Lehel Kovács

Lehel Kovács (born June 30, 1974 in Sfântu Gheorghe , Romania ) is a Hungarian painter and art lecturer living in Germany .

Life

Fragment with Sugarbowl, 30 × 40 cm, acrylic and oil on canvas, 2019

Lehel Kovács was born in 1974 as the fourth child in Sfântu Gheorghe (Romania). His great-great-grandfather was the portrait painter Miklós Sikó (1818–1900). His father Zoltán Kovács (1938-2004) was a school inspector and teacher of chemistry and biology, his mother Éva Márta Sinka (1944-2007) was a primary school teacher. Because of the clerical origin (the paternal grandfather was a pastor) and the move of an uncle to West Germany, the family came under great pressure in the 1980s under the Ceauşescu dictatorship .

After his parents applied to emigrate to Hungary in 1988, they were forced to give up the teaching profession. The Organization for State Security (Securitate) even forbade Zoltán Kovács from doing anything in Romania. The insecure family situation and life within the Hungarian minority had a strong impact on Lehel Kovács' personality.

Education

His parents paid a lot of attention to Kovács' painterly ambitions, so they had a private tutor, the artist Gusztáv Ütő, teach him.

The family emigrated to Hungary in 1990 . Kovács finished high school in Sümeg , a small Transdanubian town. Although 16-year-old Kovács was greatly disturbed by emigration, he got closer and closer to his dream of becoming a painter. His uncle, the architect József Finta, who had been living in Hungary for some time, made the painter Pál Gerzson aware of Kovács' talent. So Kovács became Gerzson's student. After graduating from high school, he studied for a year at a decorator school and then at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts .

During his studies, he made a study trip to Rome , which determined his way of thinking about art and painting for many years. In Rome and a year later in Florence he felt how wonderful the timelessness of art can be. The art treasures of the Italian museums and churches had a great impact on Kovác's work at the time. Although his university professors emphasized the importance of always orienting oneself towards contemporary art, for Kovács the European traditions were clearly in the foreground. The two perspectives had caused an internal conflict in him. This conflict was resolved by Frigyes Kőnig by saying that painting is contemporary as soon as it is honest.

His thesis consisted of a series of landscape paintings , a genre to which he has paid his full attention ever since.

Artistic creation and styles

Landscape images

Termik, 2013, 90 × 120 cm, oil on canvas

The French painting of the 19th century had a more profound effect on the young artist. Idyllic, sunny landscapes were the immediate result. These were then quickly replaced by more current impressions. Motifs of nature changed by humans, but also other thought-provoking scenes, now appeared in his pictures. Later the contrast between twilight and artificial light sources was the focus of his interest. Paintings were increasingly created with the help of photos, both outdoors and in the studio.

The abstract and the real

Blue and Orange, 70 × 80 cm, acrylic and oil on canvas, 2016

In 2015 he painted in the Plein-Air artists' colony in Katwijk . This trip to the Netherlands led to a radical renewal of his painting. Paradoxically, Kovács then turned away from the landscape genre . The second epoch of his artistic work was characterized by more expressive brushwork, stronger colors and a combination of abstract surfaces with realistic motifs. Objects standing in front of a wall became the starting point. This relatively puristic formula later turns into a playful one, in that the wall becomes an abstract surface in front of which the object stands in the room. Lines of paint painted into the object call into question the uniqueness of the space. Sharp demarcation lines vanish between real and abstract levels.

Salmon Run, 140 × 190 cm, acrylic on canvas, 2018

The art historian János Schneller comments on Kovác's art as follows:

"The relation between the objects and the background behind them can hardly be interpreted. As a result we have the feeling that the stained, patterned old walls have become the main focus of the paintings. The joy of the detailed and eye-tricking way of depicting which was familiar from his former paintings can be recognized in the painting method of his objects in the foreground. The backgrounds of his paintings have evolved with time and have become main motives of his paintings, while the objects in the foreground, instead of emphasizing their presence, accentuate their temporary, banal, evanescent character. In the confrontation of the two different ways of painting we can also recognize two different periods of his life. "

- János Schneller : http://www.residentart.com/en/artist/kovacs-lehel/

Memberships, curatorial work and teaching

Since 2000 Lehel Kovács has been a member of the National Association of Hungarian Artists (MAOE). In 2003 he became a founding member of the Élesd Artists' Colony and Association and the Sensaria Association of Fine Arts. In the same year he became a member of the MAMÜ cultural association. From 2009 to 2016 he was the curator of the Hungarian Painting Festival. From 2000 to 2017 he taught at the famous Trefort Ágoston high school in Budapest and has been an art lecturer in Germany since 2018.

