2011-04-13T10:49:00.001+01:00

Paul Collis is a freelance artist / designer whose work is currently on show at My Big Fat Royal Wedding. His prints, which are loosely based on the wedding, depict the Eastend Pearly Kings and Queens in an urban, street art aesthetic. So what does Paul think of the wedding? Does he think it's all a load of 'Cobbler's Awls'? We asked him a few questions to find out:

What will you be doing on the day of the wedding?

Probably be in the pub, 'celebrating' at having a free day off, although I don't get paid for having days off so that's a bit of a double whammy...

Why do you think the Royal Wedding captures so many people’s imaginations?

It's like a great fairy-tale that people can actually be part of and say they 'were there' in 2011. People just like to be nosey and see what she will be waring, and no doubt start harping on and comparing the whole day to Lady Di.

Best celebrity wedding of all time?

Cant say I've really seen or been interested in any.... boring i know!

What are your predictions for the ceremony?

I hope it all goes well but I have got a funny feeling its all going to kick off, what with all the protests and cutbacks that are happening. I'm sure there will be a small minority that will try and make their own mark on the day, usually for the wrong reasons.

What would you buy for the happy couple as a wedding gift?

I wouldn't waste my money I'm afraid. But they can buy one of my prints if they like!

Finally, how long do you think the marriage will last?

As long as the 'media circus' want it too last, Man I'm getting very cynical in my old age.

Check out Paul's blog to find out more

A right royal interview with: Annabel Johnson

2011-04-11T10:14:00.001+01:00

With the Royal Wedding looming, we thought we would start asking some of our favourite creatives about their views on the 'event of the year'. It only seemed fitting that we would start by asking some of the artists and designers exhibiting at My Big Fat Royal Wedding. One such creative who is hankering for an invite is ceramics/graphic designer Annabel Johnson.

What will you be doing on the day of the wedding?

I'm going to try and get up to London to see the procession, be part of history in the making. If that fails I think I'll have an afternoon tea party and watch it on the telly - perhaps wearing a paper crown and a party dress

Why do you think the Royal Wedding captures so many peoples imaginations?

Perhaps because it's one of those 'once in a lifetime' events. I think that every little girl has wanted to be a princess at some point in their lives and now here is the chance to have some link with the Royal Family - even if it means having your design on a tea towel!

Best celebrity wedding of all time?

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton... both times!

What are your predictions for the ceremony?

I hope to see lots of large hats obscuring the view, someone turning up with the same outfit on as someone else, other than that I think it will all be perfectly divine and royal. I'm still awaiting my invite!

What would you buy for the happy couple as a wedding gift?

One of my unique ceramic vessels obviously, adorned with pictures of them falling out of clubs into taxis, corgis, palaces and crowns to commemorate the Big day.

Finally, how long do you think the marriage will last?

Happily ever after of course!

You can lean more about Annabel Johnson by heading over to her official website or her blog

My Big Fat Royal Wedding

2011-04-07T12:00:00.024+01:00

  East End Prints are taking residence downstairs at MAIDEN on Shoreditch High Street in celebration of the upcoming nuptials of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton.  

The exhibition, appropriately titled My Big Fat Royal Wedding, will feature a selection of affordable prints and original artwork based loosely around the theme of the Royal Wedding. Helen Edwards, director of East End Prints tells us more:   "The opening night will be busy with our transvestite Queen unveiling new street art by Rich Simmons, plus the Pop-Up-Choir will also be there singing the wedding march."

"I hand-picked the finest artists to work with," continues Helen. "Some are from my own publishing company and some of the work comes from new submissions that have recently come in. I love their work, sense of humour and creativity - that’s why I work with them!"

Amongst the talent on show is ceramics designer Annabel Johnson. “[East End Prints] is a humorous take on the wedding of the year! There are lots of satirical tongue in cheek references - I don't think any of us have taken ourselves too seriously!" In one of her pieces, Annabel recalls every young girls dream of becoming a Princess by quoting lines from Cinderella alongside silhouettes of the future King and Queen with a corgi at their feet.

Freelance artist Paul Collis will be showing three of his prints which depict the Pearly Kings and Queens of London celebrating the Royal Wedding in a bold street-art style. "The Royal Wedding is like a great fairy-tale that people can actually be part of" Paul tells us. "Also people just like to be nosey and see what she will be waring, and no doubt harping on and comparing the whole day to Lady Di."

