A swirl of coloured dots, a dense network of graphite lines, variegated square sequences and endless thread systems greet the visitor upon entering the exhibition of Károly Keserü. For decades, Keserü’s art has been built on the simplest pictorial elements: the circle and the square. Its roots are to be found both in C20 abstract geometrical tendencies, and in the folk art and ritual ornamentation of various cultures reaching back to ancient times. Primitive cave drawings, Navajo sand paintings, antique Greek vases, Byzantine mosaics, Buddhist mandalas, Hindu and Muslim ornaments, cross-stitch embroidery, Scottish weavings, flags, Malevich, Josef Albers, Mondrian, are to name but a few of Keserü’s inspirations.
Károly Keserü (b. 1962, Budapest) migrated to Australia in 1987 where he continued to study fine art at the Swinburne University and the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2000 he won one of the most prestigious fine art prizes of Australia, the Samstag, which enabled him to further his studies in London at Central St. Martins where he gained his Masters Degree. Represented by galleries in London and Hungary, Keserü is a regularly exhibited artist of international standing and his works are to be found in numerous collections in Australia, the United States of America and throughout Europe.
The Várfok Gallery is pleased to celebrate the 60th. birthday of Keserü with the exhibition entitled ring. The exhibition also celebrates thirty years during which Keserü has worked as an artist and, most significantly, that from now onwards, he will be titled ‘keserű Károly Keserü’. In addition to works that rethink C20 isms, the exhibition will also show the ‘square’ side of the artist, less known in Hungary, and will include his more spontaneous and intimate paperworks alongside his paintings.