Opening:


Monday, 23 March 2015, 7pm  




Opening speech:


Mónika Perenyei
, art historian  




Curator:


Judit Gellér
 




Visitors can view the exhibition free of charge at Capa Centre from 24 March to 19 April 2015.An exhibition by artist Miklós Fejős
Life is mostly spent with everyday routine. We are surrounded by hundreds and thousands of ornaments and articles for personal use in our busy or idle everyday lives. These are lifeless objects which only come to life when we use them and fill them with memories through their usage. These everyday objects, situations and the related memories are taken out of their context and raised to outstanding moments by artist Miklós Fejős. The Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center is hosting an exhibition of three of his series which are intertwined and revolve around a similar topic, but are shaped by different artistic tools, in each case chosen precisely and medium-consciously.

His allegorical photo stills entitled Vanitas follow the model of 17th-century Dutch paintings, and apply classical methods, proportions and light conditions. However, the depicted objects, precious candlesticks, crystal glasses and fruit baskets are juxtaposed with the products of modern consumer culture. A fiberboard tabletop appearing under a Persian carpet, a remote control placed on a small copper plate, a clock radio, tempting fruit, canned pork liver pâté and beer cans – contrasting the precious and the cheap, the old and the new. Everyday items which may be found in any household; our poor quality convenience food and drinks; our disposable and depreciating objects – telltale signs of our lifestyle. As the original vanitas still lifes, the works of Fejős also call our attention to the transience of life (Memento mori – remember that you have to die).

Vedute are cityscapes at night, showing parking cars poorly lit by streetlamps, dim building details and flights of stairs. The dynamic, noisy, daytime car traffic is in symbolic contrast with the melancholy atmosphere, the feeling of silence, the standstill, desolation and solitude enfolding in the pictures. The night cityscapes, painted on thick wooden panels and reminiscent of Byzantine icons, follow the 2:3 picture ratio of miniature film in this case, without denying their photographic origin. With their small size, they invite the spectator to have an intimate approach and at the same time a contemplating spiritual attitude – almost to have a dialogue.

The Moquette series is a bit more personal than the other two, not only in its topic, but also in its way of presentation, since there are traces of human presence, as well as concrete human figures shown in the pictures. The scenes painted on moquette (upholstery fabric), which has been passed down through generations, show everyday family events. Small objects – a tube pan, tiny nips, a glass of water – are depicted as if they were memories the children that were playing on the carpet left behind. Then the grown-up brothers are shown at work, trying to do their job with inexperienced movements: kneading the sausage filling and starting the chainsaw. The background of these pictures is provided by the material culture of the grandparents’ homes, both in a symbolic and a concrete sense. They receive a new meaning by the continuation of traditional activities and by showing present actions.

The common feature of Miklós Fejős’ works is a system of symbols with strong moral content, coziness hidden behind a dark-toned atmosphere and a somewhat melancholy mood, a highlighted role given to the whiffles of everyday routine. They call our attention to everyday events to make us recognize our transience, while urging us to silent contemplation.