Not all the pieces on show reflect the theme of the Royal Wedding in such literal ways. Graphic artist Dale Edwin Murray explains the reasoning behind his tasty-looking typographic print: “When I was thinking about what to do for the show it occurred to me how Royal Wedding hysteria is a typically English phenomenon. So I decided to do a piece that centred around 'Englishness' - and what is more English than the 'Full English Breakfast'?"

MAIDEN,
188 Shoreditch High Street,
E1 6HU 
Show runs until 3rd May.

Opening Times 11-6pm

More info at the East End Prints Website

EB & Flow: An Interview with Margherita Berloni and Nathan Engelbrecht

2011-04-02T14:08:00.001+01:00

Earlier in the week I caught up with Margherita Berloni and Nathan Engelbrecht, the founding members of EB & Flow the latest contemporary art space to open in the centre of London's Shoreditch area. Residing in a disused prints workshop, the gallery (which opens on the 2nd of April) acts as a platform for emerging artists to exhibit their work and develop their professional practise. The premier exhibition 'Since Tomorrow' celebrates the work of the gallery's current artists in residence and is curated by Atilla Fattori Franchini.

When did the two of you decide to open a gallery?

We met whilst studying, clicked over shared views and aspirations and decided to open a gallery together. We felt that the support network for emerging contemporary art and artists was not entirely in place and felt the need for a large high quality permanent exhibition space that can provide this support.

What makes EB & Flow so unique?

What makes us unique is the commitment and dedication we have to all our artists. We have guaranteed all 11 artists a solo exhibition, we assist them with their professional development and we provide them with secure and stable representation throughout. We are also committed to supporting the scene and marketplace for emerging artists in general. We want to support artists and educate and encourage new collectors so have a series of educational events and talks, where informed professionals discuss a variety of topics with the public.

What drew you to your choice of venue?

The East London art scene is much more vibrant, avant garde and contemporary than the West end so suits the type of artists we show. The venue is around 3000sq feet and as such many new exciting and interesting artists can be exhibited. Galleries in Shoreditch have coped with the recession reasonably well and this has meant the East London art world has refocused on Shoreditch wheareas before lots of galleries were around Bethnal Green and Vyner Street.

How do you see the British arts scene changing now that the government has made such drastic cuts to funding?

In order to nurture future generations of artists, commercial galleries have a responsibility to step in and provide support for emerging artists. Cuts have meant that the art world is going to have to look to new sources of funding and there will be a space and necessity for a new breed of benefactors to come through. We work closely with Acme studios who share our ethos of supporting emerging artists. Organizations like this who can provide artists with resources, affordable studios, living space, residencies and awards are going to become increasingly more important especially for artist’s at an early stages of their careers.

How did you go about selecting the core artists for the opening exhibition?

Through constant research. We spend all our time visiting degree shows and exhibitions. We also have relationships that allow us access to a lot of artists’ private studios. The artists we represent were generally amongst the most highly praised artists in their respective graduation shows and many have won or were nominated for prizes such as the Jerwood Prize, Catlin Prize, Future Map and Saatchi New Sensations. But first and foremost we choose our artists for aesthetic reasons. Our personal tastes are important as are our aspirations for the gallery but we have also taken in to account their achievements and level of study they have reached.

What have you got planned for the opening event?

The opening show will be a presentation of the 11 artists we represent working across disciplines from installation and painting, to sculpture and photography. With our curator, Attilia Fattori Franchini, we have developed a show that conveys our artists’ reaction to space, be it urban space, natural space or personal space. On the opening night, Alessandro Librio, an Italian sound artist who is at the Venice Biennale this year, will be doing a live performance.

Imagine the gallery 10 years from now, what do you hope to have accomplished?

We hope we would have created more awareness of the emerging art scene and put on numerous shows that have been enjoyed and ultimately have encouraged people to be genuinely excited by art rather than alienated by it. We also want all of our 11 artists to have advanced their careers to be critically acclaimed professionals with work present in public collections making a living through their art.

EB & Flow's premier exhibition Since Tomorrow opens on the 2nd of April and runs until the 26th of May.
For further details pop over to their website

A special delivery from Tímea Andorka

2011-03-25T09:24:00.000Z

We were very excited to receive a parcel from graphic designer Tímea Andorka (who we interviewed a while back - you can read the article here) the other day and look at what was inside! We are now in possession of Shadow Movie, a film created by The Symptoms (the packaging of which was designed by Tímea), plus a notebook featuring one of Tímea's book cover designs, titled "The Origin of the Work of Art". Can't wait to watch the DVD! Köszönöm szépen Tímea!

