December 12, 2020 - January 30, 2021
The title Discrete INFINITY, which comes from Mathematics was born by linking two phrases; discrete, which is the opposite of continuous and 'infinity'.
The two words stand in opposite to each other, yet they appear in close symbiosis in the works of Kata TRANKER and András KIRÁLY. Discrete mathematics deals with countable and distinct structures. Those things are considered discrete, which are not too close to each other, but have gaps between them. In mathematics it means that they do not touch, yet they come near to each other, without crossing each other's passes. This can be detected in the works of the two artists, first their practices seem distant to one and other, if we look deep into their artistic practice soon several points of connection are revealed.
András KIRÁLY's latest works are follow ups of his recent artistic practice, he carries on applying geometric forms, such as ovals and grid systems. By creating these forms irregularly, he hides any signs of construction. The apparent clumsiness gives room to hand-made gestures. This 'chaos' is only make-believe, behind it there is an intricate system, careful constructing. In his pictures scaling has a paramount role: on his large scale paintings the blooming shapes seem entirely different depending on the distance of observation. It is all enhanced with the intense colour use, where sometimes the overlapping elements appear and sometimes are visibly separated from one and other.
In the works of Kata TRANKER the reoccurring characteristics of her works can be detected, with the photos and objects her relief-like installations each become a 'miniature' world or a scene. Her works simultaneously feature figurative and abstract forms, which due to their surroundings carry the attributes of human activities. It can be primarily found in the tiny signs of her process and mainly as a result of the material used; the layered paper mass. The presented micro-worlds tell individual stories and raise global questions at the same time. The first is by the usage of photographs and the wider perspective can be recognized in the presence of abstract forms. The same method is apparent in her sculpture-like artworks, where the human and animal faces go through a metamorphosis from the oval face shape to the most delicate features. Her meticulous and detailed figures and objects, which hang on the walls might seem fragile and frail at first sight, yet the sculptures in the centre installation appear to be robust and powerful.
Mathematics is present as an analogy in both of the artists' practice, on one hand regarding the shapes (the round forms, such as the circle or the oval, and the grid system), on the other hand regarding the used phrases (such as sets and intersection). One of the main parameters of mathematics is the exactness, the principality of systems, which is important for both artists, thus revealed in the often used grid systems. The grid usually serves as a background, but it bears with a much more important role. It symbolises the order of the world, which is apparent not only in mathematics, but in the smallest happenings of everyday life. It gives a starting point and frames both artists' individual worlds. This is one point where the opposites of the artists' practice come to life, which can be best described as 'irregular order'. While they think in systems and use system-like elements their creation is rather irregular. The handmade artworks which are free from tool work break away from the general idea of systems.
The geometric forms and the course of abstraction can be found in both of their practices. András KIRÁLY formerly painted figurative paintings, then took the elements apart and reduced their realistic components, this way he created a set of tools, where the forms are mere reminders of the elements of the world, just like in the case of atoms. Kata TRANKER abstracts the human figure in the first place, the head becomes an oval, the body becomes a triangle. Although beside these elements, realistic ones are also applied, which give a more concrete story to the players of her stories, in a word the human beings and the world surrounding them.
Regarding the scaling the two artists are absolute opposites of each other. KIRÁLY operates with monumental paintings, TRANKER's objects are built of small components. Yet close and further distance are important factors in both cases. There is also contrast in the case of colour stories. After all, at the exhibition KIRÁLY's colour rich, glowing paintings and TRANKER?s calm and peaceful works are in impeccable balance.
Exclusively commissioned for the exhibition, the mutual artwork a+b=x sheds light on the similarities of the two artists' ways of thinking and expressions. It sums up these similarities and reveals the contrasting conflicts of their practice, just like a set. The installation is a symbol of cycle and continuity, as it were drawing up and infinity route. The two large-scale joint wooden panels alternately show the works of the two artists, by walking around it a change of arch unfolds. KIRÁLY's painting embraces the installation as a colourful crawling serpentine, TRANKER's sculptures and reliefs picture the merged procession of evolution. The collective artwork, placed in the middle of the gallery divides the exhibition space to start a dialogue between the artworks on the walls, depending on the position of the spectator different set of works and meanings are displayed.
Zsanett Lépold