Endre Rozsda (1913, Mohács/H – 1999, Paris/F) and Lajos Barta (1899, Budapest/H – 1986, Cologne/D) met in 1932. They soon became good friends and later partners: by 1937 they rented a studio together in Budapest, then in the spring of 1938 they travelled together to Paris, where they spent nearly six years at their atelier at 11 rue Schoelcher in Montparnasse.
This period had a liberating effect on the art of both artists. Their friendship was also a fruitful artistic dialogue as they mutually inspired each other throughout their years together. After returning home in 1943, they were forced to go into hiding, as they were persecuted for their Jewish origins, but after the Second World War, between 1945 and 1948, they exhibited their works in several exhibitions organised by the European School.
After Rozsda moved to Paris again, this time permanently and alone, their almost twenty-five years of living together ended, however their close friendship did not cease to exist: they corresponded frequently over the years and met several times in Paris in the 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibition at the Várfok Project Room features Endre Rozsda’s ink drawings of strange creatures and dreamlike figures, evoking a surrealist world, currently two of his similar graphic works are on display at the exhibition of Centre Pompidou in Paris marking the centenary of surrealism.
Rozsda’s work entitled Walk in the Space, from which the title of the exhibition is borrowed, has a visual world of dreams and associations in parallel with another paperwork of his, The Dream, from the collection and current exhibition of the Centre Pompidou. The unique features of our exhibition are rarely seen graphic works by Lajos Barta from his late artistic period. In addition to his sketches for sculptures and experimenting with forms, the exhibition also includes autonomous works, which also show the influence of Art Informel.