Bodies Coming Out

Bodies Coming Out presents the work of Károly Hopp–Halász from a new perspective, focusing on the playful dialogue between the male body and geometric abstraction that is present throughout the artist’s oeuvre. The exhibition is built around the Open Geometry series, which began in 1989 and can be interpreted as a kind of coming-out act during the transition to democracy. Considered one of the “last constructivists,” Hopp-Halász played a decisive role not only in the history of the neo-avant-garde generation, but also in Hungary’s queer past. The works of the Paks-based artist reflect both Western gay culture and the desire for free self-expression, as well as the practice of self-censorship characteristic of the Kádár era and the struggles of identity search during the years of post-socialist transition.