Ákos Bánki: Sopianae

Ákos Bánki’s 50 piece series named Sopianae was created in 2011, and with its uniform format and technique makes a well separated collection among the artist’s pictures. The 50×50 centimeter format, the uniform oil- monotype technique and the starting form tells us how disciplined the artist is while creating the pictures. The order of them can be followed without looking at their numbering, as the consistent changes between the pictures reflect the passing of time, the inner work of the artist as well as the changes in his mood.

The starting frame of the series forms an ancient symbol of a cross, drawn along a vertical and horizontal axis, that recalls the transept plan of the old Catholic church, the ancient symbol of the cross, the opening of the window and the target cross as well. The self controlling, self disciplining systematic attitude implies that he’s intention is autotherapeutic. The target cross proves this interpretation, in which the creator working on himself by standing in focus.

The pictures can be interpreted as a kind of diary as well, in which the individual pieces of art can stand alone too, but looking at them as part of a series and interpreting them carry more meaning and imply the possibility of our broader understanding of his intention. In the network of non stop flowing of quick, wild gestures and between the even geometrical borders of the cycle we feel great tension, that accumulates into an unsolvable contrast, so that in the last pieces of the series this unbearable tension is relieved in one explosion. In this process, Bánki set his own borders, and in this case he crosses them in the end, some more, by the explosion he destroys and eliminates them. The 5O monotype is the visual projection of momentary moods on the road, a continuous expression, that is in close relation with process art, where seeing the series together show us the process of making them, and the changes in the state of mind. Bánki’s  series made in Pécs can be seen by the public first, in this exhibition.

Opening speech: Flóra Mészáros art historian
Curator: János Schneller art historian