Works of Cragg are in a way oppose the ones of Deacon considered in my blog before. Deacon prefers open forms, while Cragg sticks mostly to closed ones. For me he appears good in ceramics too using the spinning wheel creatively.


Cragg, Tony, Title:02: To be Titled, Date: 2009, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture

I try to figure how this work has been down. It seems near impossibile to carve in from stone, but migth be fairly easy to assemble from a series of similar forms made on spinning wheel. Putting together, closing on the top, and baking it in an oven or let it simply dry and finally coloring white appears the way he has been followed. The construction suggests very strong tension and a very delicate balance.


Inverted Sugar Crop, Date: 1986.

Yes indeed, the number of forms origin obviously of some living organisms like plants. The two walls and bottom made of steel and let it rust fit well to the „composition” and keep the rounded forms in space. It makes me thinking and appreciating how simple ideas are able to suggest agriculture and harvesting. However, I also consider this composition as an example of conceptual art since neither myself nor you are likely be happy to have this artwork on a desktop of everyday use.


Kolbenneblok Date: 1989.

It is easier to percept the form of this composition than to imagine how it has been made. The most likely material is bronze casted somehow first and removed the inner part of the casting form later with painstaking effort. It looks like fairly big and laying in a balanced way suggesting how big force would be adequate to remove and rolling it away. This assumption in itself suggests force.


Ordovician Pore, Date: 1989.

I presume the rounded forms made of steel and let it rust to get that warm brown-red colour. Since it appears quite big, manual work is excluded to make and even to mount it. Imagine the weight of the big stone of used to support the metal composition! While snow contrasts lovely with the metal it also covers some details needed to understand the composition. The idea is simple and neutral of the two apparently similar huge metal forms which keep adjoint the rounded ones in a fairly simple way while functioning as two additional redish forms is not quite ambiguous. They obviously help to keep the left side „tube” in position but their function might be something else too, for example they suggest brutal force.


Red square, Date: 2007, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture.

My first objection is that I can not see the square. The red color is bright but the form is far to be rectangular. Nevertheless it is a very complex form balanced well at the bottom. I am unable to imagine the view of that from the opposite direction. That view may provide a cue how this form has been made.

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Mr. Deacon appears to prefer and elaborate a rather complicated form an example of which is given here. Of course it may be my own fault to suppose relationship among some of the items shown on that portal.
Deacon, Richard, Title:UT (Interference) #5, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Pen and ink.

A drawing like this helps to note curved forms (in fact two of them inserted one in another) which suggest for me some complicated relationship between the two. The smaller one is simpler and it is separated from the other by the pattern of vibrating zig-zag of black lines made by pen. Abrupt and consistent change of direction of vibrating black lines would separate the inner form from the outer one without need of contour, however here we see a thin white outline of the inner form. It might indicate a technique of mounting: the smaller form may be mounted and glued on top of the other.


You, Date: 1998, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture.

That form resembles me to the doubled outline of character Y with three rounded ends: The number of inner semicircles fill in part of the outer one but fails to change its character. Interesting play of light and shadows develop independently of exact direction of the lighting because of the elaborate curvings. There always are exposed directly to the light while part of others remain poorely lighted.


For Those Who Have Ears no1, Date: 1983, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture.

Here we see again the Y-form put is space by curving it into the third direction: This action helps supporting the form for which the thinner curved form is in fact not required. It seems to me that metals was used to form this airy sculpture. It must have been difficult to force springy metallic material to follow and keep the curved design. Let me confess my obvious bias toward appreciation of hard work over developing a final form called sculpture.


How Much Does Your Mind Weigh, Date: 2001, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture.

This is obviously the most complex elaboration of a basic curved star-form. The Y-form can be considered the simplest star having only three arms with points while the ones here appears having five arms with wide rounded points. To make the design more complex, Deacon uses smaller and larger versions of apparently the same star-form and connect them vertically with curved „lines”. This technique makes the structure both airy and extremely complicated. Like his other works, it almost does not matter which views we consider from, it remains the same in all direction as we imagine to walk around.

This, That And The Other, Date: 1985, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Sculpture.

The title refers to three components. Two of them are consisted of two kinds of metal, while the third must be some cloth (textile) mounted and let it hang freely. For me it is interesting how he combines the different materials to keep a certain balance both is composition and in space (support). To be a bit more specific I take it worth noting how the bottom silvery gray (metallic) form combines with the rounded and edged form and keeps fixing the position of the larger form in an unbalanced way.

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At first glance Noland’s works can almost pass as examples of Minimal art. However detailed investigation provides evidences for complicated details instead of a drive toward simplicity.


Noland, Kenneth, Title:Drought, Date: 1962, Movement: Hard edge, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Acrylic

Many artists have been fascinated by the theme of concentric circles. What we see here suggests some space, a number one evidence against Minimal art. Sharp contrasts between blue and yellow induces effects of slight circular movement.



C. Date: 1964, Movement: Hard edge.

In this case the trimming argues against Minimal art. In addition the hard edges of direct angles, the endless ends at the border of canvas make that acrilic painting sufficient to decorate for example a corridor in a hotel or bank. No need to stop, a glance is sufficient while someone walks around.


Sarah's Reach, Date: 1964, Movement: Hard edge, Theme: Abstract.

Very exceptional and interesting how he treats the three (or five if one considers the whites too). Strong contrast between blues and red generates vibration while we watch this painting. No need to say, that vibration does NOT belong to Minimal artworks.