White Knight @ Collective

2011-03-24T20:38:00.002Z

Things have been very busy as of late with design projects at Semcon so apologies for the lapse in blog posts! Just quickly wanted to share with you all some images from the White Knight exhibition at the Collective Gallery in Edinburgh. The exhibition sees a collaboration between Alex Gross and Anna Mields alongside existing artwork by Emily Wardhill. Video installations sit alongside colourful sculptural pieces, challenging the somewhat clinical environment of a clean, white gallery.

More information can be found HERE

White Knight
Alex Gross & Anna Mields | Emily Wardill
19 February - 3 April 2011

Q&A with Anthony Burrill

2011-03-15T09:27:00.001Z

Legendary British designer Anthony Burrill is taking residency in the Somerset House Open Studio as part of Pick Me Up, the UK's first and foremost contemporary graphic art fair. As part of his ten day residency, Anthony will be inviting long-time collaborators such as Wilfrid Wood and Emily Forgot to produce new work from a variety of different mediums. I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask Anthony a few questions during his busy schedule - here's what he had to say:

How are the preparations going for the Open Studio at Pick Me Up?

Everything is going well; all the artwork is almost ready for the opening night next Wednesday. I've made lots of new work, and revived some very old work.

You've collaborated with Michael Marriott on some furniture - how did this come about?

Michael and I have worked on exhibitions and projects in the past, it was a natural development to make some bespoke furniture for my temporary studio. We’ve screen-printed on to ply wood, which we will use to make the furniture. It is all very simple and geometric; I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.

Everywhere has produced interactive iPad software using your graphics - how do you see new innovations such as the iPad and Kindle influencing typography in the future?

Each new bit of technology that becomes available will help everything develop and change. I’ve always been interested in using new technology to make my work - even though the outcome can look quite traditional, it's exciting to play with something new and see how you can make new work with it.

You're well known for your 'Think of Your Own Ideas' slogan - which ironically has been appropriated by other designers across the world. With all the stories in the news at the moment surrounding plagiarism it seems even more poignant. What are your thoughts on these current 'revelations'?

Plagiarism is never good, it's a shame when people take somebody's work and claim it for themselves. It’s OK to be influenced by great work, I have many influences that I draw upon, but it really isn't good to steal ideas, you always get found out!

Are there any newcomers within the sphere of Graphic Design who you are particularly inspired by at the moment?

I’m always excited to see new work by emerging artists. I’m collaborating with some of my favorites as part of my residency - Emily Forgot, Ian Stevenson, Melvin Galapon and Jack Featherstone. It will be fun to work with them and make new work.

Pick Me Up: Contemporary Graphic Art Fair will take place at Somerset House from 17-27 March 2011. www.somersethouse.org.uk/pickmeup

Anthony’s open studio schedule, including a full list of guest artists can be found here: http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual_arts/pick_me_up_2011/1319.asp

Mosaic: John Goto at the Edinburgh Printmakers

2011-03-11T18:29:00.000Z

We love John Goto's abstract images inspired by the invasion of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Defense Force. Goto explores the juxtaposition of traditional printing techniques with digital image manipulation. In the case of Mosaic, Goto takes documentary images taken during the Gaza conflicts and pixilates them using a geometric mosaic motif.

The application of this motif connotes the kind of censored images we see in the media (usually blocking out a criminal's face or exposed genitalia), voicing Goto's strong criticisms of the way the international press was denied access to the conflict.

Goto has exhibited at Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery and is currently Professor of Fine Art at the University of Derby.

Mosaic: John Goto runs until the 19th March 2011 at the Edinburgh Printmakers Gallery.

Steven Appleby - Islands Exhibition

2011-03-10T21:17:00.000Z

The Scottish Gallery is currently showcasing a selection of the finest (and funniest) illustrations, publications, cartoons and animations created by the exceptionally talented Steven Appleby.We went along to take a look during our whistle-stop tour of Edinburgh's finest contemporary galleries.

Appleby's distinctive illustrative style and trademark humour is instantly recognisable - you will no doubt have seen some of his hilarious comics before in the likes of The Guardian, The Times, The Sunday Telegraph and NME.

