Zoltán Szegedy-Maszák was born in 1969 in Budapest, Hungary where he lives and works today. Graduated from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts first from the Painting (1992), later from the Intermedia Department (1994). Member of the Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Art and the Open Structures Art Association.
His artistic approach can be characterized by experimentalism closely related to technical media. Szegedy-Maszák uses a broad spectrum of mediums in his artworks, from traditional chemical based photographical processes through painting and printmaking to interactive virtual- and augmented reality installations. Albeit his artistic approach is strongly based on media (an)archeology and the creative applications of contemporary digital technology, his art became internationally known by his immersive installations from the 1990-s, where the meaningful usage of special interfaces and digital technology made explorable the computer generated illusions – in a sense poetical, but at the same time rather critical ways.
EXHIBITIONS
BIOGRAPHY
ACADEMIC CAREER
2020 –
Regular Member of the Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Arts
2012 – 2022
Director of Doctoral School, Hungarian University of Fine Arts
2011 –
professor, Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Intermedia Dept
2009 – 2012
General Vice-Rector, Hungarian University of Fine Arts Budapest
2007 –
Habilitation Qualification in Visual Arts
2005 – 2009
Vice Rector of Education, Hungarian University of Fine Arts Budapest
2003 –
associate professor at the University of Fine Arts, Intermedia Dept.
2003 –
Doctor of Liberal Arts degree at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts
1999 – 2002
DLA studies, Hungarian University of Fine Arts Budapest, Intermedia Dept.
1997 –
assistant professor at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Intermedia Dept.
1996 – 2002
program coordinator of C3 (Center for Culture and Communication) Budapest
1994 – 1996
Lecturer of computer studies at the postgraduate video & telecommunications course of the ELTE University Budapest
1994 – 1995
Lecturer of computer-animation at the Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts
1992 – 1994
postgraduate studies, Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest
1992 –
Lecturer of computer studies at the Intermedia Department
1988 – 1992
Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, Painting Department, Budapest (teachers: Gábor Nagy, later Dóra Maurer)
PRIZES AND GRANTS
2010 –
Munkácsy state art award
2008 –
Camera Obscura – second prize of the restricted tender by Hungarian Museum of Photography
2003 – 2004
Deák Ferenc post doctorial scholarship
2003 –
finalist for Nam June Paik Award
1999 – 2002
Derkovits scholarship
1995 –
Hungarian Photobiennal Esztergom/Budapest: price of the magazine “Fotóművészet”
European Media Artist in Residence, Dessau, Bauhaus
1993 –
Eötvös Foundation, Budapest
1992 –
1st price of Hermann Lipót Foundation
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Hardly Readable Works, Kisterem, Budapest
2020
Sole and Joint Works 2020 (with Márton Fernezelyi), Artus Studio, Budapest
2019
We Cannot See Clearly, Kisterem, Budapest, Hungary
2016
Smalltalk2016: Hello Stranger!, Kisterem, Budapest
2015
Kisterem, Budapest, Hungary
2014
B5 Gallery, Targu. Mures (RO)
2013
Sole and Joint Works 2.0, Magma, Sfântu Gheorghe (RO)
2012
In Terms of Hardware, Kisterem, Budapest
2008
Sole and Joint Works, Museum of Paks, Hungary
2007
AURA 2.0, Dorottya Gallery, Budapest
Collection Deák, Székesfehérvár
2006
SeeThrough, networked installation: Hungarian Institute Paris – French Institute Budapest
2004
SeeThrough, networked installation: Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe (D), Ars Electronica Center, Linz (AT), Millenáris Budapest
2003
Promenade 2.0, C3 Gallery, Budapest