Inner Way, Date: 1961, Movement: Hard edge, Theme: Abstract.

Well I must admit that these circles are quite simple. The slight rose outermost one is difficult to note, and it is surprising how far the black and dark blue circles have been put. The yellow dot seems to be positioned at the center of the square shape composition.


Shadow on the Earth, Date: 1971, Movement: Hard edge, Theme: Abstract

Sorry I can not see either shadow or the earth. Instead there is a lovely red-orange rectangular with slightly colored lines. One can easily note that no two lines have the same colors which induces interests and again some vibration.

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Morellet should be considered – at least I consider him – as an artist working in the field of Conceptual Art.


Morellet, Francois, Title:10 Hybrid Red and White Random Lines, Date: 2008
Movement: Conceptual art, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Acrylic

The concept is virtually a contrast of red (I would rather say orange) and white, rectangular (the trimmed canvas) and oblique lines. The red parts remain open as apparently go out from the canvas. This generate tension. The various forms offer a way to calm joy.


64 lampes, allumage avec 4 rythmes superposés, Date: Not dated

I do not know whether or not Morellet has been among the firsts who used lamps, light as source of esthetic joy. Obviously, this tecnique needs precision and complicated network of wires behind the black background. The results however are not particularly interesting.

Lunatique compact N° 3, Date: 1996

As I have mentioned before white on white suggests space especially if some objects are not fixed closely to the background. It is interesting that the white neon light-pipes fail to generate shadows in spite of the fact that they do not contact closely and smoothly the „canvas”.


Serpentant, Date: 2002.

On this composition there is nothing else but neon light pipes. I do not like it because too simple and too „technical”. There is, if any, a very trivial „conception” behind.


Tableau 5°-95°, angle néon (sur mur) 0°-90°, Date: 1980

I can not see the „concept” again. There is a simple white on white square which is all right even if the square does not fit on the canvas. But I can not see any function or reason why the light of neon tubes is needed. Turned on they get bright OK, so what. My impression is that the oblique square moves downward and will drop soonly down.

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Rafat Pasha works with neon light tubes like Morellet but I regard his works better than Morellet’s. It can not explain why, what generates my feeling so.


Rafat, Pasha, Title:Spatial Construction (83.8 Kr .36), Movement: Art Now / Recent
Theme: Abstract, Technique: Other/Unknown

Unfortunately Rafat failed to solve hiding the wires needed for activation of the light tubes. Otherwise the hanging form is not bad and suggests some originality.



Untitled, Date: 2003

The constructions is all right even if it is far too simple for my taste. But the wires turn interesting down.


Untitled Construction SC (83.8 Kr .36)

This work would not pass as an example of minimal art. There are layers, and in addition to light tubes there are components apparently made of steel. However, once again there is a network of wires which should better be hidden.


Untitled X (20.1 Ne, 10), Date: 2006.

The wires are hidden, which is very good. The parallel and oblique light tubes run in the opposite direction which results in a virtual „square” at the middle. It is an original idea worked out simply but nicely.

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Data and some notes comes from a book (Edit Lajta: Károly Brocky, 1984) I refer often. It has a near complete catalog of Brocky’s works including around 35 big color reproductions – some of which are reproduced below from the portal’s selection. We learn that he traveled in Europe including Italy, passed considerably time at The Louvre in Paris where he copied masterpieces. Then he moved to England and during his last years (died 1855) lived in comfort at London. Obviously, he learned a large number of English paintings including ones of Etty, who was and still is known on his sensual acts.



Brocky, Károly, Title:Awakening, Date: 1850-1855, Movement: Romanticism, Theme: Allegory, Technique: Oil on canvas

This is known as one of his last completed picture. We should note the sensuality of the bit awkward position which helps to form the breasts very attractive. The position harmonizes well with the oval contours of the composition as a whole. The beautiful colorit and the fine facture are also to be noted.


Cupid and Psyche, Date: 1850-1855

One masterpiece of his last years. It is certainly a matured work which, as it is easily recognized, has strong relationship with late renaissance paintings.


Resting Psyche (Venus and Faun) Date: 1850-1855

Some considers this as an unfinished work found in Brocky’s „notebook”. It may be right since some details (for example contours of the woman’s body) are apparently not worked out in high precision.


Venus and Amor Date: 1850.

This painting is considered by many of Brocky’s main work, the best, the nicest, the top. It is certainly a matured beautiful work. The sensually curved body resembles to Tiziano, the fresh color of the skin is contrasted by deep shadows which give the forms depth going into space. The white sheet is bright and call for attention – and accentuates what it is supposed to cover. Amor is a cheerful, playful, lovely child contrasting Venus’ matured body. It is a remarkable work indeed.


Sleeping Bacchante, Date: 1850-1855

This tondo is remarkable too. Obviously it radiates eroticism and has not been difficult to sell. We have the illusion of warm pulsation of the beautiful breasts, enjoy the shining light moving all over the hair, fingers, and arms. I think it is better to stop talking now.

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I sampled the considerably large set of Zoltán Pekárovics’ works the computer prints alone. Obviously a small subset can hardly represent the major set estimated over 100 at least. My reason of doing so is selfish of course, since I wanted to express my delight on what can be achieved by computer technique. It remains to be decided whether or not computers can produce prints which could not be done by traditional manual techniques, but one can not win over computers in terms of precision, speed, and gradual changes of forms, colors, or both.


