George Eastman Hall

Three young photographers Norbert Hartyányi, Géza Hernád, and Balázs Simonyi are showcased with their individual photo series in the 2010 preview catalog of the Pécsi József Photo Art Grant. The artists endeavored to map a generation, as well as a community; their photos track generational, societal phenomena and problems. Besides the timeliness and the common features of their work, the three photographers demonstrate three sharply distinct points of view.

In his series Relax, NORBERT HARTÁNYI portrays leisure activities of young people in their twenties as he witnessed amongst his own generation and narrower environment, his friends. His photos go beyond simply collecting and listing the various forms of recreation (e.g. sport activities, weekend excursions, concerts, or going on holiday); the images provide more than just information about a generation’s habits. The intimate, sometimes melancholic instances, places, the diverse moods and emotions harmonize well with the descriptive shots skillfully capturing stirring situations.

GÉZA HERNÁD’s series Lipótmezô - Fragile Minds commemorates Lipótmezô, the mental asylum with 140 years of history in Budapest that was closed in 2008, in spite of general indignation. The portraits of the institute’s residents presented in a delicate sensitive manner, along with the images of their environment (the sterile wards, the empty benches, an unused swimming pool with a garden gone wild all around) are dream-like imprints of a disappearing world. The amenable gazes fastened on us through the blurred details, secret places, bright light beams and pale, faint colors, share the same kind of unnameable feeling that can be best expressed in the hopelessness of circular footprints on a snowy courtyard.

BALÁZS SIMONYI’s critical state report Shopping Mall Generation (Home 2.0) is an account of one of today’s most aptly current and typical phenomenon: the youth spending its free time in shopping malls. Portraits with aimless and empty gazes worn out by superficial experiences, alternate with images of an environment poor in stimuli regardless of the spectacular exterior. Thus, the artist’s intention manages to lay bare and expose the deceitful illusion of this glittering, gleaming world.

Petra Csizek, curator

photo: Róbert Kassay