Ván Hajnalka (szerk.): Bepillantás a kintbe. Kolozsváry-Stupler Éva művészete - Munkácsy Mihály Múzeum Közleményei 9. (Békéscsaba, 2017)

Ván Hajnalka: Bepillatnás a kintbe

of the product-to-be, pervaded by artistic traditions preserving the form of the central ’corpus’ (Triptick, 1998; Hula Dancers, 2004; Who Wins, 2005; Homage to Chagall, 2011; Dancing Figure, 2014). At these altar-like objects, insight may work if the altar is open. Fortunately, their creator lets the viewers in close, for all of them have been planned to be open-format. Eva Ko- losvary-Stupler introduces us to masterpieces of objects from last centuries with the utmost ease in a way to explore and display, but is not didactic. Among her multi-space, altar-form assemblages, we can encounter some pieces reminding us of winged altars created in the age of the Gothic. Here, she composes the object-collage into the middle space, and on the two wings of the altar we can read a two-dimensional story (e.g. Homage to Chagall), or she creates a system where all three parts of space function independently (e.g. Dancing Figure). If we look at the dates, we can realize that this type of artistic work and message the artist continues to deal with even today. We can find altar-type works from the earliest to the latest, and only the chance in the found object determines what shape the work eventually takes. The two single altars of the exhibition, made at about the same time, apply American symbols. Featuring one of the possible symbols of Hollywood, in American Avatar she shows different stages of life by emphasizing one or another object, and Snow White appears as a kind of allegorical figure. A figure of the Buddha justifies the found object which is a divided drawer. In case of Nativity, where Mickey and Minnie Mouse watch their baby in a crib, there is the film industry and its conquest of the world. This is an intimate scene, placed outside into profane life, but not without an element of faith.

To answer the question of space, Eva Kolos- vary-Stupler has further solutions. One is the literal point of view, featuring an eye-ball built into the work. We must again mention precursors from the history of art, since the artist continued widespread studies in both the theoretical and practical fields of art. This flow of facts can be realized through complex references to the effect of trompe I’ceil, familiar from the ceiling paintings of the quattrocento, based on optical illusion, looking as if they were real. In fact, 19th-century realism, which was innovative in its time but one hundred years later is still oppressively over-glorified, was known and used by new creative artists to show reality as it was, but not to imitate it. In her work called Insight (1993), Eva Kolos- vary-Stupler not only paints a life-like eye, but incorporates a realistic eye-ball in the object. Thus, she materializes a movement, the gaze, which, however, cannot be seized, and the imaginary subject appears to look out of the camera, from inside to outside, as if she were closed in and even merged into the camera. Or could we associate it with the all-seeing eye? Similarly, a built- in eye-ball appears in both of her diptych-form works mentioned above. In Two Worlds, the figure’s head is made of an eye; in Two Times, arranged in order, we can perceive the crowd personalized by them.

Upon observing the works, we can point out that from the artist’s point of view, sacral and profane works do not form separate groups. Also, she does not build automatically, as Surrealists did, making creation a spontaneous process. She composes her works. The joy of creation can be observed especially in some animal-themed compositions (e.g. Magic Bird, 2003; Directional Vision, 2003; Shoe Fish, 2004; Skate Fish, 2004; Spin Fish, 2004). In these, her creative instinct