Pekárovics, Zoltán, Title:Art of fuga, Date: 2007, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print

Reasons of picking Art of fuga has been to show first a fairly complicated example of irregular variations of color-lines drawn by a mouse on homogeneous black surface. The lines seem to run in all directions merging into sharpened thicknesses or remain a chaotic pattern in the middle.


Behind the wings, Date: 2007

These clouds and mountains have been made using a few colors only. All the white lines as well as the inner edges (contours) of the blacks run more or less vertically. In addition to the white lines, the beautiful large blue as well as the two smaller white spots appear to be broken up by dark wavy spots. Virtual space is felt but defined ambiguously. Some northern frozen cleaness is radiated from the calm composition.


Butterfly. Date: 2008.

Computers offer working in several (up to hundreds) layers which can be worked out one by one, copy and adjust on top of each other and can be totally or partially transparent. All of these great advantages seems to be used creatively for that composition. I particularly admire the soft gradual merging of colors into black helped by millions of the dark dots.

Fossil. Date: 2008.

This floating form is clean in space but otherwise it very complicated. Just try to follow the pathways along which the lines run to get lost! One wonders how the apparently metallic surfaces has been made while the effects are shocking.


Hummingbird. Date: 2007.

Here sharp lines are combined with partially transparent layers some of which has bright colors. The composition balances in the middle of black in the horizontal direction but runs edge to edge vertically, still the illusion of floating is maintained.


Ring, Date: 2007.

The last item has been picked to show how a single color (blunt yellow), light and folded surfaces can result in a lovely composition. No lines are needed, the form is determined by the sharply contrasting borders. Little irregularities make the „ring” even more attractive.

Comments: 2

József Gyécsek uses for works mounted in this portal mainly mixed technique and may be considered as an example of Conceptual artist in the term discussed superficially in my previous blog on Ms Zehr. Simplicity might make Pi-Kuan III. as a fine example of Minimal art while he apparently prefer the terms Art now/Recent. It can be noted at this respect that terms used to classify recent (in the time dimension of 10-20 years or less) artists and artworks rather freely to accent one or other aspects as various terms denotes them.



Gyécsek, József Title: Pi-Kuan III. Date: 2002. Movement: Art Now / Recent
Theme: Abstract Technique: Mixed technique

This work seems to me as one hammered from a copper sheet. Gyécsek leaves beauty of the metal surface unaltered including the slight oxydative erosions close to the edges and corners. Just like in the case of many other metals, color of copper will change in time. I suppose it would be harder work to reproduce these colors on a canvas by oil or acrilic pigments, while their temporal changes is expected to be minimal even over long time. It remains a secret if Gyécsek counted or not on the inevitable changes in time.

Fall , Date: 2003.

More or less parallel vertical lines combined with red dots makes this an interesting work. The deep black close to the edges is a bit softened here or there, but it remains the dominant background for the warm brown lines. Accidental pattern of small dots enforces my glance to jump from here to there, preventing restful joy of impressions.



Farewell I. Date: 2002.



Farewell II. Date: 2002.



Farewell III. Date: 2002-2003.

Let me consider the above three works as a single set of closely related paintings which elaborates the same idea. The idea seems exploring how irregular rectangles can be combined with dots. Obviously other combinations are also possible since sizes, numbers, and colors can freely be varied further.

Thin sections of heart muscles made for microscopical examinations seems quite similar to the background of red dots on Farewell III. There seems no other simply recognized reason to combine components of the other two parts of the set. In Farewell I. there are only a few of both rectangles and mostly quite big (related to the size rectangles) red spots. Farewell II. represents an intermediate example accentuated by blue instead of red dots. Beyond the two main elements (rectangulars and dots) the contours of the remaining segments of „background” comes with quite irregular and often complicated forms. While examinating the set of works more and more little details come in our mind. For example the red spots are missed in some rectangles on Farewell I. Also sizes of red spots differs substantially there. Sizes of blue dots are more balanced in Farewell II. The dark and soft border of larger red and blue spots is diminished but not missing on Farewell III. Comparisons could be verbalized in many other ways but the above ones are sufficient to show what comes in my mind while thinking about the set.

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Ms Rockburne teaches us how rich the world jumped over by many like Malevich or Albers from geometrical abstract to Minimal art. Extreme examples of Minimal art (like black squares for example) has already been commented in my blogs. Dorothea did also reduce the forms to simple squares, rectangles and parts of them, but maintained as rich colors as probably nobody among the so called classical (extreme) minimalists.



Rockburne, Dorothea, Title:Pascal's Provincial Letters, Date: 1987, Movement: Minimal Painting, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Oil on canvas

Her womanhood has certainly been involved in using so rich colors as it is obvious on most of her many paintings shown in that portal. It needs to be noted that she combines simple geometry with complicated colors. In other words she deviates strongly from the lines defined by Malevits, Albers or many of the classical Constructivists who used prime colors applied homogeneously to components. Sorry, but I can not be excape commenting on her colors which according to my opinion command her work.


Narcissus, Date: 1984

She explores in this lovely work how transparency can accent forms making the end result far more complicated. While we try to count how many layers she have used, we get filled up with beauty of each single rectangles.


Inner Voice (on two panels), Date: 1983, Movement: Minimal Painting, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Oil on canvas

It is easy to recognize that this painting is in fact quite similar if not equal the so called central components of Narcissus. Even the slightly tilted position is maintained. This composition would certainly pass as a classical Constructivist work using for example triangles to suggest space. Once again, beauty of coloring is obvious and far to be simple.

