Seeking equilibrium – the works of János Blaskó
The parallel exhibitions of Tiszteletadás a különutaknak wishes to revisit the work of little-known or forgotten artists, who might have enjoyed a successful career in art if it had not been for their special way or Hungarian history in the second half of the 20th century.
The works of János Blaskó are special on account of their intimacy. They are on display in the first room of the right aisle of the Műcsarnok. The visitor enters this majestic space from the entrance hall to first encounter the atmosphere of the entire series of exhibitions. The paintings of János Blaskó deal with the motifs and inspirational powers of artistic creation. If an artwork has a reason to be, it is not success, but the discreet gesture made to the artist and his or her close environment. Its essence is the process itself, the experimenting. This view of art has much in common with Oriental art philosophy, which is a world where the master sums up his thoughts in poetry and experiences meditative and profoundly spiritual experiences. That requires silence, solitude and a balanced personality.
János Blaskó will have been like that. Born in Debrecen in 1919, he studied at the National Royal College of Fine Arts under Oszkár Glatz and Rezső Burghardt. He learnt from the vividness of colours, form creation and composition skills. He got a job as an art teacher and taught at the Lutheran Grammar School in Lónyai utca, Budapest, and the training schools of the Teacher Training College, as well as various primary schools. Between 1962 and 1981 he taught in the art department of the Teacher Training College in Eger. His former pupils and students fondly remember him as an individual who provided them a free artistic environment for teaching. His known pupils include Attila Csáji, Péter Földi, Tamás Cseh, Péter Türk and József Finta. Most of his solo exhibitions were held in Eger. His 1977 exhibition at the Műcsarnok was opened by architect József Finta. He had exhibitions abroad in Milan (1965), Florence (1971) and Košice (1973), which were met with success, with many of his works going to foreign collections. As opposed to most artists, he did not create art to sell, and had no wish to make a living from art. He handed down his knowledge to the next generations through teaching. The exhibition at the Műcsarnok is pays belated homage to the master.
Curator: Anna Kopócsy