Yesterday Morning, 100 × 85 cm, acrylic and oil on canvas, 2017

Exhibitions

His paintings are exhibited in Vienna , Salzburg , New Delhi , Rome , Milan , Strasbourg , Katwijk , Cluj-Napoca , Budapest , Pécs , Szeged and Baia Mare , among others . His works can be found in various Hungarian and Slovak public collections, as well as in several private collections in Germany , Austria , Switzerland , Italy , Poland , Hungary , Romania and Slovakia . So far, his works have not only been seen in solo and group exhibitions, but also at international art fairs in Bologna , Paris and Budapest.

In the course of his career to date, his artistic work has been awarded eight prizes. The press honors his work in countless articles.

Solo exhibitions

1994: Kisfaludy Sándor High School, Sümeg, Hungary
2001: Szabadszállás Culture House, Szabadszállás, Hungary
2001: Petőfi Sándor Culture House, Győr, Hungary
2002: Fióka Art Gallery, with Dániel László, Budapest, Hungary
2003: Galerie Meander, Budapest, Hungary
2003: Multicont Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2005: Kunsthalle Szentendre, with Emese Bács and Sándor Szász, Szentendre, Hungary
2005: Szinyei Salon, Budapest, Hungary
2005: Galerie Ráday, with Zsolt Ferenczy, Budapest, Hungary
2007: Galerie Ráday, Budapest, Hungary
2008: Art Factory II., Budapest, Hungary
2008: Galerie Volksbank Zrt., Budapest, Hungary
2009: City Gallery, Szentes, Hungary
2009: Gyárfás Jenő Art Gallery, Szekler National Museum, Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania
2009: Galerie '13, Budapest, Hungary
2010: Galerie Bartók 32, Budapest, Hungary
2010: National Art Museum, Bánffy Palace, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2010: Gallery Duna TV, Budapest, Hungary
2011: Galerie Art 9, Budapest, Hungary
2011: Greek Church Gallery, Vác, Hungary
2012: Edward Cutler Gallery, Milan, Italy
2012: Sensaria Open Atelier, with Ábel Szabó, Budapest, Hungary
2014: Galerie Art 9, Budapest, Hungary
2014: Szolnok Artists' Colony, Kert Gallery, Szolnok, Hungary
2015: Ericsson Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2016: Galerie '13, Budapest, Hungary
2016: Galerie San Marco, Budapest, Ungarnlehel
2016: Resident Art Budapest, Hungary