Balance, Date: 1985

Balance of forms and colors, yes, but also the positioning of the two rectangles which balance on single corners of them. Matured and educated using of triangles make this calm and beautifully simple composition superior among her works.

Drawing Distinctions, date 1990-91, Mixed technique.

It is not difficult to recognize that this painting is closely related to the next one. It is better to reproduce both here to help comparisons and understand how segments of exact circles can be combined with squares. Since Dorothea has left large fields white and subdivided by thin lines alone, contours of the colored, circled components have two roles: one is coloring (and beautiful as such) and the other is strong accent on being different from squares. I wonder her techniques on color application. Presumably she coloured sheets of paper first, next she cut out carefully the circled forms and finally mounted them on almost white cartoons. All these steps can be included in the term of mixed technique noted in the portal. Techniques aside please let yourself enjoy beauty of results and go to the portal to see more of her lovely works!

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Connie Zehr is represents conceptual art which means for me that she uses mixed technique to express what she feels important. I must confess not being educated sufficiently the main ideas and trends in conceptual art. As Sol Lewitt says “ In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art. ” Others (like J.Kosuth) says: "All art (after Duchamp) is conceptual (in nature) because art only exists conceptually." To make my point clear, I assume all other artists to follow a kind of concept to express ideas what they feel important. In that term concepts overlap with, but adjusted by styles. Furthermore I suspect that in conceptual art photographs is freely allowed for softening any borderlines which still more or less separates paintings from other kinds of visual arts. Subfields of visual art include collages, montages, photographs, and combinations of them to be either mounted on walls or performed in space can be regarded as artistic elaboration of ideas. Does it simply mean that techniques and styles become less important then ideas? What is new in that? Consult please for example Wikipedia on discussion of that problem since short comments are insufficient to explain.


Zehr, Connie, Title:Slip (detail), Date: 2007, Movement: Conceptual art, Theme: Abstract

At first I have suspected eggyolk flowing down on a little mound of sand. Eggyolk or diluted paint. However other techniques can also result in similar visual experience including overpainting a photograph. Deciphering of technique does of course not equal evaluation of the visual experience and is certainly not the only way to decide if a work is good or excellent. Still I suppose not being alone who starts at the point of how a conceptual work has been made. Nevertheless, suspected laws of moving several soft materiel together can as we see result in interesting painting – as long as we consider that work so.


Coincidents-2 - Double Mounds Split, Date: 2006

Techniques aside, what we see here two fairly similar components. (Is that the concept of coincidence itself?) There is a smooth gray background from where two mounds grow. Inside of both is totally dark as the black overpaint suggest. One can attribute some reason of the details of composition but we see a nice balance of gray and black spots over a soft surface. That work can easily be considered as an example of something close to minimal art. Alternatively it represents more than a simple design. Adjectives like simple, minimal or complex depends if one attributes importance on the elaborated surface of the mounds.



Eggs and Sand, Date: 1972

Presumably, she let dry sand flowing from a sack with a little opening to build many quite similar forms. They must not be too small related to the commonly known size of eggs, provided she used chicken eggs instead of more exotic ones of big or quite small birds. Finally she took a photograph using light which accents both the sandy surfaces and the regular shadows. Why? We do not know but our eyes wander freely over the many similar components, we enjoy the ordered arrangements of single fairly complicated forms. Is that the concept to be expressed?


Untitled, Date: Not Dated, Movement: Conceptual art

Several artists including for example Ben Nicholson used forms of whites mounted on top of each other. In such „paintings” the interesting components are in fact the shadows which obviously depends on the intensity and direction of lighting. Ms Zehr might pushed (printed) a kind of tool on the back side of a wet sheet of paper to produce slight and fairly similar but not exactly alike forms, framed it to show what can be an example of minimal art, monochrome, or representing a concept we are free to imagine.

Sorry if my notes seem a bit negative, so I feel a need to declare that her works are original and I like parts of them. I mean parts of her ideas and designs.

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Some works of Jean Degottex are found interesting due to their restricted simplicity which is in fact far more complicated when examined more closely. Likeliness for example between some of Hans Hartung paintings and the majority of the works shown here is obvious for me. One might however say that Hartung’s works fall at least as far as fragments of Chinese or Japanese characters painted by black ink on white surface. Differences are substantial for regarding Degottex as an original artist with considerable techniqual skills.


Degottex, Jean, Title:Untitled, Date: 1950, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Lithography


Untitled, Date: 1972 , Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Lithography

Another litograph seems at the first glance and from a distance like a Fontana with cuts into the canvas. Sufficient enlargement reveals that the two oblique lines are not cuts at all. They appear likely results of careful design: two symmetrical monochromes are combined with lines of very similar traces. The left one is a bit wider and its white color comes out strongly from the red. On the other hand the line at the right side is a narrow row of dots and short lines obviously darker only a bit than the background. Although it starts at a little closer to the top rigth corner than the onset of the white strip over the red surface, the design and direction of the two components is fairly similar. It takes time and devoted attention to detect some little differences between near identical parts of the two lines while their main directions and over all lengths are carefully maintained.


