After Reality – a segment of Hungarian Nature Art
In 2015 Iranian environmental artists had a wonderful exhibition in Sepsiszentgyörgy (Transylvania – Romania) when 28 Persian artists‘ artworks were exhibited in the Transylvanian Art Center. Five of them came to Transylvania, and together with Hungarian artists had a workshop in the castle garden of Olasztelek. The curator Mahmoud Maktabi visual artist and the Hungarian organizers: Péter Alpár and I had a dream to continue the Iranian-Hungarian art project, and organize the same event in Iran. Now we are very appreciated that in the Isfahan Dudar Gallery Hungarian nature artist could present their artworks, and after that could participate in workshops with Iranian artists in the beautiful natural environment of Iran.
For this exhibition, we have selected artworks from two different symposiums of the Hungarian field of nature art. The one is the International Velence Lake Symposium, which is organized every summer 11 years ago in the settlement of Velence. This tiny bath city just 50 km from the capital of Hungary, Budapest. There is a lake with an artificial island where artists can work. The island can be reached by boat or Canoe on the water. The project‘s aim is to transform this artificially wild place with the strength of the art into a visitable open-air gallery. This is an experiment to integrate an artificial space into the nature. At the same time, it re-integrates the „nature torn man“ into nature. The main organizer is Péter Ágnes sculptor and the Symposium Foundation.
The other art symposium is in a very different environment. The place of the 6 years old Bikfalva NAPtelep is located in Transylvania, 720 km far from Budapest, in the easternmost part of historic Hungary. Bikfalva, the Hungarian village (currently belonging to Romania) is located at the foot of the mountains in a picturesque setting. The village has traditional wood and stone buildings and keeps its original settlement structure. It also preserves the lifestyle of a man living with nature. The task of artists is to create artworks reflecting this rural environment. The purpose of the event is to reinterpret the traditional Transylvanian landscape and lifestyle and integrate its values into contemporary culture. The organizers are Péter Alpár visual artist and Várallyay Réka art historian and the Association of Transylvanian Art and Heritage.
Besides all these, the works of five selected artists can be seen by Isfahan visitors.
Péter Alpár the curator of this exhibition brought “Earth-drawings” from Iran and India enlarge ancient motifs in the space. Péter Ágnes, the curator of the Velence Lake Symposium had experimented with the waving water and the calm circles. Kotér Vilmos attempted to hide the human body behind the nature, and make it equal with that. Tomcsik Judit drew our attention with her sensitive work to the common human quality, and Mészáros Gergő with the creator’s hand points to the world around him.
The same features of the works – made in different natural environments – are the respect for nature and the highlight of true values. The healing role of art was clear in ancient cultures. Today’s contemporary artists have to believe in this. With art, they could cure society and heal their environment. We hope that through the artistic thoughts of these works everyone present can feel the beauty and the power of art.
In the name of the Hungarian curators and artists, I would like to express our deepest thanks to the Iranian co-organizers, to RAH Residency House, to the sponsors of this projects and the leaders of the Dudar Gallery. It is a pleasure for us to be here with you enjoying your rich culture and your warm hospitality.
