Dobrik István: Papp László festőművész (Officina Musei 16. Miskolc, 2007)
Summary The publication of this small volume and the exhibition, which was opened at the same time, present a person, whose determination and works were indirect or in a direct way their teacher for many people. After the Second World War he was the personality of that generation which rebuilt the country. In all his life till today he has been steered in his trials by an ego that was looking for beauty. Together with his fellow combatants he considered no sacrifice for the recovery of the country. And during his service he also stood on the side of truth and honour. Few belong to those people who are steered also today by the moral instruction to act for the others, thus the community. The face of his soul adorned itself by the strong love for his fellow citizens. Despite his advanced age one can often feel his ageless personality. His wise and constantly informative fake quarrels often helped see through the insignificant affairs of life decked out with a mask. Mis perseverance and exemplary love for the common cause gave strength to many people to interpret life. Morality determined primarily the direction for his art and his pedagogical work. Beyond the aesthetic values his paintings and graphics are still documents ot his time. Thousands of events over the years reflect themselves in the technical variety of his works and in the richness of the topics. His original attitude towards work pervades the stylistic variety of his works and makes them a unit. Mis works arc characterized by a picturesque describing, an expressiveness that breathes feelings or by the lyric creativity which arises from experiences in the landscape. Midden in the works are the friendship with the contemporary painter János Seres, the silent protests of the graphic artist Zoltán benkey, the visions of the ingenious Béla Kondor, the faith ot László Bod and Sándor Várady, which creates new things, and the work of the colleagues living in Miskolc, which formed the fine arts of the city. On August 3 rd , 1922 he was born in Miskolc. Me was completed the Reformed Lévay József Grammar School; his drawing teacher at that time was Zsigmond Imreh. I tome, family environment and his interest in the spirituality of the grammar school led him already early towards social, political, literary and artistic questions. By the people movement under the influence ot Endre Ady, Zsigmond Móricz, Dezső Szabó, Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály and István Györffy and by the influence of the homeland researchers and at the same time authors his thoughts were strongly enriched. I fc completed his studies of law at the academy and participated in the summer course of the College of line Art in Nagybánya. During the war he was taken prisoner by the English. With his companions Simon Sarkantyú, János Arató, Komotsai István and Pál Nónay and under the leadership of Jenő Szcrvátiusz he founded an artist colony during that time. After his homecoming in May 1946 a charge was laid on him by his friends and colleagues in the "Nép/ Kollégiumok Országos Szövetségé", which had been constituted at that dmc. Me participated in the establishment and leading of eight associations in Miskolc. 1 Ie played an important role in the reorganisation of the fine arts of Miskolc. In the fifties he was a councillor for national education in this city, later he taught at a primary school for a short time. Due to his participation in the revolution of 1956 and the fight for independence he was arrested. After being released in the year 1958 he continued his activity as a teacher in the vocational School for Trade and Catering Trade. Me was a school-inspector for drawing for the grammar schools of the city and the comitat up to his retirement, from 1952 he led the "Vasas Képzőművész Kör", where he emphasized the importance to maintain the high level of the movement of the amateurs' fine arts and the good education of young people. The career of many architects, painters, graphic artists, sculptors, artist-craftsmen and drawing teachers began here, From 1947 he has shown his works at local and national exhibitions regularly. Since 1947 he has also been a member of the "Képzőművészek Szabad Szakszervezete and later he became one of the first ones of the "Magyar Képzőművészeti Alap ". The life's work of László Papp is not only characterized by those works in the atelier, in collections, in families he has been close friends with, and the works in public institutions. As a teacher, who felt responsible for the people, he himself was as important as his paintings, graphics and other works. I lis wisdom mixed with arch cheerfulness, his love for all, his pieces of advice, which respect and form talent, are emulated now by many people, and they are successful indeed. The author of this volume and the organizer of the exhibition say thanks to the artist, the teacher, the friend, if one can separate all these from each other in his personality.