Yugen III, Date: 1961

This abstract composition of oil on canvas looks like simple and easy to do, but it is in fact very very complicated. The main component of wide black „line” changes direction, gets narrower here and there and fails to remain homogeneously black. Some of the little black dots are connected to each other or to the big components. There are gray dots and tiny ones too. The background is far from monochrome due to the lighter components some of them showing complicated form. Therefore large calm areas are almost missing. The design illustrates well the observation and law maintained by Kandinsky: as little as two small points organize strongly the planes, they determine directions and rations. Here we see patterns of many dots, very complicated forms which organize planes of that powerful painting.


Antee III, Date: 1956

A nearly vertical strip seems for me the reference element of this work. The oblique shorter and darker strips are all related closely but not equally to the presumed reference strip. There are bright white and light gray components too but all of them are relatively small. Sizes on one hand and brightness on the other balance the composition well. The main element looks floating over the blue-gray background which in itself is fairly elaborated and colorful.


pensée de transition, Date: 1959

Strong bright red makes this disproportionately horizontal composition very interesting. The red on blues generates strong signal in itself. Shifting of the red component to the left and the white arabesque of lines enhance further the power of artistic design. The background fails to be monochrome blue as it changes tone especially along a virtual vertical axis, while it remains fairly similar in the horizontal direction. The long black line and the little crossing form closer to the bottom right corner balances the composition apparently by supporting the red form.


Untitled, Date: 1983,

Another abstract painting is shown with a note that the „Technique: Other/Unknown” which challenges me. The regular rhytmicity of the rows on the bottom third of the composition suggests a proposal for possible explantion. He presumably used a tool with a rubber surface with little elevations. When rolled accross the neutral background traces of the rolling tool resemble traces of automobil tires. Techniques aside, this is a first class minimal artwork without colors and with rows of near vertical short lines separated by regular widths from each other. Slight differences among the rows makes the composition exciting within a limited dimension.

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Kósza-Sipos László was a pupil of Barcsay at Szentendre. His style as revealed by the limited number of works available in the portal has a stamp of his master obviously. He is far to be a simple character, however, who simply copies either the style or the concept of his master. Instead, he learned ways to transformate realistic details similarly his master’s ideas and likely followed Barcsay’s instruction. As I have noted before, Barcsay was one of the big Hungarian masters and an influential teacher of many contemporary Hungarian artists, therefore being one of his pupil is not a degradation of artistic quality.


Kósza Sipos, László, Title:Drawing, Date: 1968, Movement: Cubism.

The theme cityscape was often elaborated over the last centurises from the Mediaval years. Early on most painters used it as background for human figures being the central element of the painting. Over the last centuries since about 1800 cityscape (as well as landscapes) has becomed independent with less important human figures which are often missing entirely. Due to their basically geometrical forms, buildings has obviously meant a challenge for many cubist painters including Kósza. This pen and ink drawing still maintains obvious relationship with the realistic world in spite the transformations and distorsions.


Szentendre, Date: 1989, Movement: Cubism, Theme: Cityscape

This far more abstract painting maintains less relationship with buildings – some of which floats in blue sky(?) water(?) while others are supported firmly by the bottom line. The artist used a few colors (yellow, blue, white and gray) only, still the result is colorful most likely due to the yellow-blue balance.


Village, Date: 1971, Movement: Cubism.

This cityscape made with pastel fits far more to my ideas on advanced cubist abstraction. I like the elaborated bottom two-third filled completely by geometric forms including regular and irregular ones. It seems nothing else but „buildings” some with windows or doors, while the overwhelming majority are „rooftops and walls” only. Missing of brightness in coloring fits well to the pastel techniques, but balances well with vibration of complicated forms.



Without Title, Date: 1973.

This fine and fairly simple etching is an example of just the opposite way of thinking than the one resulting in Village above. There are no colors and number of components is very much reduced. Kósza uses here also some distorted (cubist) forms which resembles buildings, but most of the forms have no obvious relationship with the real world.


Vár, Date: 1973

This etching explains why Kósza is interesting for me. The elongated form and the strong contrasts between the elaborated top part with the far simpler bottom call for attention. This little work can be considered as getting quite far away from Barcsay’s influence, being the most transformed and distorted. It represents a good example of where the path determined by Barcsay goes.

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Rivane Neuenschwander’s name is strange for me and it has been a surprise that she is contemporary attributing her name to some master working long ago. Another surprise has been the mixed techniques including photography she apparently uses widely. In general I avoid commenting photos due to lack of expertise, but I risk an exception since her set shown below is a lucky combination of conceptual artwork and interesting but not particularly expert photography. For me visual arts get closer and closer blurring the borders of painting, performance, installation and photography even video clips. In other words the point is the final effect instead of the way the visual design has been produced. Combining various techniques gets easy by using computers, and in fact there is no reason to put some oldfashioned manual technique over some others or combinations. What counts is the final result.


Neuenschwander, Rivane Title:Conversation (Set of 12 pieces), Date: 2008,
Technique: Photo

I consider artwork in this particular case the surprising combination of title, a series of close up photos showing apparently unimportant details of things we get contacted almost daily. Just that everyday experience carries the information concerning the possible theme of conversation which of course has been a combinations of words, body languages, silence, eye contacts and appearence of simple things like glasses, plates or cups. Just as a combination one expects for similar, not particularly important occasions. It takes time to find out what is to be seen in the single small pictures, and looking after their relationships. I confess my failure in recognising some of the things shown. Just that, time devoted to looking up and thinking on what is to be seen might have been the purpose of showing the set. After all, a good conversation takes time.