Group exhibitions

1994: Medium 3, Gyárfás Jenő Art Gallery, Szekler National Museum, Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania
1998: Spring Exhibition, Veszprém, Hungary
1998: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
1999: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2000: BAUMAX-X, BAUMAX-X center, Budapest, Hungary
2000: BAUMAX-X, Collegium Hungaricum, Vienna, Austria
2000: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2001: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2001: Gyermely artists' colony, MAMÜ gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2002: Spring Exhibition, Veszprém, Hungary
2002: Élesd artists' colony, Tibor Ernő Gallery, Oradea, Romania
2002: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2002: Gyermely Artists' Colony, MAMÜ Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2003: Élesd artists' colony, Tibor Ernő Gallery, Oradea, Romania
2003: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2003: Élesd artists' colony, MAMÜ Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2003: Hortus Conclusus, Greek Church Gallery, Vác, Hungary
2004: Sensaria, Godot Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2004: Élesd artists' colony, Tibor Ernő Gallery, Oradea, Romania
2004: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2004: Realer, Sensaria, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2004: Spring Exhibition, Veszprém, Hungary
2005: Constant, Eger, Hungary
2005: Gardens, Veszprém, Hungary
2005: Élesd artists' colony, Rakéta Bázis, Zsámbék, Hungary
2005: Élesd artists' colony, Tibor Ernő Gallery, Oradea, Romania
2005: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2005: 11th Triennial Delhi, New Delhi, India
2005: True Adventures, Szinyei Salon, Budapest, Hungary
2005: Élesd artists' colony, MAMÜ Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2005: Kogart Salon, Kogart Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2006: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2006: Main Painting Tradition 2., Tornyai János Museum, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2006: The main tradition of painting 3rd, Galerie Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
2006: Homage for the Hungarian Revolution of '56, Élesd Artists' Colony, European Parliament, Strasbourg, France
2006: 53rd autumn exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2006: Harvest report, Galerie Oktogonart, Budapest, Hungary
2006: Roman Miniatures, Hungarian Academy, Rome, Italy
2006: Beyond Time - The Main Painting Tradition, Szombathely Gallery, Szombathely, Hungary
2006: Kogart Salon, Kogart Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2007: New Figurativity, Csepel Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2007: Sensaria, Szolnok, Hungary
2007: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2007: Summer Harvest, Start Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2007: Next. Start, Nextart Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2007: Baia Sprie artists' colony, Baia Sprie, Romania
2007: Licht, Galerie Volksbank Zrt., Budapest, Hungary
2007: Élesd Artists' Colony, Gallery B55, Budapest, Hungary
2007: Élesd artists' colony, Nagy Gyula Gallery, Várpalota, Hungary
2007: The Age of Painting - Traditions Reinterpreted, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
2007: The Immediateness of the Image - Ten Years of the Élesd Artists' Colony, Ernst Museum, Budapest
2008: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2008: Contemporary Collection, Kogart Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2008: Value, Art, Promotion, Kogart Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2008: 9th International Artists Colony, Contemporary Hungarian Gallery, Vermesvilla, Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
2008: Elf, Élesd Artists' Colony, Szombathely Art Gallery, Szombathely, Hungary
2009: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2009: Sensaria, Hungarian Institute Sofia, Bulgaria
2009: The time of painting II, REÖK Palace, Szeged, Hungary
2009: Genius Loci, Gallery of the Szentendre Artists' Colony, Hungary
2010: Sensaria in the Kecskemét studio, Bozsó collection, Kecskemét, Hungary
2010: Élesd artists' colony, REÖK Palace, Szeged, Hungary
2010: Élesd artists' colony, Bernády Villa, Târgu-Mureş, Romania
2010: Canvas, Viltin Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2010: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2010: Pléden, MAMÜ Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2011: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2011: Quatricinium, Galerie Vén Emil, with Magda Atkári, Orsolya Góra and István Halmi-Horváth, Budapest, Hungary
2012: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2012: One Year On, Edward Cutler Gallery, Milan, Italy
2013: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2013: Breakfast in the countryside, Galerie Viltin, Budapest, Hungary
2013: After the Zone, Gallery IX-XI, Budapest, Hungary
2013: 59th Autumn Exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2013: Zone, MODEM, Debrecen, Hungary
2014: 15th Panel Painting Biennale, Szeged, Hungary
2014: New Generation, Gallery '13, Budapest, Hungary
2014: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2014: Élesd artists' colony, Café Moszkva, Oradea, Romania
2014: 61st autumn exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2014: River, Szolnok Gallery, Szolnok, Hungary
2014: Living Hungarian Art, Bálna, Budapest, Hungary
2014: Another Generation, Karinthy Salon, Budapest, Hungary
2015: Katwijk Art Association, Duna Atelier, The Netherlands
2015: Élesd artists' colony, Aleşd, Romania
2015: Sensaria, House of Arts, Szekszárd, Hungary
2015: 62nd autumn exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2015: Reflex, Szolnok Gallery, Szolnok, Hungary
2016: Adriatica la via dell'arte, Galerie Antichi Forni, Macerata, Italy
2016: Exhibition NKA, Várkert Bazár, Budapest, Hungary
2016: Gardens and studios, 20th anniversary of the Élesd artists' colony, Kunsthalle, Budapest, Hungary
2016: 63rd autumn exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2017: Homage to Károly Ferenczy, MANK Gallery, Szentendre, Hungary
2017: Budapest meets Salzburg, Berchtold Villa, Salzburg, Austria
2017: Revolution in Painting, Bartók 1 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2017: Limes, Szolnok Gallery, Szolnok, Hungary
2017: The Fish, Bálna, Budapest, Hungary
2017: Thumbnails, Vigadó, Budapest, Hungary
2018: Living Hungarian Painting, Kepes Institute, Eger, Hungary
2018: 65th autumn exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2019: Transylvania Retouched. A Matter of Landscape and Representation, Romanian Cultural Institute, Berlin, Germany
2019: Thumbnails, Vízivárosi Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
2019: History, Szolnok Gallery, Szolnok, Hungary
2019: Living Hungarian Art, Museum Óbuda, Budapest, Hungary
2019: About Violet, Sensaria, UP Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