Not content with drawing on paper, Appleby's illustrations can be found on all matter of objects from mugs to tote bags - all available to purchase from the gallery so you can take a little piece of Steven Appleby home with you!

The exhibition runs until the 2nd of April 2011.

For more details about the exhibition click HERE or click HERE to learn more about Steven Appleby.

Car Glasses

2011-03-09T19:46:00.002Z

We spotted these brilliant glasses at the Gallery On the Corner in Edinburgh last week and they literally (pardon the pun) drove us wild! It's a really fun idea which certainly would raise a few laughs when passing drinks across the table - but just be careful not to serve alcohol, it's against the law to drink and drive you know.

The Gallery On the Corner is the first social firm developed by Autism Ventures Scotland and aims to promote art and design work by creatives who have a disability, mental health problem or who come from a disadvantaged background.

For more information about the Gallery On the Corner go to their official website http://www.thegalleryonthecorner.org.uk/index.html

Drawing on walls pt. 7: Edinburgh

2011-03-06T18:57:00.000Z

Q&A with Misha Suharevski

2011-03-05T09:58:00.004Z

Visual Artist Misha Suharevski studied painting at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts before turning his creative talents towards graphics, photography, illustration and glass design. Misha's work recently caught our eye in the Hungarian fashion & culture magazine Lack so we got in touch to find out more about his work...

Have you always wanted to be an illustrator?

I've always liked illustration, but I didn't plan on pursuing it as a career. For the past few years however, I have produced a lot more graphic work- drawings with graphite and pencil on paper. Last year, around October, the editor of Lack Magazine called me to tell me about their plans and how I could get involved. First I produced some handmade typography from which I developed into different themed Illustration families. I've got lot of creative freedom at Lack.

Emmer Laszlo portrait for Lack Magazine

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Different fine artists such as Georg Grosz, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Barbara Krüger, Raymond Pettibon, Luca Guarini. In illustration I like the work of Ricardo Fumanal, Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel and Sydney Parkinson.

Is there a specific theme you like to explore within your work?

I like the world of music videos, rockstars, indie people, nature and classic film.

Berlin Wall 2009

Tell us about the Berlin Wall project:

To celebrate 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell, the Ginger Agency called me with a proposal to produce a piece of work. It was a 250×120 cm object created by artists from all across Europe and I was the Hungarian member. I met with the Hungarian president, and with Horst Köhler. During this time there were also film screenings, concerts, danceplays (Frenák) and parties on the Városháza tér and Merlin.

Illustration for Lack Magazine

What are you currently working on?

I plan on exhibiting my graphic works in a gallery soon. But first I must realise the 3 meter long Last Supper themed painting I've been working on. I had to try and find the best models to play the apostles and Maria Magdalena. Once I had them all I collaborated with a photographer friend of mine, it was a great happening with dishes and wines.

Learn more about Misha here

Ádám Dallos @ BumBum

2011-02-27T20:59:00.003Z

Last Thursday we popped along to BumBum for the opening of 24 year old Hungarian University of Fine Arts graduate Ádám Dallos' first ever solo exhibition. The young artist explores the themes of gentleness and strength through a mixture of homo-erotic imagery and paintings of wild animals set against an unrealistic baby-pink background.

There is a real sincerity in Ádám's work which is endearing. Some of the male couples depicted in his paintings connect tenderly with each other and with the viewer, often meeting and holding our gaze as they stare out from the canvas.

While 'gay' subject matter may not raise too many eyebrows in the West, it is still considered a bit of a taboo in Central-Eastern Europe. Therefore, we at One A Day applaud Ádám for being so forthright about the subject of same-sex relationships and we hope to see more 'queer art' making its way to the mainstream in Hungary.

For more on Ádám Dallos head over to his official website

He Made This Ltd.

2011-02-22T22:20:00.001Z

Alistair Hall, Director of We Made This Ltd shares with us his journey from graduate to running his own studio, blogging and how failure can ultimately lead to success..

Tell us your elevator pitch:
We Made This is a London based graphic design studio specialising in delicious print work.