One Thousand and One Possible Nights, Date: 2006, Movement: Art Now / Recent
Theme: Abstract, Technique: Mixed

The next two artworks seem for me quite closely related both in techniques and presumed purpose. Presumed because she fails in helping to find out what is to be seen other than dots and their mutual relationships over the plane. Some are smaller than others and get obviously condensed here and there. I can not decide what is more important: condensation of white dots or rarity, distance of them or the deep black broken up by only a few white dots. Thinking on that fixes my attention which may well be the aim of her to produce these two paintings - as far as the two can be considered paintings instead of for example installations. Training on artworks of previous centuries suggests but not proves that condensations are the main elements (centers) of the compositions. The two pictures together call attention for (or imagine of) one thousand and one possible other compositions, all different a bit and still resembling strongly upon each other.

One Thousand and One Possible Nights, Date: 2006



Quarta-Feira de Cinzas/Epilogue, Date: 2006, Movement: Art Now / Recent
Theme: Other/Unknown, Technique: Other/Unknown

Unfortunately I can not read the title of this artwork, which may quite well important enough to miss the point. Of course I see the ant and the colored dots and can develop an idea how such a picture might be made. One need a digital photograph on the ant walking over a neutral but not smooth surface (like bark of some wood). Then a computer software like Designer, Corel, or Photoshop is used to generate colored dots. Next the yellow-green dot is combined by the picture of the ant to suggest that the dot is in fact a circled object moved by the insect. As a last step the picture should be trimmed and enlarged sufficiently. Of course other techniques can also be useful to result in similar visual effect.



Secondary Stories, Date: 2006, Technique: Installation.

Let me assume that the primary story was generating colored circles once again using a computer. Arrangement (displacement) of the circles is quite easy including the overlaps and changing of colors of overlapping objects. To make the second story, one puts the whole set on a neutral lined background. While doing that one can develop and test various ideas of design to achieve interesting effects. It may of course be due to my own limitations, but I fail to get the point of why exactly that design was accepted as final and best of a large number of other possibilities.

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Magic of geometry has a lasting influence on many artists. Some uses geometrical rules to organize compositions like triangular arrangement of figures or circular one on tondos while the geometrical element in itself like drawn lines, contours etc remains hidden. Many others use geometrical elements openly. John A. Hiigli does so depicting tree dimensional polygons to generate strong illusion of space.



Title:Cr 143 four cuboctahedron: Radical perspective series, Date: 1999, Movement: MADI, Theme: Abstract.

I confess not being acquainted with MADI and would be happy if someone can tell me about. However I can see that the four objects are in fact two pairs of identical elements shown upside down. For me the pair of upper left and bottom right can not be made by folding a sheet like paper because the yellow square fails to fit into the surface, it seems just applied upon the polygon. The cuboctahedron is obviously a very complicated form.



Cr 174 Hypercross: Mathematica series, Date: 2003-2004, Movement: MADI.

One cannot escape associating this cross with Vasarely. Hiigli leaves the elements transparent and follows rules of linear perspective rigorously to generate strong illusion of space. The opaque colors are not bright and the slight haze fits the composition well. I suppose several artist who designed or even exhibited similar or identical crosses made with different coloring. Provided being correct, this assumption renders the Hypercross to a well made but not quite original study. It is a fashion that artists are required being original and work differently from ancestors, a requirement hard to fit while artists remain within the frames of geometry.



Cr 176 Polytransparency B - Front View: Cuboctahedra Inherent in 16 Frequency Tetrahedron

Such a quite long title identifies a very complicated form indeed. To make our life a bit more difficult, there are in fact three forms of which the two smaller ones are put within the biggest. The pattern of guide-lines help to understand how the form has been designed. While one tries to decifer this rules, she/he learns to enjoy and appreciate geometrical complexity.



Hiigli, John A. Title:DA #1 Lines: 3 Cubes, Date: 2009, Movement: MADI, Theme: Abstract,
Technique: Computer print.

One might ask why he used computer to generate a fairly simple artwork being able to design much more complicated items by classical techniques. Alternatively, all his works shown here are in fact computer prints without telling so. This airy composition generates illusion of several transparent sheets (like glass for example) cut carefully to rectangular form and put on top of each other and covering parts of the colored lines (narrow strips). This idea explains why the lines are as long as shown and changes colors regularly according to a rigorous design. In other words Hiigly applies a well known optical illusion creatively.

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Fortunately this website contains a fairly impressive collection of Paul Klee’s works, who was no doubt a significant artist of the last century. Many others followed his path branching out from one or another paintings or little series of him. A series was depicting strips illustrated below, another was devoted to fantastic portraits, yet others show one or more fish.


Klee, Paul, Title:Fire in the Evening, Date: 1929, Movement: Blaue Reiter, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Oil on wood.

This great painting is devoted to horizontal strips and illustrates well how he investigated interactions of colors reducing forms to minimal. However width of the strips is different and shifts of colored groups make the composition more interesting and fairly complicated. One got happy (in Bauhaus where he was one of the distinguished professors) to learn rules of coloring from such bright studies which to my best knowledge was just that: a color study.


Conqueror, Date: 1930, Movement: Blaue Reiter.

Many say that Klee was among those who recognized artistic quality of children’s works. No doubt that paintings like that were NOT made by a child not even Klee during his own childhood. However the little happy figure playing with his paper dragon or flag is obviously related to drawings of children. Klee is known to be extremely (just like Kandinsky) sensitive to colors which comes out obviously from this simple composition.

