Thoughts - Exhibition of Anna Kubinyi textilartist

My artistic career of almost three decades can be divided into distinct phases based on the themes selected and the techniques used. In the first period I created rather statuesque surfaces and spatial forms inspired by natural phenomena with a symbolic meaning. My objective was to present and praise Nature in all its perfection, its organization, its perpetual renewal and the mighty powers continuously at work, as well as to consider them further from a human perspective. After this virtually 3-D period a relatively flat period followed. With a series of two-layered textiles I was trying to depict certain ideas, physical and spiritual phenomena important to me in a visual form and translate these into the language of textile. I wished to express these thoughts and feelings through sleek layers, intensive colours, beautiful and exciting surfaces. Lately - inspired by my wanderings through Transylvania - I have been drawn to new questions and revelations. In order to locate ourselves in the perpetual motion of the Universe, in this timeless, endless Process, we need to know our roots, our history, our ancient myths, our art, the symbolic language of our folk art, which faithfully reflects the mindset of a given ethnic group. We can locate ourselves in the Process if we respect not only Nature, but our ancestors and our traditions and we precisely know our identity. We should live our modern lives, do our everyday actions in the light of this knowledge and we should transfer it to our descendants. In order to express the above thoughts, I am currently engaged in transforming ancient signs and motifs dating from the age of settlement of the Magyars in the Carpathian basin, depicting the clear symbolic structure of folk art into a present-day message. I strive to rephrase and transmit their eternal messages.

Anna Kubinyi

Opening speech by Tibor Wehner art historian.