Did you have any business knowledge prior to setting up your company?
I had worked as a production assistant for a commercial production company making TV commercials for a couple of years before starting my degree at St Martins, which helped teach me how to multi-task. After my degree I worked at CDT for a year and a half, where I learnt a huge amount about the process of working with clients, budgeting, pitching, presenting and so on, as well as about pure design. Then I got a place on NESTA's Creative Pioneer Programme, where we were taught a lot about the nuts and bolts of running a business. I run We Made This on my own, and share a studio with two other design companies, David Pearson Design and Fitzroy & Finn.

London Design Guide designed by We Made This

When you were growing up what did you want to be? What happened which made you become what you are now?I'm not sure I ever wanted to be anything particular. Actually, scratch that, I wanted to be a film director. That's why I started working in commercials, but after a while I realised it wasn't for me. While I was looking at jobs in that industry, as research I read a book called something like Diaires of Film-makers - it was a Faber & Faber book which detailed the daily lives of a variety of folk working in the film industry. One of the diaries was from a film producer, and she talked about going to meet the guys who were making the poster for her film. I knew instantly that I didn't want to make films, but to make posters instead.

What do you wish you had been told in college/university about the real world?
Nothing. College is a good time to dream. Though it might have been useful to know how long it takes to pay off a student loan. But heck, even if I had known, I'm not sure I would have done anything differently.

IPA identity designed by We Made This

Have there been any big mistakes/failures which have lead to success?
NESTA were offering business funding to some of the folk on the course, and I didn't succeed in getting that funding. I think if I had got it, my journey might have been quite different. Whether that would have been a better or worse sort of different... tricky to know. I'm happy where I am though.

What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago?
Get out of the house and find a studio. Book more holidays. Don't try and ride across that roundabout at full speed - you'll break your arm. Again.

What can you only learn on the job?
You learn a huge amount once you start work, and you keep learning. Don't expect to be perfect when you start. But be honest about the fact that you're not perfect.

How important do you think having an online presence is and how signficant a role does your blog play in marketing your brand/service?
I find it difficult to quantify it to be honest. Obviously having work online is really important - people rely on being able to see your stuff immediately. Jobs are just starting to come in on the back of the blog, which is great. I'm in the middle of building a new site - once that's up, I'll have a bit of a marketing push.

Teenage Cancer Trust promotional material designed by We Made This

Who would be your dream client?
The one with a solid and well thought out brief, as well as a realistic budget, who then lets us just get on with the creative work. And who says thank you at the end of the job.

What aspirations do you have? do you see We Made This expanding further?
I want to do more self-initiated work, I've kind of been letting the blog take the place of that for the past few years. As for expansion... I've got a few ideas bubbling around my head, but nothing firm just yet.

You've had interns at We Made This, what do you look for when choosing potential graduates to join your team?
Brilliant work and a general air of loveliness.

Drawing on walls pt. 6: Vienna

2011-02-19T14:19:00.001Z

Baby Boom! - Somorjai Kiss Tibor

2011-02-15T15:57:00.002Z

Graphic artist Somorjai Kiss Tibor’s latest exhibition at the Bártok Galéria - F+É+N+Y+S+T+Á+C+I+Ó+K , has really got us thinking. ..

The bulk of his work - a series of glittering, embrionic images with baby motifs dotted around the compotion - can be viewed in one of two ways: The first is that these are images depicting destruction and loss of innocence. When viewed from largest to smallest, these images seem to depict the tale of an overpopulated society (represented by the floating babies)crumbling in on itself, sucked down into a deep, black hole.

Alternatively, one could read these images as an affirmation of life. A celebration of man’s discoveries in the universe surrounding us, the progress we’ve made in discovering the origins of our own creation and a salute to the future generations who will continue this research. The spherical shape in the centre of the composition could easily be a planet or a cell - the bright bursts of colour indicating the changes in the molecular structure as an infant develops in the womb.

Accompanying these images are a series of photographs tracing the artist’s footsteps through the seasons – further exploring the exhibition's underlying theme of ’movement’. As the artist walks through the autumn leaves into the winter snow, we see how the world changes and develops and how man leaves his mark on the environment.

What do you think Somorjai Kiss Tibor's work means? Leave a comment below!

Zsuzsi Csiszér @ Art Blokk

2011-02-14T20:21:00.002Z

We first became aware of Zsuzsi Csiszér’s work at Budapest’s annual Art Fair at the Műcsarnok whilst reporting for Artsthread.com. Her poignant, foto-realistic, faux-collage paintings have quickly made her one of our favourite contemporary female artists. Zsuzsi is currently exhibiting at the Art Blokk gallery in the Corvin centre and we went along to take a look...

