For the most part, the self is defined through our human relationships, our existence as part of a community, in terms of the systems of relations we establish with others. Drawing our own boundaries and reflecting on them is an important step towards establishing a balance in our social ties: their absence often leads to misunderstanding or miscommunication, which can be a breeding ground for conflict.
For years now, Mátyás Fusz has been engaging in formal experiments with the space surrounding the human body. In his solo exhibition entitled Endurance Limit, he renders the boundary of vision as a new human organ, which he also identifies with the boundary of personal space and its projection.
Replete with cultural allusions and showcasing a variety of materials, the exhibition represents a story in the style of a comic strip, or a tale, as it were, at the beginning of which, as a result of incorrectly drawn boundaries, a conflict arises between the protagonist and his community, but is later resolved through self-reflection and the acceptance of help.
By employing the aforementioned formal solution of rendering the boundary of vision, Fusz accentuates the power relations and sociopsychological relationships between the characters. With this collar-like motif, he brings to life unusual, grotesque figures that, even in their stationary stiffness, evoke eventful stories with moments familiar to all of us.
The title, Endurance Limit, is a concept borrowed from the field of physical measurements; it is a mechanical characteristic used to express strength, in other words, the maximum stress that a given material can withstand even in an infinite number of repetitions. In parallel with this concept, the exhibition also points out that one can aim for minimum damage by drawing one’s personal boundaries.
In his work, Mátyás Fusz mainly uses sculptures, objects and installations as a medium through which he has been exploring the subjective and objective limits of perception in recent years.