This exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the work of Zsuzsa Péreli, a prominent figure in Hungarian tapestry art. Showcasing the artist's most significant works, it was organized in collaboration with various museums and private collectors and includes a number of newly presented tapestries. In addition to presenting her oeuvre, the exhibition also illustrates the rise and conceptual transformation of contemporary tapestry art in Hungary.
Zsuzsa Péreli has played a fundamental role in reclaiming the autonomy of the genre from the second half of the 20th century to the present day. Her tapestries combine the traditional techniques of woven gobelin with elements such as found objects, enlargement, and the deconstruction and reduction of materials, challenging the limits of the medium while upholding its traditional values. Her works exhibit compositional discipline while also exuding lyrical sensitivity and a sense of elevation, often addressing the themes of remembrance, social critique, or spirituality. Her artworks often merge layers of time and space, creating unique worlds that draw from historical references, personal mythology, and the aesthetics of ecclesiastical art.
The exhibition is only partially chronological. It explores the artist's body of work across three thematic galleries, grouped by content and stylistic units, followed by further nuanced thematic sections that reveal the complexity of her artistic journey.
The first gallery brings to life memories of the past: works inspired by rural and old family photographs, as well as archival images. These reflect a nostalgic interest in countryside culture, captured through Péreli's documentary yet poetic approach, rendering the objectified moments of rural life in an allegorical frame. This space also includes pieces that explore childhood and feature actress portraits, expressing themes of connection to one’s roots, the search for identity, and the inspection of the artist’s role.
The second gallery elevates visitors into a transcendent dimension: it focuses on works that express the inner, spiritual aspects of human existence. These pieces radiate a timeless, dreamlike quality and, by moving beyond traditional tapestry art, also enter into a dialog with installation art. Péreli's tapestries depicting metaphysical landscapes and angels embody the soul's inner journey—the quietude of contemplation, solace, or even passing.
The third gallery addresses social sensitivity, showcasing tapestries that reflect on the challenges of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. These socially critical works delve into themes such as recent historical traumas, the climate crisis, social alienation, conformity, and the tensions within personal relationships—expressed with drama, irony, or quiet reflection, but always with thought-provoking intent.
Zsuzsa Péreli’s art goes far beyond the decorative function of the genre, forming an autonomous visual art message through her woven ‘paintings.’ By articulating profound themes and reinterpreting the medium of tapestry, she builds a bridge between tradition and contemporary art, and her oeuvre holds outstanding value in the history of Hungarian art.