Dobrik István: Kalló László festőművész (Officina Musei 20. Miskolc, 2009)

Summary In 2005 the 80-year-old László Kalló was already celebrated with a retrospective exhibidon of his works spanning four decades in the Herman Ottó Museum. This volume is now in honour of the 85-year-old master. His artistic career developed in his home town of Miskolc in the second half of the 20th century. Due to his withdrawnness, László Kalló stayed away from the public of the artistic life, but regularly presented his works in local and national exhibitions. His creations, ranging from his early drawings to his large pictorial compositions, have led to a rich life's work and provide an overview of his artistic activities. His works may be analysed and evaluated on the basis of analogies in the art history, but in the case of László Kalló this is not a viable proposition. His art is specific, and its typical character can only be found in his works. It lies in the dichotomy, which is determined by a research-based resoluteness of the artistic and by the creative passion of an inner moral coercion. From his early paintings emanates the ego that is looking for beauty in nature. In his later paintings his gloomy and imputable dismay appears, which shows the people's interdependence and their defencelessness in his conscience. The painter himself is also looking for relations in existence. In his paintings both reflection and memories are anchored. In a serious game thev fight with each other. Sometimes first initial image is clearly emphasised, sometimes the secondary one is of more importance. In a moment of inspiration, of enlightening transformation, the feelings develop into a metaphor. In his diverse life's work the stations of the great struggle are revealed as well. His works present the phenomena of nature, which come from the deepest experiences of his childhood, and the timeless drama of a grown man's fights and walks. In recent works László Kalló has been trying to approach all this, too. Maybe he would like to show the beauty in nature and the everyday tragedies of people, perhaps even the colourful hope can flash up. But he also warns against the hidden fallibility behind the seemingly worriless appearance. Like all artists, he also would like to create the world anew on the separated white canvas out of the "nothingness of the material. This is all for his self-justification. This world is like a loft}- message for us: if we understand it, we can 'maybe' approach the truth located in the depths of the soul, which is reflected in the whole of beauty. István Dobrik 26