Gábor Markovics Exhibition at IArt Gallery to Celebrate National Hungarian Day

On October 23, Hungary celebrated their National Holiday. To emphasize once more the diplomatic and friendly ties between the two countries, Georgia marked the date on the calendar as well.

On Thursday, October 24, IArt Gallery presented an exhibition titled Staring IntoThe Well from young Hungarian painter Gábor Markovics.

By joint efforts of the Hungarian Embassy to Georgia and the IArt Gallery, for the first time, the works of Gabor Markovics were introduced to the Georgian public.

Dr. Anikó Farkas of the Hungarian Embassy to Georgia, told GEORGIA TODAY that it was no accident that they chose specifically Markovics’ works for the exhibition. “He’s a very popular painter in his native country of Hungary. It was important for us to show how contemporary artists from Hungary and Georgia connect in the expression of their art.”

Ia Bokuchava, the owner of the gallery and the curator of the exhibition added that “though Markovics is very unique with his style, in his works one can see the crossovers with the Georgian conception of the world.”

Around thirty paintings showcased in IArt Gallery were chosen from private collections, but three of them were created especially for the exhibition, preceded by the artist’s journey through Georgia during which time he familiarized himself with different aspects of Georgian culture and history, common village people as well as their character.

“He made these works for the IArt exhibition but they are not works made out of mere responsibility to do so,” Bokuchava tells us. “There lays great fascination in these pictures: the artist opens the door to the psychology of the characters.”

True to her words, the Hungarian artist’s paintings are floating conceptions, beginnings of stories that will continue to live on with you from the moment you look at them. You are left to wonder, for example, what the backgrounds and futures are of the sleeping little girl, boy with a butterfly on him, and man spitting seeds into a bowl.

The Hungarian painter also met with his Georgian counterparts.

“Markovics met important Georgian contemporary painters. They bonded and I’m sure their connections will keep them in touch,” the curator of the exhibition told us.

Showing signs of an outstanding imagination from his early years, Markovics’ first painting showed an owl butterfly, with which he won the National Drawing competition when he was just 14 years old. Works by Gabor Markovics are distinguished for their rich color, sophisticated composition and deep philosophical stance towards reality.

The exposition was opened by Ms. H.E. Dr. Viktória Horváth, Ambassador of Hungary to Georgia, and attended by the artist himself. It was open to the public through November 6. As reported by the organizers, around 1000 visitors came to the gallery to see the paintings of the Hungarian painter.

“We couldn’t be happier with how the exhibition turned out,” the Hungarian Embassy stated.

The National day of Hungary, October 23 historically dates back to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 (a.k.a. Hungarian Uprising of 1956) was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People’s Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956.

At the inauguration of the Third Hungarian Republic in 1989, 23 October was declared a national holiday.

By Nini Dakhundaridze