Luca Sára Rózsa
Artist Statement
“One philosophical foundation upon which portraiture and the representation of the human form rest is the redemption of immortality. As the image is created, the portayed person, promoted to a memory, is set forever in posterity’s consciousness and therefore survives.
To seek the meaning of human life in fulfilment of one’s individuality reflects a typically Western attitude – the idea of „creating something big” has at its core the ego as an individual, and its primary drive is the fear of death.
If, while seeking for a meaning to our existence, we turn our gaze to the East, we find a different answer. Considering ourselves as drops in the sea, we are promptly absolved and untied from the burden of individuality, and our existence, framed by birth and death, becomes naturally construed as part of a larger cycle. It’s the beginning and the end – the two extremes of life – that maintains and ensures continuity and permanent renewal. Thus the one lives as part of the whole, and this gives meaning to its existence.
Nature plays a different role in these two fundamentally opposing philosophical approaches. Whereas the Western approach builds up a hierarchy, with man on the top and everything else lined up to serve him, classic Eastern philosophies attest to a balanced juxtaposition.
The figures of my paintings are mammals who have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge. Expelled from Paradise, they are fully exposed to their fate, sometimes facing it with resignation, other times seeking for its meaning.”
CV
Luca Sára Rózsa is a visual artist based in Hungary, born in Budapest, 1990.
Studies
2012-2017
Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Painting (HU)
2015
Jan Matejko University of Fine Arts Krakow (PL)
2009-2012
Eszterházy Károly College, Visual Arts (HU)
2011
Universitate di Arta si Design, Cluj Napoca (RO)
Solo Exhibitions
- “Naked Mammals”, Steve Turner Gallery, LA, US 2022
- “Arcade”with Kata Tranker, VILTIN Gallery, Budapest 2022
- „Heavy Chains of Sentimentalism”, VILTIN Gallery, Budapest 2021
- „Wannabes”, CEAAC, Strasbourg 2020
- „Thy will be done”, Tornyai János Múzeum, Hódmezővásárhely, 2019
- „Kingdom”, HybridArt Space, Budapest 2018
- „Lost Paradise (It’s drama!)”, Telep Galery, Budapest 2018
- „From the Leányka street” with Adrienn Dér, Roots Budapest 2017
- „The Gentle Barbarian” with József Gaál, Város Boltja Gallery, Budapest 2015
- „The Map and the Territory” Labor Gallery, Budapest 2014
- „Seeker” solo, Dalmát, Szentendre 2013
- Master and Disciple ex., Salon Karinthy, Budapest 2012
- „Random Tales”, Dalmát, Szentendre 2011
- „Self portraits”, HK Gallery, Eger 2011
Group exhibitions
2023
- „Down in the Woods, Up tot he Sky”, DoubleQ Gallery, Hong Kong
2022
- „Naked Mammals (The Man Who Ran Out of the Image and Vanished)”, Longtermhandstand, HU
- An Eclectic Attempt to Complete the Torso in My Head, UGM, Maribor, Slovenia
- In Search for a Better Life, Schloss Esterhazy, Austria
- DIRECTIONS A new possibility in acquisitions, National Gallery of Hungary
- Derkó 2022, Kunsthalle Budapest
2021
- Short List 2021 – Esterházy Art Award – Young Scene Hungary, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
- Derkó 2021, Kunsthalle Budapest
- „Are You Sure You Want to Reset?” POWDER vol4., Torula, Győr
2020
- „Momentary Paradise” POWDER vol3., Lajos Vajda Studio, Szentendre
- „Figure”, Viltin Gallery, Budapest
- Derkó 2020, Kunsthalle, Budapest
- „Hommage á János Tornyai”, János Tornyai Museum, Hódmezővásárhely, HU
2019
- „Searching for T-art”, Szent József Ház, Budapest, HU
- Autumn Expo, Alföldi Galéria, Hódmezővásárhely, HU
- „Time/Image”, MANK Gallery, Szentendre, HU
- „Powder”, K11 Gallery, Budapest, HU
- „Multitasking”, Ani Molnár Gallery, Budapest, HU
2018
- Painters’ Day, Szolnok, HU
- Exhibition of the Awarded, B1 Gallery, Budapest, HU
- Autumn Exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, HU
- „Is this the time of our lives?” MODEM, Debrecen, HU
- Entré V4 tour in National Gallery, Bratislava SK / Balassi Institute, Ljubljana, SL / Hungarian Cultural Institute, Warsaw, PL/ Majel Center, Kosice, SK/ Esterházy Palace, Győr, HU/ Hungarian Institute, Bratislava, SK/Hybridart Space, Budapest, HU
- „Powder”, Bartók1 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2017
- Entré 2017, Mikve, Buda Castle, Budapest
- Best of Diploma 2017, Reök Palace, Szeged (HU)
- Best of Diploma 2017 MKE Budapest
- „GÉM//GAMEkapocs” MODEM (Modern and Contemporary Art Museum), Debrecen
- „Private oasis” MAMÜ Gallery, Budapest
- „Pressure makes diamond”, Aula MKE, Budapest
2016
- „Aura Exotic” A.P.A. Gallery, Budapest
- Fundamenta Amadeus awards exhibition, Hungarian University of Fine arts
- Ari Kupsus awards exhibition, Ari Kupsus Gallery
- Csók István memorial exhibition, The Castle Garden Bazaar, Budapest
2015
- „There must be a window above every couch” Hermina Gallery, BUdapest
- „Studio Discussions”, Godot Gallery, Budapest
- „Third and Fourth year”, B52 Gallery, Budapest
- Pakk Art, Defo, Budapest
2014
- Pakk art, Higgsfield Gallery, Budapest
- MTA, group ex.
- ”Gén-Tér-Kép” group ex., Artus Studio, Budapest
- Fundamenta Amadeus ex., Barcsay hall, MKE, Budapest
2013
- „Flaszter Csalamádé”, group, Szentendre open air
- „Dudes drawing”, group, MüSzi, Budapest
2012
- Without title, group ex., Flóra Hotel, Eger
- „Quint”, group, Dubai
- Final Exhibition, Templom Gallery, Eger
- Exhibition from the workshop of Erdősszőlő, group, Zsinagóga gallery, Eger
2011
- Albac 21, group, Cluj-Napoca
- Erasmus exhibition, Casa Mate, Cluj Napoca
- Ekf group ex., Ráday street gallery, Budapest
- Winter Expo, group, Miskolc
- „Naturally” nature art group ex., MagArt, Aggtelek
Prizes / Scholarships
- Erasmus scholarship, Cluj Napoca (RO)
- Erasmus scholarship, Cracow (PL)
- Fundamenta Amadeus Prize 2014
- István Csók Award I. place 2015
- Fundamenta Amadeus Prize 2016
- Republic Scholarship 2016/2017
- Béla Grúber Prize 2017
- Young Painters Prize 2018
- Budapest Gallery Artist in Residence Program 2019 – Strassbourg (FR)
- Painting Symposium – Hódmezővásárhely, HU – 2019
- DERKÓ Young Artists’ Scholarship 2020
- DERKÓ Young Artists’ Scholarship 2021
