Among the latest exhibitions at the acb Gallery in Budapest are two contemporary Hungarian artists whose work is well worth discovering. It is an interesting world that these Generation Y artists lead us into: while Keresztes is known for his monumental mosaic sculptures that embody femininity, which come this time with a twist, Batykó presents a series of brightly colored paper collages based on consumerist elements. Both artists show something new about themselves, presenting contemporary experiments that are a refreshing addition to the Hungarian art scene.
Every Bite is a Story | Róbert Batykó
McDonald’s paper boxes, vinyl covers, and shreds of medicine packaging—Róbert Batykó has recycled them all in his latest collage series, giving them an entirely new meaning with his playful figurative approach. Compared to his earlier paintings and digital works, he has taken a slightly different direction, creating witty yet thought-provoking visual contexts from elements of consumer culture and infusing them with colorful, geometric paper-cut shapes. Batykó’s mini-cycles have included abstract patterns of truck tailgates or even trash found on the street. A group exhibition of contemporary Hungarian Generation Y artists entitled New Mediations— organized by MODEM in Debrecen, and which closed a few days ago—presented several of his works.
Fruits of Persistence | Zsófia Keresztes
Although this is her first time exhibiting at the acb Gallery, as one of the most internationally renowned artists of her generation, her work has already been showcased in numerous places, from Lyon to Vilnius to the Hungarian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The robust sculptures she brought back from the biennale, with their mosaic-like forms mixing Art Nouveau and Surrealism, can be viewed at the Ludwig Museum in Budapest. Her feminine style, which draws on fictional tribal cultural elements, totems, and biblical allusions, makes her spectacular sculptures unique.
Currently, in addition to the two mini-exhibitions, a third exhibition is also installed at acb Plus, featuring a selection of works by painter Károly Kelemen from the 1990s. His unique, teddy-bear-like postmodern world is on view in the exhibition titled ‘Revolting Colours’.
The exhibitions can be visited free of charge until 24 February 2023.
Photos: acb Gallery
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