Interview by Camilla Boemio
Kucsora’s (1979, Budapest) paintings suggest an infinite psychological and physical space, where rhythm and order exists amidst chaos, control, and random chance. Akin to an alchemist, Kucsora mixes up paints of varied density and viscosity, pastes, lacquers and gelatins, spraying and sprinkling them onto canvas. Her paintings are simultaneously spatially deep and canvas-flat.
She studied in New Jersey and in Budapest. She and artist Sophie Ko held a two-person exhibition in Rome, at Postmasters ROMA. Last early summer she showed also in an exhibition with the title “Monumentalis” shown at Galerie Melbye-Konan in Hamburg highlights the roots of abstract expressionism in Kucsora’s work, heavily influenced by 20th century U.S. artists Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
Márta Kucsora’s artwork has been showcased at prestigious museums and can be found in renowned private and public collections worldwide. With solo exhibitions at renowned institutions such as the Kunsthalle Budapest and the Kepes Institute, and countries like the USA, China and Belgium, she has firmly established herself as a leading figure in the art world.
Dates: 15th April 2023 – 30thJune2023
Camilla Boemio: How did your upbringing influence your art-making? What informs it today?
Marta Kucsora: As a child I felt ostracized by other kids many times, and I couldn’t deal with it, and creation was my world of miracles where I felt comfortable and fulfilled.
MARTA KUCSORA, Untitled 41/42, 2022, 240 x 400 cm, Courtesy Postmasters ROMA, Photo Credit: Giuliano Del Gatto.
C.B.: What artists or movements have influenced you, and why?
M.K.: Interestingly I was very much inspired by video art. I love Bill Viola’s work, how perception changes while extremely slowing down the pace of real time. I was also very much moved by works of Michal Rovner, how the perception is changing just by showing things from an unusual perspective, and changing the actual dimension of things, evoking multiple interpretations, also the constant stream and flow of movement, like a lifecycle with no stability; everything is so fragile.
MARTA KUCSORA, Untitled 47, 48, 2022, mixed media on linen, 2 panels55 x 35.5 inches, each panel
C.B.: How did the art scene change after the pandemic?
M.K.: The lockdown provided time for contemplation, of what I am doing as an artist.
3. MARTA KUCSORA, Beautiful Error, 2022, single-channel video installation, running time: 18:37
C.B.: Can you give an overview of the process of realizing a painting? I remember seeing a video at Postmasters ROMA in which solvents and natural elements played an important role. How do you control them? What does that process look like?
M.K.: I have paintings and video installations. Both are based on a chemical process of paint and additives; they are visually mesmerizing to me. All result of faults, mixing liquids that are not supposed to be mixed. This process creates an unpredictable new world. I am very inspired by nature, that every part of it is identical. They are similar, but an endless variety of similar phenomena, unpredictable in its existence. My studio work is mimicry of nature. I carefully plan each work, but – as every creature – it takes its own turns, surprises me and teaches me that nothing can be 100% predicted.
Sophie Ko + Márta Kucsora, “Questo Caos Del Tempo”, Installation views at PostmastersROMA, Photo Credit: Giuliano Del Gatto
C.B.: Is that an exciting part of the process for you?
M.K.: The process is so exciting. I enjoy flow and movements, and I try to freeze the motion.
C.B.: Is that when you knew you had a really good idea?
M.K.: Faults give me the best ideas.
C.B. : How do you approach your work? Can you briefly give us some insight into your process.
M.K.: I carefully plan each of my work, as I would plan a performance. The moves, the timing, the whole action. Then I watch. I accept what I see, or fight against it, sometimes I just go with the flow.
C.B.: Can you introduce us to your solo show “Monumentalis”?
M.K.: The show was curated by Stella Melbye-Konan. She grouped works, and created a coherent scene that wasn’t planned by me. I consider it as a collaborative show between the curator and the artist and I am very happy with the outcome. To me it is like a museum show. Stella was very brave to show works in her gallery that are museum size works, oversized for most collectors.
C.B.: Your works are meant to help us expand the possibilities of our creative imagination. Art is always so important for people. That’s how Christo explained it in a past interview “Art is not a profession, It’s existence.” What do you think?
M.K.: I do not know. Certainly it is my parallel reality.
Camilla Boemio is a curator and art writer. Her work focuses on interdisciplinary systems from an intersectional feminist perspective, with a focus on the social systems and other ecologies. Boemio’s recent curatorial projects include role as associate curator at Pera + Flora + Fauna. The Story of Indigenousness and The Ownership of History, an official collateral event supported by Port Perak, Malaysia at the 59th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia, 2022.
Boemio conducts theoretical and practical research on co-creation, social engaged art practices and connections between art and science. From the end of 2021 to 2022, she co-curated Bruno Lisi: Segno Aperto at Museo dell’Arte Classica and at MLAC – Museo Laboratorio Arte Contemporanea; implemented with The Contemplative Edge. Il Mondo Nuovo a Parallel Event with British artists Mathew Emmett and Greig Burgoyne at Museo dell’Arte Classica (2022). This collaboration gave rise to Expanded Cinema: Ben River & Mathew Emmett curated in May for La Notte Europea dei Musei 2022 at Museo dell’Arte Classica, Polo Museale Sapienza, in Roma (2022).
As Brilliant As the Sun edited by Camilla Boemio was published by Vanilla Edizioni in 2020, this book investigates the relationship and the differences between roman artistic practices and Californian artistic practices with two seminal interviews to Sergio Lombardo and Tom Marioni.
Camilla Boemio is an art writer and curator who has curated projects around the world, from Los Angeles to Odessa, Ukraine. She is a member of AICA (International Association of Arts Critics) and IKT (International). Her recent curatorial projects include: her role as associate curator at Pera + Flora + Fauna. The Story of Indigenousness and Ownership of History, an official Collateral Event at 59th International Art Exhibition: La Biennale di Venezia (2022); Jérôme Chazeix The coat of hipness (materiali velati) in Altaroma2020 agenda at Label201 (2020); Marina Moreno: Dance as sculpture in space supported by Arts Council England (2019-2020); The Contemplative Edge. Il MondoNuovo. a performative Parallel Event with artists Mathew Emmett and Greig Burgoyne at Museo dell’Arte Classica, in Rome (2022). In 2016, she was the curator of Diminished Capacity the first Nigerian Pavilion at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia; and in 2013 she was the co-associate curator of Portable Nation. Disappearance as work in Progress – Approaches to EcologicalRomanticism, the Maldives Pavilion at 55th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia. In 2018, she took part in the VVM at Tate Liverpool.
