Hann Ferenc: Paulovics. Kántor Lajos és Kocsis István írásaival (A PMMI kiadványai. Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága – Ferenczy Múzeum, Szentendre, 2008)
Kocsis István - The painter, his altarpiece and his Stations of the Cross (Excerpts)
The painter ; his altarpiece and his Stations of the Cross ISTVÁN KOCSIS (Meditation in front of László Paulovics's altarpiece and mystery play pictures) - Excerpts I have been looking at his altarpiece and his S:ations of the Cross pictures. I came an hour ago and did not resolve any mystery yet. Once in a while, I remain rooted to the spot, but then I move on again. László Paulovics is here by my side, and maybe he shall help me understand this great composition. I ask him questions, but he does not help me. He gives elusive answers. I look at one of the Stations of the Cross pictures. The Roman soldier has a twentieth-century steel helmet. 'Did you paint a twentieth-century Passion story?' I ask the artist. 'No,' he says. 'Then I don't understand...' 'You'll understand, you're a clever boy. Just look at it with the dramatist's eye.' 'Are you suggesting that Hungarian history is also a mystery play?' 'You are the one to know whether it is a mystery play or not.' Well, I think to myself, I will understand this composition, I will come back to Szatmárnémeti, to this church, and look at this composition over and over again, I will understand it, yes I will, I have understood every A/ork by Paulovics so far, even his writer portraits. 'Surely, this is your most significant work so far,' I say, just to say something important. Paulovics shrugs his shoulder. I will come back, I promise myself. * I look at the altarpiece and the Stations of the Cross again. What is happening here?Time and space expand and shrink simultaneously... Yes, as I look at the pictures, I see time and space shrink and expand again... Are the first and the twentieth centuries in the same time? Are the people from the first and twentieth century in the same space? The ones from the twentieth century are Hungarians... Did I solve the riddle? Unfortunately, Laci Paulovics is not here. I would tell him that I solved the riddle. I would speak to him here, in front of the altarpiece, about the victory over time and space, as it was shown by the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: the human being who seeks for salvation must go through the Narrow Gate, then