The exhibition develops the same themes which Zsuzsi has been exploring for the past few years such as the pressures faced by 21^st century women and the way femininity is portrayed and condemned by mass media. In one series of claustrophobic portraits, Zsuzsi traps her subjects in an extreme close-up, their faces ‘slashed’ through a technique of layered oil paints which imitate rips and tears in the canvas. Others are suffocated beneath plastic, their beauty commodified and preserved like a piece of expensive furniture. There is a blatantly violent overtone to these portraits which, at times, is quite unnerving...

While these portraits seem to deal with the trappings of beauty, Zsuzsi's other painted collages such as Mother Curtain and Why Not? deal with other pressing issues faced by women today. Mother Curtain hints at pressures of marriage (specifically arranged marriages), while Why Not? suggests the inner conflicts of a woman facing peer pressure over sex, cigarettes and other vices.

Larger pieces such as There Are People Who Like This and You Have to Know What is the Topic of This Picture are a barrage of mixed media imagery and slogans erupting in a glamorous, explosive mess. The images are instantaneous, they grab your attention and draw you in with their vivid colours and suggestive subject matter. However, take a closer look and you will spot some hidden details - motifs of teddy bears and ducklings, revealing the lost innocence of the women who have fallen victim to the trappings of mass media culture.

Drawing on walls pt. 5: London

2011-02-13T19:50:00.001Z

In Movement: Inauguration of the new Spiritusz Galéria

2011-02-11T19:19:00.002Z

The Spiritusz Galéria has moved! Previously located on the Pest side of Budapest, the contemporary art space has packed its bags and settled into the previous exhibition hall of its ‘mother institution’ the Várfok Galéria. In celebration of the gallery’s evolution, 13 contemporary artists from the fields of photography, sculpture, painting and video art have been asked to produce a piece exploring the theme of ‘movement’.

You can learn more about the exhibition by clicking HERE
or read my previous review of the Spiritusz Galéria @ Budapest Art Fair HERE

Reefs of Noise: László Mulasics

2011-02-09T20:47:00.001Z

Reefs of Noise is the premier exhibition of the new and improved Várfok Galéria. Celebrating the life and works of the painter László Mulasics (1954-2001), Reefs of Noise showcases a selection of his purest paintings from, arguably, his most important creative period.

László emerged from Hungary's New Sensibility movement in the 1980’s as a figurative painter creating sensual and mysterious works awash with expressive colours. But, by the mid 80’s Laszlo put down his paint brush and began experimenting with bee’s wax. This was a long experimental period for László as the encaustic technique is notorious for being one of the most difficult mediums to master. However, László's passion for his materials led him to discover new ways to manipulate and control the wax, making him one of a very small, niche group of creatives who can truly call themselves ‘encaustic artists’.

Locked Stadium

1988 encaustic, lead, bronze sieve, wood on wood panel

During this period László also shunned his colourful palette in favour of a darker aesthetic. “While the majority of Mulasics’ work from the mid 80’s and early 90s was incredibly dark and contained a lot of black, we should be careful not to label it his ‘Black Period’ but rather his ‘Colour Minimal’ period,” explains Varfok’s resident art historian Kriszti Kovács. “His quiet approach to colour does mean his paintings are melancholic but they are also very meditative.”

Indeed, László Mulasics’ work has a certain meditative aura about it - his strong painted gestures have a mysterious and ambiguous quality to them which perhaps they would not have had were he to have worked with a more vibrant colour scheme. The ambiguity of Mulasics' work can be attributed to his keen interest in nature, scientific discoveries and the cosmos.

Constellation

1996, encaustic, oil, enamel, canvas

Motifs re-occur in several of his pieces such as the dog, horse and the figure at Hang Csou bay. Most of these motifs were taken from antique books which Mulasics enjoyed collecting - if only for the diagrams and illustrations contained within. The cabinet at the back of the Várfok is dedicated to some of the motifs Mulasics was so fond of. These never before seen mixed media pieces present the motifs in copper ink within a bold geometric frame.

Interferences

1998, encaustic, oil, enamel, canvas

What is most striking about the work of László Mylasics is the sheer scale of his work. When one takes into consideration the skill required to create such enormous pieces using a technique as tricky as encaustic then our admiration towards this incredibly talented artist grows.

