Alkotótelepek Bács-Kiskun megyében (Budapest Kiállítóterem, Budapest, 1987)
International Workshop of Enamel Art ur gallery is really glad to present a selection from the collection of the International Workshop of Enamel Art in the Budapest exhibition of three artistic studios from Bács-Kiskun county. The Enamel Workshop began its work under the guidance of the painter Mihály Kátai in 1975 since that time he has remained the director of this symposium. Mihály Kátai got the idea of establishing such a forum when participating a highly appriciated festival in the Soviet Union (Tbilisi, 1973). His idea was well received and protected by the art patronizing activity of political and cultural leaders in Bács- Kiskun county. The “spirit of the area” was also given in another sense as much as the Enamel and Tube Factory of Kecskemét (“Lampart Enamel Industry Works as it used to be called before) had its location in this county. The summer workshops of 4 and later 6 weeks have been financed by the county council while their professional direction was assured by the Association of Hungarian Artists of Fine Art and Design. The work of Hungarian and Soviet artists was added by the artistic activity of artists of other nationality and so there has been formed a colourful richness of mutual experiments, efforts and works realized which is open to every direction as represented in this exhibition too. The enamel itself is also an open artistic form which developed on the border of several arts keeping up a thousand years’ tradition. Its artists came from several areas of art; painting, graphics, plastics, jewelry and so they have brought with themselves all the characteristics of their original profession. The works of art coming to alive in this way are no more paintings, graphics or sculptures - they are something totally different which is old and new in the same time; that is enamel. In the very old times the man already discovered that materials of the nature of glass and semi-precious stones formation of which was taking place during the development of the Earth can be found in the nature. This vitrious gets its formation through the encounter of elements of the Earth at a high temperature. When the man intervenes the nature in his small workshop he gets into contact with the universe by duplicating those processes which have been taken place in the laboratory of the Earth. The enamel is created by several compounds of metal which found each other in the nature like glasses and this process is directed by the artist in his laboratory or in the fireplace of his workshop. The enamel is a vitrious glaze bonded to a metallic surface on the bases of their expansion coefficients being approximatively the same. The enamel is more and in the same time less than glass. It is more since it provides innumerable possibilities of variations through its compounds and different conditions of its origin. However it is less than glass since it is less durable and its chemical resistance is smaller. In general we call the interaction of metal and vitrious at high temperature enamels. It is obvious that art is also an eternal, great mistery which can be researched and employed only when collective work is provided. Kecskemét - with its yearly workshops - became a centre of enamel artists. The artistic efforts have met social expectations through cultural programs for streets and squares. Considering the fact that the elaboration of plans could not be the task of a summer workshop the Bács-Kiskun county council established the International Enamel Workshop (Kecskemét, Bethlen krt. 16.) in fall 1984, under the direction of the painter Endre Turi who is also a distinctive artist of enamel. The aim of the Workshop is to preserve and promote the traditions; to discover and to probe new methods; to gether enamellers in the country and abroad in order to ensure bases for creative work; to search for possibilities of a collective work which is not bound to any contemporary style or tendency. This Workshop counts among its tasks to offer sponsorships and ensure suitable conditions for creativity of Hungarian and artists of other nationality thus permanently enlargening its enamelwork collection. It promotes experiments and employment of new materials and methods and also documents this work; it markets the unique and multiplicated pieces or enamel material produced in the workshop; it takes upon itself the designing and realization of several works in fine art and crafts (such as mural compositions, public place works, portals, sign-boards, arms, etc.); it provides an opportunity for those who wish to work out enamels on their own account and for those who want to study this art it organises courses when necessary. We should like to greet the participants and visitors of the exhibition with the words of the poet Ferenc Buda from Kecskemét: “Descard, brother, down into the depth... Make the fire burn that we should not frozen.” László Gyergyádesz reference on art