International art fairs

2010: Art Market Budapest, Hungary, with Galerie Viltin (Budapest)
2011: The Others, Torino, Italy, with Edward Cutler Gallery (Milan)
2012: Arte Fiera Bologna, Italy, John Martin Gallery (London) and Edward Cutler Gallery (Milan)
2013: Arte Fiera Bologna, Italy, with John Martin Gallery (London) and Edward Cutler Gallery (Milan)
2013: Art Paris, France, with Edward Cutler Gallery (London)

Collections

Tragor Ignác Museum, Vác, Hungary
Contemporary Hungarian Gallery, Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
Kogart Contemporary Art Collection, Budapest, Hungary
Soroksár-Budapest Local History Collection, Hungary

Prices

2000: 3rd prize, BAUMAX-X competition, Hungary
2004: Barcsay Art Prize, Hungary
2006: Prize of the National Association of Hungarian Artists MAOE, 53rd Autumn Exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2008: Katona Kiss Ferenc Fine Arts Foundation, Hungary
2012: The Prize of the General Assembly of Csongrád County, 59th Autumn Exhibition Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2013: Special Prize, 60th Autumn Exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
2014: Special Prize, 15th Szeged Biennale, Hungary
2016: MANK Prize, 63rd Autumn Exhibition, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary

Scholarships

2005: Hungarian Academy, Rome, Italy
2010: Scholarship from the Budapest Gallery, Strasbourg, France

literature

Sándor Hornyik: Immanens piktúra, Festődiploma , ÚM, 2000/9
István Sinkó: Rémlik mintha , ÚM, 2003/8
Júlia Szabó: Hortus Conclusus , ÚM, 2003/8
József Bárdosi: A táj képe, Tulajdonságok nélküli művészet , Orfeusz kiadó, 2005
Brigitta Muladi: Táj, táj, táj , ÚM, 2005/5
Brigitta Muladi: A táj képben van , ÉS, XLIX. évf. 4. szám, 2005. január 28.
István Sinkó: Az időn inside és túl , Műértő, 2006. április
Péter Sinkovits: Időn belül , ÚM, 2006/7
István Sinkó: Táj plasztika , ÚM, 2007/5
Emese Kürti: Táj, ecsettel , balcony, 2007/2
Ádám Szabó: Lehel, Kovács Lehel , Ráday Galéria, 2007
Zita Vincze: Hagyomány és modernség , Népszabadság, Műgyűjtők Éjszakája, 2008 November 27th
Anasztázia Szkripka-Jávorszky: Műteremlátogatás Kovács Lehel festőművésznél , Liwet, 2008/10
Zita Sárvári: Kovács Lehel kiállítása elé, Kovács Lehel , Galéria'13, 2009
Feszültségteremtő tájvadászat , Soroksári magazine, 2009. június
Imola Láng: Tájvadászat , Soroksári Hírlap, 2009. június 26
Gyula Rózsa: Hagyományápolók , Népszabadság, 2009. September 9th.
Erika Bede: Párizsi kékek, kínai zöldek, eltéphetetlen gyökerek , Székely Újság, 2009. October 22-28.
Imre Géza Sántha: Kovács Lehel, a tájbejáró festő , Háromszék, 2009. October 17th
István R. Péter: Kovács Lehel: Tájat festi embert próbáló feladat , Krónika, 2010. január 8.
Gyula Rózsa: Hollósy-szabadiskola , Népszabadság, 08/04/2010.
Zsolt Ferencz: Kovács Lehel “tájba lépő” alkotásai a Bánffy-palotában , Szabadság, 2010. september 10th.
Ágnes Kovács: Tájak alkonyatban , ÚM, 2010/12
Gergő Lakatos: Rejtőzködő jelenlét , ÚM, 2011/6
Brigitta Muladi: Tour de Hongrie a műteremben - Kovács Lehel kiállítása, www.ujmuveszet.hu, 2017. January 8.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Kovács, Lehel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Hungarian painter and art lecturer
DATE OF BIRTH	June 30, 1974
PLACE OF BIRTH	Sfântu Gheorghe , Romania