“His pieces are so large that they require a lot of space in order for us to truly appreciate them,” Kriszti smiles, “But I think our new gallery does him justice.”

Untitled - 099 & 104

1997, encaustic, ink, copper, oil on paper

For more information about the exhibition, head over to the Várfok website

Calum Ross interview on XpatLoop.com

2011-02-07T19:59:00.001Z

Head over to xpatloop.com where I'm currently featured on their interviews page.
Xpatloop.com is a Hungarian website which serves the international community living within Budapest. I am among such interviewed expatriates as Catherine Dickens (the great-great-great granddaughter of Charles Dickens) answering such questions as 'what is never missing from your refrigerator?' Want to find out what I keep in the fridge? Sure you can handle it? Read the full interview right here: http://www.xpatloop.com/interview/473

In Profile: Tímea Andorka

2011-02-07T10:38:00.001Z

Timea Andorka first caught our attention at the 2010 Budapest Graphifest, where her poster entry for the Goetheorie competition was one of our firm favourites. After initially studying Philosophy at the University of Szeged before turned her talents towards graphic design and typography. Timea explores the 'visual display of non-visual thoughts' by experimenting with paper and type, stretching formal boundaries to create asethetically adventurous pieces whilst maintaining usability. In this One A Day exclusive, Timea talks us through the concepts behind some of her most recent works.

Mérleg Könyve

My thesis project, the re-design of Mérleg Books - a publisher of essays in philosophy - was a summary of all my interests and studies – philosophy, books, type and graphic design. I was inspired by Penguin Books’ Great Ideas series, and David Pearson’s design approach to each volume relying not so much on illustrative, but rather typographic sources. In this way I came up against the problem of the relationship between type and the paper carrying it. The leading role in the project was played by paper: paper manually crumpled, torn, burnt-out, soaked, punched or folded to form letters. As we are talking about three-dimensional objects the lighting, the various relations between light and shadow also became motifs in their own right.

Goetheorie

The same light/shadow relations are at the heart of the proposals I submitted to the Geotheorie competition. The title Optics/Chromatics refers to a place where Goethe points out that unlike Newton he isn’t so much interested in the science of sight but rather in the theory of colours: he wants to demonstrate the way we actually experience colours, and not the way we are supposed to experience them according to the laws of mathematics. This debate is represented by the clash of the two letterform compositions: one is calculated, geometric, with sharp contours, the other relies on the impressionistic play of colourful shadows.

Goethe’s interest in the experience of colour outlines his scientific profile – which is the metaphor elaborated on by the installation Colour Profile. In this case the figurative element of the composition is the shadow, traditionally conceived of as a lack of light and colour, which however appears and gives the impression of a bust only when the coloured stripe is lit from the appropriate angle.

The Symptoms

I met The Symptoms during the production of Shadow Movie, an experimental short film on movement, silhouette and light - exactly the phenomena I’ve been interested in lately. It’s been inspiring to work with them as their experimental attitude and constant search for novelty drives me to find new solutions. The promotional material I created for the theatrical performance Alibi is based on free associations by Symptoms-members: “mirror, self inspection, revue, interrogation, and balloon” and it was designed with the intention to lure people into the theatre.

To find out more about Timea Andorka's work visit her blog: www.felantix.blogspot.com
or view her portfolio: www.behance.net/felantix

Perspectives on Serigraphs

2011-02-02T16:58:00.001Z

This past year has been an exciting one for Printa. Since opening in January 2010, the Budapest based screenprinting studio has exhibited numerous works from the likes of the Swiss Urban Salon and Supalife. To celebrate their first birthday, Printa is exhibiting a collection of limited edition serigraphs produced by some of Hungary’s finest contemporary artists.

Exploring the mediums of watercolour painting, street art, photography, drawing and graphic art, the majority of the pieces were produced specifically for the exhibition and were created in the Printa workshop.

To read my full review go over to artsthread.com

The Várfok Galéria's grand re-opening.

2011-02-01T15:53:00.001Z

The Várfok Galéria, one of the first privately owned contemporary art galleries in Hungary celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. To mark the occasion, the gallery underwent massive reconstruction works with the halls being expanded and modified with movable walls, advanced lighting and a new library archive.

For the grand re-opening of the venue, a special exhibition celebrating the life and work of one of Várfok’s most prominent artists László Mulasics has gone on show. Titled Reefs of Noise, the exhibition will feature some of Mulasics’ most salient pieces alongside some never before seen works.

