SUMMARY

The first article in Fotóművészet vol. 2012/2 is Sándor Bacskai’s interview with Ágnes Bihari. “As a matter of fact I acted on impulse when I bought an air ticket to Havana valid for one month, I had no acquaintance there, and I had very little knowledge of the country. But it was not the first time I acted on impulse and set off for somewhere, so I was sure I would not regret it. And that’s how it happened, but I did not know that quite a few travellers had been captivated before by this island, and that I, too, would be one of those who have been for long unable to get rid of this Caribbean island of gloomy and yet so inspiring mood.”

In The unbearable enjoyment of macula degeneration Sándor Dobos writes: “For me macula degeneration began with diplopia when I was about 75 (six years ago), which – together with a slowly developing, growing macula – has let me have – and it still does – an unusual sight experience. Since I have been aware that I am living my mother’s fate, I feel to be compelled with elementary force to fix the enjoyments of that supplementary, substituting, inner sight getting richer, associated with narrowing sight experience”.

In “The infinite in 6x6” Zsófia Somogyi presents Dániel Káldori’s photos: “The title 6x6 refers to the technique, to the size of the negative. A piece of the same size is «cut out» of each landscape, or scene which are interlaced not only by this, but also by the similar look given to them, by the mood felt similar in them, by the structure, and makes it part of a series. The square «cut out» from the scenery by the photographer always gives the impression of infinity. It reminds us of the notion of infinite space, time or existence.”

In In lyrical tessitura Klára Szarka comments on the photo essay of György Németh: “The series ‘Sand ridge’ was created under relatively ordinary circumstances. As a reporter of the MTI, György Németh was assigned to make a picture report on the network of farm overseers in the South Plain. This is how he ended up at Aunty Mary’s farm. The farm – once accounted a well-off manor – , the typical two-chimney framework house and its resident both were well over their heyday.”

János Dozvald reports on the exhibition Random of Fiatalok Fotóművészeti Stúdiója (Studio of Young Photo Artists): “The present random-like overall picture of about hundred photos has been compiled from the photo series of 23 photographers. As it has been expected, one meets here with new ways, «detours», private jaunts, straying step prints, too, and how many. But no doubt, we are talking about the most active, ready to act age group, about those who have acquired adequate professional practice, even in their straying there is impressive momentum, because they possess enviably lots of energy.”

In I have never been found of photography György Szegő reports on Robert Mapplethorpe’s exhibition in the Ludwig Museum: “It is not easy to comment on the exhibition of a photographer who had gone to heaven while still alive, nearly 25 years after his death, a photographer getting more prominent in time, in space and by now in value orientation, as well, from the culture of the great generation of American social reforms preceding the triumphant yuppies. Therefore, I would start quoting his own texts: “I have never been found of photography. Nor have I loved photographing. I have loved what photographing is about.”

In Where we would be, where we wouldn’t be? Gábor Pfisztner reports that Lilla Szász participates jointly with Richard Billlingham British and Par Errázuriz Chilean photographers at the Photo Espag?a. “Lilla Szász’s starting point is how people she has got talking, “see” themselves, people who this way open up after awhile to her, and they involve her in the history of their life. She believes her task to be firstly to create situations in which those becoming her partners in the course of the work undertake the task of «re-presentation». She provides mostly the technical frameworks; she is not interested in representation, or demonstration for itself.”

“Having organised two successful photo shows (Spirit and Body, Lucien Hervé 100), László Bán director-general of the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts commissioned Péter Baki to collect the exhibits of a large-scale international photo historical exhibition. Péter Baki director of the Museum of Hungarian Photography (and at the same time director of the Media Arts Institute at the Kaposvár University) has spent a long time on organising the exhibition. Fruits of his efforts is the exhibition Birth of photo arts. From pictoralism to modern photography (1889–1929)” – Zoltán Fejér reports on it.

In “The legal status of a photo artist in different legal relations”, Dr István Dénes Legeza lawyer provides important information. In this part he expounds “how the relationship between the contractor and the author works out in the case of transferring (purchasing) the ownership of the work copy, commission legal status and works ordered for advertising. Based on everyday experience it is necessary to clarify tender related contradictions, and finally the permission of secondary use of photos in the framework of common legal management.”

Ilona Stemler Balog remembers Dr Margit Szakács passed away last year, her friend, her one-time boss, the first head of the Historical Photo Archives, the author of system of collection: “In summer 1965, as fourth-year museologist student at ELTE (Eötvös Loránd University of Science) I spent my one-month summer placement in the photo achieves, and that was the time I met her and the photo archives; our work relationship and then friend- ship had started at that time, and it ended last summer with her death.”

The subject of part 4+1 of Károly Kincses’ series Hungarian Out, Hungarian photographers abroad is Muskátlis Émigrés. “The Muskátli (Geranium) Café used to be in the seventies one of the most prominent meeting point of avant-garde personalities. From them I would like to deal with György Lőrinczy, Csaba Koncz, Zoltán Nagy, Gyula Zarád in detail.” The author touches upon Juli Balla, Gusztáv Hámos, István Jeney, Gyula Fodor, as well, in article.

Béla Albertini writes a study on “The start of the press surge of «Hungarian» photographing. «Hungarian» photographing had brought great international recognition both to the photographers and Hungary in the second part of the twenties and in particular in the thirties. It was expressed in the number of exhibited photos, prizes, plaques, diplomas. But here comes up a question which nobody has ever given an answer to: What was the personal composition of the exhibitors’ fields? The Hungarian photo historical research is still owes the investigation of it. Although, the answer might have disillusioning effect.”

In “And still nothing on the canvas?” Dániel Borovi comments on the portraits of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth in Hungary: “I present only a fracture of the Hungarian monarch portrait collection from the 19th century in my paper. My objective is to investigate to which of Francis Joseph’s and Eli-sabeth’s life painted portraits in Hungary were made or used model photos, or which of their photos made in Hungary were meant to be used for painting work process.”

“Part of special photo historical volumes, booklets contain the practical methods of making photos” – Zsuzsa Farkas states in her article Receipe Books 1839 – 1851. “The description «which way is the picture made?» made the public acquainted with precise chemical and technological details. The updated versions of the selections provided exciting readings inspiring to experimenting mostly for photographers.”

Subjects of Attila Motvai’s writing Kodak produced the first digital photo camera – and that was its ruin! Or: why and how should be scanned? are: The analogue-digital conversion as a thousand years old problem; The analogue-digital interregnum; The interregnum is a reform at the same time; Changes on the recipient side; The technical problem and the practical solutions.

New albums on Péter Tímár’s Bookshelf: The birth of photo arts – From the pictoralism to the modern photography (1889 – 1929); János Szász: White and black; Rolf Müller:Secret-pictures – sixties; János Eifert: Pictography – Photo Academy; Report arts – Pál Jónás (Editor: Éva Keleti, Klára Szarka) ; Melinda Kovács: Other pictures – Otherwise. Nudes, still lifes, fairy tales and other pictures – selected pictures 1992 – 2010; Endre Kovács: Faith and sight; Natalia LL – Opera Omnia.