Csontváry – In the language of photons – Interview with Gábor Rieder

How can Csontvári's impressive oeuvre be reproduced using a completely new medium? Why does the CODE immersive exhibition about the famous painter speak in the "language of photons"? We discussed these questions, among others, with art historian Gábor Rieder, who is the curator of Csontváry – In The Language of Photons.

The title of the exhibition is Csontvári - In the Language of Photons. How does the language of photons relate to Csontvári's art?

This title combines historical and art historical facts with today's contemporary technological approaches. The goal was to create not just a spectacular immersive show, but something that truly tells the story of Csontvári's life, his creative life, and his relationship with art. Csontvári entered art history as the painter of the Sun, as he dealt with the artistic translation of natural phenomena and their effects.phenomena and effects. Translated into today's language, he mapped the world of photons. This is how Csontvári's painting connects with digital light painting.

What difficulties does creating such an exhibition entail?

The biggest challenge was how to present paintings in a space where there are no physical paintings. Here, everything revolves around the deconstruction and reconstruction of images, and the visitor experiences this as a documentary-like experience. For example, it was a serious challenge to figure out how to "transform" a two-dimensional paintingand involve the entire space in the experience. This is a new language, a new genre. Precisely for this reason, however, because there are not only paintings and text panels on display in the space, it provides a much more intense experience. The immersive space "sucks in" the visitor, functioning almost like a documentary film, with Csontvári's own words providing the narration. This experience can have a powerful effect on people, and perhaps they will then view his paintings with a more understanding eye.

This exhibition not only showcases Csontvári's art, but also the work of contemporary artists who created this audiovisual experience.

We are hesitant, but perhaps we can say that yes, this is actually two works: on the one hand, we see Csontvári's works, and on the other, the works of contemporary digital artists. The team deliberately adopted an intermedia approach, which was a conscious decision. This was necessary in order to create authentic and powerful artistic content in a multidimensional projected space. In addition , the artists approached the project not with the intention of rivaling Csontvári's art, but rather to show, using their own tools, how a classical painter can be presented in this way. This is very interesting and makes the entire production unique.

How popular is Csontváry today, and how can an exhibition like this help more people get to know him?

The Csontvári cult reached its peak in the 1970s. However, it needs to be reintroduced to new generations in new forms, and a space like this is perfectly suited for that, even if it is not strictly an educational project, but rather an artistic interpretation. The content shown here is a visual complement to Csontvári's interpretation. The main narrative is chronological, based on his quotations, supplemented with biographical data appearing on external screens. The aim was not to retell the story, but to illustrate it visually. Many aspects of the painter's life are visualized here that could not previously be shown in a typical exhibition. One such example is the experience of the Szeged flood, which is almost tangible for the viewer, the sound effects and the way it is depicted can leave a completely different impression on us.

Csontvári's life is marked by numerous myths. Could we say that there are more myths than reality in the painter's story?

Yes, he is surrounded by many myths, some of which he himself created, and some of which were added by later cults. The truth in his case is often unverifiable: there are no notes, sketches, or authentic documents. Therefore, historical reconstruction is a bit like deciphering an ancient civilization: you have to piece something together from fragments, which may never be complete. It is very difficult, as there are no notes or sketches to help identify the images or provide any additional clues. The memories are quite fragmented, and it is very difficult to decipher what is real and what is not. There is very little information available about his painting period from first-hand sources, and this incomplete mosaic must be pieced together, unlike, for example, in the case of Hungarian painters at the turn of the century.

Does this mean that more and more information about Csontvári's life can be revealed?

Yes, there are always new attempts, new visual interpretations. Csontvári's myth lives on, and perhaps it is precisely through experiences such as those we see in CODE that he is becoming closer to the younger generation.

Jegyvásárlás