Mai Manó Gallery ("Kis Manó")

February 1, 2012 the Hungarian House of Photography, jointly with Indafotó, announced the photo contest

The Danube – and open book. Technical background was provided by Indafotó, while professional background through the delegation of a jury (Gabriella Csizek curator at the Hungarian House of Photography, Lenke Szilágyi award-winning photographer, István Huszti photojournalist at index.hu).

Ágota Krnács came first at the contest, earning the opporutnity to showcase her works at an individual exhibition in the mezzanine gallery of the Hungarian House of Photography – Mai Manó House.

Since the award-winning series was already been published on the web, the gallery now exhibits one of her other series that echoes the perspective of the one that won her the contest.

Gabriella Csizek, curator

I took my first photo with a Smena 2 at the age of 9. The subject, no surprise, was my immediate environment: my family. It is strange to recall how one year’s visual documentation of then seemingly important moments could fit on one roll of film. Given, of course, that I manage the 24 or 36 frames well. I remember that even then I mostly strove for stealing an image of someone without them knowing about it.

My perspective has since increased even more. I deliberately look for moments and situations where I remain invisible. I do not settle for the mere sight but I always seek a new point of view. I study the scene and investigate its final message. Fortunately, today there are no limits to the possibilities of documenting; therefore, I map my environment very meticulously and consistently. A moment captured is only a link in the chain of the whole, yet it often incorporates it all. Capturing the movement, as well as the happening and the quality of composition are equally important for me. I tend not to record everyday events in an aesthetic way; instead I aim at seizing the facts only. I am interested in people’s natural behavior.

For a few years now, one location is a given: the neighborhood of Gazdagrét, a residential area of prefabricated buildings of block houses. We live here.

This photo series – that constantly expands – is contradictory on purpose. There is a contrast between the stigmatic rigid environment and the calm everydayness that, in fact, permeates the district. The word panel (prefabricated block house unit) has become a negative denominator. The lives of its inhabitants have become synonymous with the terms crowded, empty, or simply cheap or plebs.

Reality is a lot more nuanced. Like beautiful cities of the world have their own wounds and darker sides, there may be huge differences between one block housed residential district and another.

I believe that any built space is only but a set, wherein the subculture’s quality of life is defined by the cohabitation and behavior of its population. Therefore, as opposed to the entrenched negative overtones, I show what I have experienced.

Ágota Krnács

Exhibited photographs were taken between 2009 and 2011.

KRNÁCS Ágota
(Mezőhegyes, 10. August 1976 - )

Multitasking Visual Artist commuting among mediums like graphic art/drawing, painting, graphic design, photo and video.
Has a bachelor degree in Drawing and Visual Communications from the Bessenyei György Teachers' Training College and a masters degree in Visual Pedagogy and Culture (specialized in graphic art, photo and video) from the Moholy-Nagy Univerity of Art and Design. She worked as a teacher of Visual Culture during her university years then followed her career as a Graphic Designer while also kept working as an artist. Her primary interest and focus was on digital mediums making thanks to her experience and professionalism in graphic design, stock and advirtesement photography, and also the rapid evolution of digital cameras. Between 2005 and 2009 she used to live and work in Dublin as a senior graphic designer but her job included making press and ad photos as well. She had a solo exhibition at the Embassy of Hungary in Dublin, Ireland and several shared exhibitions in other Dublin galleries. In 2008, she made her debut short film with her as Director of Photography and Editor, which was followed by a half dozen of other shorts between 2009 and 2012.
She is a regular guest of the Cered International Art Camp since 2003 and member of the Hungarian Electrographic Art Association since 2010.

Major Photo Exhibitions and Films
2012 • "With Thy plenty and good cheer" - 12. ARC - National Huge Billboard exhibition - ‘56 Square, Budapest
2012 • Black Palette – camera, editing (d: Bulcsú Ákom, shortfilm, 37 min) screening: Nógrád Historical Museum, Salgotarján/ Borderland Gallery, Cered (H)
2012 • "The Danube – An Open Book" - Photography Award - Mai Manó House - Indafotó, Budapest – 1st place
2011 • "People that I will never see again” online project - Photo exhibition - Florean Museum, Baia Mare (RO) (Curator: Mircea Bochis)
2011 • The Big Attack / Guerilla photo action - Galerienhaus Lindenstrasse / Galerie Caprice Horn, Berlin (GER)
2011 • "Gravity" - Art Below / The Hospital Club Challenge - selected artworks, London (ENG)
2010 • "Guest Room" - XV. Cered International Art Camp, Nógrád Historical Museum, Salgótarján, (H) (Curator: Zoltan Somhegyi)
2010 • Guest - camera, editing (d: Gabor Pusztai, dokumentary film, 33 min) screening: Nógrád Historical Museum, Salgotarján/Borderland Galéria, Cered 2011
2010 • Portfolio Points Festival – Tündérgyár, Budapest (H) (Opened by: Zoltán Berei)
2009 • Picnic, on the edge–directing, editing, photography (video, land art/action, 4:31) screening: Nógrád Historical Museum, Salgotarján, 2010, Gallery of Association of Hungarian Artists, House of Olof Palme, Budapest
2009 • Tonight Tonight Tomorrow – camera, editing (d: Gabor Pusztai, black comedy, 32 min) screening: The New Theatre, Dublin (IRL), XV. Sarajevo Film Festival, STC, Szarajevó (BIH)
2009 • Endangered species on the verge of extinction – editing (d: Gabor Pusztai, shortfilm, 2:10) screening: The New Theatre, Dublin (IRL)
2008 • All about me - Embassy of Hungary, Dublin (IRL) (Curator: Emilia Kertészné Vadász, Opened by: Ferenc Jári, Jimmy T. Murakami)
2008 • See the bigger picture - The Baby Elephant Gallery, Dublin (IRL) (Curator: Patrick Naughton) Gallery representation in 2008
2008 • Push – camera, editing (d: Gabor Pusztai, music video, 4:33)screening: The New Theatre, Dublin (IRL)
2006 • Metro Herald Photo Contest - (IRL) - Weekly Frame Academy - Selected Artist
2003 • "3+1" - Photo Exhibition, Library of Békés County, Békéscsaba, (H) (with the artgroup 3T – Attila Novák, György Szuhaj, István Kukár) (Curator: habil Emil Gaul)
2002 • Photography Contest of Westend City Center – Public Award
2002 • V. National Grotesque Biennial - Award of Kaposvár City
2002 • MOME (MA Degree) Masters: Imre Szemethy, Tamás Féner
1999 • BGyTF (BA Degree) Masters: Károly Bodó, János Horváth, Béla Szepessy, István Soltész
1998 • Art Students of BGyTF, Selected Photo Exhibition, Gallery Váróterem, Nyíregyháza, (H) (Curator: István Soltész)