Fish Magic, Date: 1925, Movement: Blaue Reiter, Theme: Abstract

Fish magic indeed but there are other figures like flowers or human beings depicted too. Due to the deep blue background some attributes seewater to it, since fish is easily associated with water. Aside form the great variety of forms the composition is quite simple, kind of listing the components which have no apparent relationship with others. One of my girlfriend cut this picture out from a book of her father (HE was not happy for that) and gifted it to me telling that it functions better on my wall than hidden in some book put among many other rarely opened ones.


Senecio, Date: 1922.

This fantastic portrait of nobody was hanging on the wall of my room while I was university student. It was of course only a poster obtained as suvenir of an exhibition of Klee’s works I was fortunate to see in Poland. He watched me learning anatomy, physiology, surgery, and neurology alike over the years. It was unfortunately damaged when I moved to another flat and must have been rejected from the group of reproductions used for decorating my room. What else should be told in this lovely painting, which is not evident by itself?


Red Balloon, Date: 1922.

Another example of my favourites. I do not think that Klee wanted to depict a ballon which certainly was still a novelty in the early twenties of the last century. Just like fragments of houses the red circle is only an element of the composition being the largest of the few circles among the rectangles and triangles. I particularly love the soft background likely made by removing layers of pigment from the canvas.
I do not think that my limited sample represents sufficiently Klee’s art. He was so complex and influential that longlasting analysis is required to appreciate his richness.

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Csikós László’s works are the first of the novel technique of computer aided pictures. I would not call them „paintings” simply because of the obviously different technique involved but certainly not to the style or quality. These works rank with Victor Vasarely best prints many of them was not made by freehand. Computers do what we tell them but just that telling decides quality and rank of composition and results.


Csikós, László, Title:CQ-0805-10, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print

It is rather easy to find out the basic elements: waves of lines getting thicker from the center to periphery. Then the motifs are repeated many many times over, and coloring was introduced. Coloring induced some virtual simple geometry. The central part resembles me to a woman breast but it may not be intentional. The bright color helps the composition to get stunning.
He says print which is simply a hard copy of the virtual composition made by Csikós and his computer on the screen and saved on a CD or DVD rather.


CQ-0805-34a, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print.

Here again a single form is distorted gradually and each grades are a bit shifted upward or downward from the center – where the two sharp spikes meet. The composition of this gradual changes generates the illusion of vibrating and moving which is calmed down by the concentric circles.


CQ-rajz-70a, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print

What we see here is rotation of a simple waving and waxing line on a gold and grey background. The soft central part is an exemption, faint lines start a bit off-center and become thicker toward the periphery. There are several spots where coloring generates distorsion of the regular pattern but careful examination of the lines provides evidence for the consistent design. The central part again resembles me a woman breast.

CQ-rajz-56, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print

I can not escape from the assumtion that this print deals with female genitalia. Pattern of lines is extremely complex but strongly generates space illusion. The simple black and white design suggests illustration from a book. I appreciate on this picture the initial design of lines and the conception on gradual modification of them. It must have been an extremely hard work which could not be made by the computer alone, Csikós’s mental work must have been greatly involved.

CQ-0805-22d, Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract, Technique: Computer print

Is this a butterfly? Or rather a bat? Either of them comes „alive” simply by making part of the waving lines black instead of gold on the left side and black from white on the right side. The little concentric circles disturb and make the cool composition a bit lazy – just sufficient to feel elegant ease.

The whole collection of Csikós’s works shown here in the website sets a high level of computer graphics and op art combined .

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Also known az Simon Veronika whom I met before. Acquaitance is the only reason of this note on paintings far from my taste. I do appreciate technical skill and composition, but the I simply do not like the results. Her preference of religious objects are quite obvious and explain why I can not comment on each items of the little selection below. The titles provide sufficient guidance for the themes and objects, and in most cases the composition is reduced to age-old traditions of portrait paintings.


Simon, M. Veronika, Title: Szent Család a Kárpát-medencében, Date: 1999
Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Saints

This is a suggestive depiction of the still common desire in Hungary the our real word should still be the land together with the mountain of Karpathy. My knowledge on history is unfortunately poor therefore I am unable to identify correctly who the portraits show.


Szent Rita, Date: 2005.

I do not know in details the curriculi of Saints and can not identify the symbols required or at least expected pictures of them. Roses and spikes should suggest something at least I suppose so.


Szent Angéla Date: 2005


Jásdi Szűzanya


Keresztút (olaj) Date: 2003.

Here the old and very conventional triangular composition fits quite well to the details. The diagonal setting of Jesus, and the two ladies (Maria and Magdolna I suppose) form a closed group coming upward from the neutral foreground. The cross and the ladder goes far upward, so far as to run out from the frames. Unfortunately the photograph a bit out of focus since I know her characteristic style working with sharp borderlines.

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Since I carve myself too (using marble or wood) I like commenting other sculptors (Moore, Gabo, Pevsner) or even Damian Ortega.
Ortega, Damián Title: False Movement, Date: 1999, Movement: Art Now / Recent,
Theme: Abstract

I know empty oil drums (containers) as special instruments for a kind of music, but this is the first time I see composition made using them. I can not see how the three drums have been fixed together perhaps because the focus in this reproduction is poor. However the delicate balance makes the composition interesting. A kind of tension irradiates from.


