In thinking about the aesthetics, Giovanni Segantini, Italian painter of the 19th century, we find a dilemma:
“Depicting nature in the absence of contemplative depth of thought is just a mere reproduction of the material“.
Therefore, we see how important is the beauty of man for thousands of years trying to understand its nature and essence.
Just as art is not a story about beauty, her task is not to enchant, but to upset.
Segantini, who lived from 1858th until 1899, to challenge white cloth gave the following answer: “Because the art is an interpretation of the nature, the more spiritual elements it is contains, the more it moves away from the trivial experience . A work of art can be judged only by those who have long and patient love, able to elevate their minds to understanding and acceptance levels of all these elements.”
I am convinced that these thoughts shaped into January in 1891., has the equal worth in the second decade of the third millennium, and that will take us closer to understanding the abstract realization of the Sombor photo-artist Istvan Virag.
Photography actually keeps a latent image that is – say the words photo-artist Zoltan Moser (Moser Zoltán) – “It is important what it shows – without it, there is no photography at all. Without it the photography would not exist. But its essence is in that which is not shown – and it is very important. I could somehow cryptically, to formulate what is behind the paper and the image.”
Istvan Virag abstractions are based on a strong manifestation of the latent image. The exposure is truly expected only from the public, watching the photographs .
Visual art of Istvan Virag shows the artistic path so uncommon for photographers, but more common among painters. He is started from the most demanding photographic means of expression, slides – a basic image that does not allow any manipulation to get to “laboratory work” which delves into all aspects of creative photography.
The only common thread is that the creator, in both cases, has the maximum control of visual space.
The computer laboratory of his photography, but Istvan Virag not used it for trimming, repair, rearrange their shots, but for the realization of new areas, new structures, new colors, new textures – a new visual creations.
And that process make transition of the world of photography into painting art.
The two main characteristics of the photo-painting of Istvan Virag are convincing impressiveness and experimentation.
Together they may be called to outwit the convention.
Is it, finally, Istvan Virag creation art painting, or a photograph?
Looking the medium – the last one, given the end result – the first one, and this duality is not covered by the term that I use: photo-painting.
Before all, we could call it a kind of digital art mutation, which gives a characteristic artistic sensibility of Istvan Virag.
Jozef J. Fekete,
regular member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts
Budapest, 09.05.2014.
Gallery of the Culture, Kispest