For a full review of the show check back in a couple of days!

Q&A with: András Baranyai

2011-01-28T11:08:00.002Z

András Baranyai's illustrations have graced the pages of Readers Digest, Unit and the cover of Hungarian illustration magazine Roham. Currently exhibiting at Printa, András takes some time out to talk to us about his recent autonomous prints, comic books, toy robots and his future projects.

Introduce yourself:

I studied at the Moholy-Nagy University of Arts in the graphic design department. There we did lots of projects from different areas of graphic design such as typography, design and illustration. I always prefered work with figures, characters and over the course of these projects I realised that my interests swayed more towards illustration.

Tell us about the serigraphs which you are exhibiting at Printa:

These are remixes of some older graphics of mine with some new elements thrown in (for example the mass of men comes from my comic). I work with vectors so it's easy for me to transfer the graphic elements into different images - it's fun to experiment and try new combinations! I play with these objects and elements like with building block toys, or like a painter with colors.

You have a very distinctive figurative style in your illustrations - where did this evolve from?

They come from different areas and it's a combination of many influences. Some of them come from plastic baby-toys and I also really like the toys from the '70s, 80's made of tin (cars, robots, spaceships) and the graphics on them. I'm inspirated by heavy, industrial objects and machines too. Otherwise music effects are
important to me too, particularly industrial noise experiments.

If you could be any comic book character who would it be?

Maybe, Little Nemo. That would be a great surreal trip!

What are you currently working on?

Now I'm working on two children's book commissions. One of them is about the history of Communism, it's a really interesting project for the Statue Park in Budapest. The other is a literature adaptation, a story from Greek mythology. There will also be my own exhibition in the Roham gallery in May. For that I'm working on more autonomic artworks.

View more of Andras' work over on his website www.andrasbaranyai.com

Drawing on walls pt. 4: Zagreb

2011-01-26T14:33:00.002Z

Drawing on walls pt. 3: Bratislava

2011-01-25T14:32:00.004Z

Readable Clothes: Klára Petra Szabó

2011-01-25T11:41:00.001Z

During her studies at the University of West Hungary's Institute of Applied Arts in Sopron, Klára designed a carpet for Sotex and won the silver prize in the Graniph Design Awards before travelling to Denmark with the Royal Danish Ministry of Education Scholarship. Since then, Klára's work has been exhibited right across Hungary from Budapest to Hódmezővásárhely as well as in Slovakia and Belgium.

Currently exhibiting at the Printa studio in Budapest, Klára talks to me about her most recent collection of work: Readable Clothes.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I am an artist and designer from Hungary. I work mainly with watercolours and brush-pen. The feelings I illustrate vary according to my moods and emotional deepness itself. I always try to visualize my feelings, my environment, my friends, and my life through my paintings. The majority of my paintings are small and complex and attempt to reflect my sense of the times we are living in.

What’s the idea behind Readable Clothes?

I started this project during the Krinzinger Residency Program in May 2010. For this project I have explored the topic of mimicry and camouflage. Camouflage is a method of avoiding observation, allowing an otherwise visible organism or object to remain undetectable from the surrounding environment. Camouflage is essentially a form of visual mimicry. In between camouflage and mimicry is mimesis which carries a wide range of meanings, including: imitation, representation, the act of resembling, the act of expression, and the presentation of the self.

What is the significance of the text on the t-shirts?

My models always choose their own t-shirts. The text is personal and holds a message which is important to them. I love the topic of fashion – particularly the combination of fashion and the wearer’s personality and behaviours. Through clothes, we are able to see the wearer’s style, their mood or their social status.

Is this the first time you’ve explored the theme of fashion?

Before Readable Clothes I worked on a painted street fashion blog project called Art & Style.

Do you normally work on this scale?

It’s the first time I have worked on a larger scale. My paintings are usually small, but for this project I decided to increase the size to emphasize the text. I left the background unpainted because the most important thing for the viewer to focus on is the text on the t-shirt.

What are you currently working on?

At the moment I am working with animation. The thought of melding my traditional hand painted watercolours with digital techniques has really inspired me.

For more informatiom about Klára and to see more of her work, pop over to her official website

Drawing on walls pt. 2: Krakow

2011-01-24T13:44:00.000Z