Ikvainé Sándor Ildikó szerk.: Néprajzi, történeti és múzeumszociológiai tanulmányok a Ferenczy Múzeumból (Szentendrei Múzeumi Füzetek 1. Szentendre, 1996)

Ikvainé Sándor Ildikó: Népi mesterek, művészek Pest megyében

ILDIKÓ SÁNDOR, MRS. IKVAI POPULAR ARTISTS AND CRAFTSMEN The House of Folk Arts, the venue of this exhibition, is the oldest monument of vernacular architecture in Szentendre. It was built at the end of the 18th century and restored 15 years ago by the Directorate of Pest County Museums in a way that its original structure might still be studied. In the House of Folk Arts exhibitions illustrating different aspects of folklore and folk art in Pest County alternate every two years. This time the works of 24 popular artists of Pest County are displayed with the intention to make the really valuable pieces known and to call the attention of local and foreign audiences to the lessons they have to offer. These works of art have been made by people who started their creative activity under an irresistible urge, without instruction and help, just on their own. They did not attend colleges and were not instructed by acknowledged masters, but improved their expressive capacity through the useful guidance and hints of similarly interested amateurs. They took each step forward through the pains and suffereings of creating a work. We intendedly refrain from using the terms „naive" or „autodidact" artist, since several of them have transcended that stage or else their creative activity stems from a different incentive. They cannot be labelled as masters of folk art or folk craft either, though several of them received such diplomas. They can, however, be cluely called artists who express and mediate their own lives, ideas, environment and native region. Earlier masters of folk art, especially wood carvers, were primarily shepherds or peasants cultivating their lands. Their way of life facilitated their artistic activity. The artists introduced here belong to the most diverse social strata and crafts and professions, being agrarian workers, forest hands, craftsmen like shoemakers, cartwrights, smiths, bricklayers, drivers, experts in technology, decorators, and teachers,but their lives are somewhat similar. One of the common features we can trace is, that despite an early manifestation of their talents in their childhood - most often in their drawings at school or in wood carvings - their artistic activity is discontinued after their school years. For a long time indeed they have to give up such dreams in order to live up to the commitments of a diligent, honest, exhausting, often unjust life, working in a chosen or imposed profession which leaves no time and scope to improve their artistic talents. After retirement, however, their talent asserts itself. In the daily routine of housework there is more time to work for their own pleasure and for that of others. There are others who, while continuing their work, steal away hours from their leisure time or sleep in order to create their often underestimated works. Others are given the opportunity to improve their talent by a long period of convalescence or pensioning off, or else by an unexpected change of profession. Even those who consciously prepared to pursue an artistic career had to face harder times. Most of them can still live for art only part time, since they could not and cannot make a living of it. 127