Controller of the Universe, Date: 2007

I suppose this large set of tools are fixed to a glass sheet and to each other using thin and invisible nylon strings. Technical problems aside, this is a quite surprising composition as heavy tools appear to float. The obvious radiating, central - peripheral arrangement justifies relation to the Universe.


Totilla construction modules, Date: 1998, Movement: Art Now / Recent

I suppose the title is incorrect, Tortilla might be correct instead of Totilla. I can also assume potato chips as ready made components. A fragile and not too permanent composition has been put together in the obvious way. Defining space is fairly complex but I do not particularly like it.


Superficie Modulada (+ Superficie Modulada, lrgr; 2 works)

This seems to be assembled by ready made plexyglas fragments and either plexy or glass sheets. Plexy is a hard and rigid material but can nicely be worked for example by sandpaper and a final step of polishing gives smooth and transparent finish. Among others Naum Gabo made several works using plexyglas and nylon strings. Nowadays real and often colored glass seems to replace plexy in hands of sculptors. The title also mention Modulada which perhaps mean moveable modul that is something (a part of the composition) can be moved by hand or a hidden simple motor. This should be shown with several shots or a short video clip.


Materialista , Date: 2008, Movement: Art Now / Recent, Theme: Abstract

Once again I suppose hanging the components from glass surfaces and nylon string. Floating makes it surprising, original and unique. The composition not too complex and the individual parts are not fearful. It might be a kind of representation of the front part of a big truck (camion).

Ortega seems for me far better in composing then other more conventional ways of making sculpts. However compositions he made controls space and irradiates strong design, which can as well be appreciated as his obvious and unique technical skills.

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Chicago, Judy was (is?) master of variation or creative using of similar elements.


Through The Flower, Date: 1991, Movement: Women's Art, Theme: Abstract
Technique: Lithography

I have not been informed, that Women’s Art makes a movement different from all other where women’s works are simply included. But no way to reject the idea in spite of the fact that someone named Judy is unlikely a man.
The simple idea of this painting has likely been a hard work to produce. I do not know in details how lithography is made, but the design itself indicates very very disciplined handwork. The soft coloring fits well both into the design resembling indeed a flower and the womanhood of the artist.


Female Rejection Drawing Date: 1974

Here is number one of examples of creative usage of the same design shown above. Each single petals are completed by a yellow hook of various forms and the calm central component of the above picture is destroyed. The contours has been made wavy which in turn makes the composition vibrating. I suppose that the faint text on the bottom is not part of the composition. Let as eccept the Chinese symbols where Crizantem refers to female genitalia. Then this is a very very unattractive thus the title rejection is fully justified.


Rejection Fantasy Draing Date: 1974

Here is a third variant. This one is less vibrating in spite of the wavy contours of the petals. The faint outermost circle fail to blurr the obvious horizontal and vertical direction of the axes, defined by the four (two identical pairs) components which differ all of the rest. Once again the soft coloring should be appreciated.


Here the design examines how a flower can be split open. The two flowers on the top are nearly identical and both are gradually opened in the middle and further by the bottom pairs. One should consider the series and independent but very similar works since the texts which are unlikely parts of the composition obviously separates them. A nice example of consistent exploration of a fairly simple idea with nice result.

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Ferenc Sebők came into my mind when he was freshly uploaded on this web site. Looking up his large collection suggested that he is an artist with wide range of styles, themes, and techniques. Most of his works are alien for me, but a few has caught my attention. Here is a little selection.


Future and symbolic of Szàszvàr, Date: 2005, Movement: Art Now / Recent

I can not decifer the central part of this composition but the design of circles seems interesting. He combines very precise circles (made likely by compass) with others apparently made freehand. Coloring is not bright which fits the soft contours. Otherwise it is a simple composition with likely important but unknown meaning for me. Certainly NOT just circles what he wanted.


Gabriel angel icon, Date: 2005, Movement: Art Now / Recent

It is a surprise for me to consider this painting as an example of Art Now/Recent. Icon painting is several hundreds years old with strict and rigid rules. Gabriel has been made likely many thousands times over the years with very little differences. For me icon painting is a technical virtue and very disciplined art. In this respect it is close to a kind of Art Now movement, but the theme Gabriel hardly fits into.



Key of Universe, Date: 2007

I am sorry to be uninformed in the large field of religious symbols. Jewish characters suggest that this composition may belong to the movement called cabala. I can however get distant from the meaning of that symbol and consider the painting as an artwork with interesting composition. For example one can enjoy the way of a circle getting oval, the balance of large and small motifs like circles, triangles, and stars. In this respect it is close but not identical with an example of Minimal Art.

L'Offrande, Movement: Body Art, Theme: Nude

I suppose this drawing would be a commercial success. No comment is needed.


Sentier en montagne, Date: 2006

At first glance this composition looks like a photomontage. Montage because it is quite unlikely to find two very similar trees next to each other on an otherwise almost empty field. Closer examination reveals that it is NOT a photographs but a careful drawing likely produced by black ink. The composition is made interesting for me by the two trees which are far to be identical as located in front of a likely unrealistic scene with forests and mountains.


Ravin Date: 1991

This painting would quite likely pass as a good example of Action Painting. The colored spots have soft contours and seem to keep traces of brushwork. The tree could be considered as a set of branching lines. On the other hand one can see a fairly realistic tree in front of cloudy mountain scene. Pattern of branching results a form lovely for me.

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