Raiffeisen Gallery, Budapest
2001
Smalltalk, C3 Gallery Budapest
1999
Promenade, Ars Electronica Center, Linz (AT)
Variations on Steganography, Collegium Budapest – Institute for Advanced Studies, Budapest
1998
Achilleus and the Turtle, Studio Gallery, Budapest
1996
In the Belly of the Whale, Kiscelli Museum, Budapest (with Dóra Maurer)
1993
Goethe Institut, Budapest
1991
Ostmodern, Künstlerhaus Klenzestr. München (with Attila Csörgő & Róza El-Hassan)
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Ligthhouse X , Kollab, Budapest
2023
INNOVATION IN CONTEMPORARY DRAWING AND PRINTMAKING ART III., FUGA Budapest Centre of Architecture, Budapest
BINÁLÉ - Queering Democracy, Kristály Színtér, Budapest
Lokart, works at multiple venues, Pécs, Hungary
Innovation in Contemporary Visual Arts, Vasarely Museum, Budapest
OSAS Plus No.2., Vasarely Museum, Budapest
Technocool - New Trends in Hungarian Art in the Nineties (1989–2001), Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
2022
Delineo ergo Cogito, Vasarely Museum, Budapest
The Masters of Graphic Arts - 11th International Biennal of Drawing and Graphic Arts, Flóris Rómer Museum of Art and History, Győr, Hungary
Winter Listing, Kisterem Gallery, Budapest
2021
Wide Angle, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Disciples of Dóra Maurer, David Kovats Pop-up Gallery, London, Liszt Institute, Brussels
Sketch, Kisterem Gallery, Budapest
2020
THE DEAD WEB - THE END, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Tamás Waliczky: Imaginary Cameras, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Finally We Can Learn Something, an exhibition by Kisterem Gallery, Kincsem Palace, Budapest
MOHOLY-NAGY 125, Hegyvidék Gallery, Budapest
2019
BAUHAUS100, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Tamás Waliczky: Imaginary Cameras, Interactive Outdoor Installation in the Hungarian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, co-authored with Márton Fernezelyi (IT)
Vom Pinsel bis zur Kamera. Werke von László Moholy-Nagy und seinen ungarischen Zeitgenossen, Collegium Hungaricum, Berlin (D)
Code and Algorithm, Vasarely Museum, Budapest
2018
DIA-LOGOS - Ramon Llull und die Kunst des Kombinierens, ZKM, Karlsruhe (D)
Fugue, Vasarely Museum, Budapest
Found exhibition, Artpool P60, Budapest
Thinking Machines, EPFL Artlab, Lausanne (CH)
GameOmetry, Vasarely Museum, Budapest
2017
SAVE AS... – WHAT WILL REMAIN OF NEW MEDIA ART?, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
The Formula of the Present - Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, New Budapest Gallery, Budapest
2016
Tértelenítés (De-spacing) – exibition with Zsombor Pólya, Artbázis, Budapest
The Tongue is not a Reliable Instrument, B32 Gallery, Budapest
DLADLA100, Barcsay exhibition hall, HUFA, Budapest
2015
TIMEBASE – Time-Based Media in Contemporary Art, New Budapest Gallery
Thougths around the Black Square, Museum Vasarely of the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
2014
Contemporaries: collectors and artists, New Budapest Gallery, Budapest
The State of Things, Castle Gallery, Veszprém
2013
Coded Images – Informatics in Photography, Aquarium, Budapest, Hungary
Cake, Gallery of Miskolc, Hungary
Conceptualism Today, Kunsthalle Paks, Hungary
Still – Photography in the Museum, MODEM, Debrecen, Hungary
2012
Works Based on Human Intervention, Kunsthalle Paks, Hungary
Quadratic Equations, Kepes Institute, Eger
Rangefinder, Kepes Center, Eger, Hungary
2011
Background II. – Neither Master, nor Student, Kisterem, Budapest
Grafitri XXV. – Mimetical Constructions, Rákóczi-ház, Miskolc
Coleur Locale – Hungarian Contemporary Artworks, 320fok, Siófok
Gateways – Art and Networked Culture, KUMU Art Museum, Tallin (EST)
2010
Contemporary Media Art, Arthouse Veszprém
Art exhibition of state award winners 2010, Magyar Alkotóművészek Háza, Budapest
Concrete Photo, Photogram, Vasarely Museum Budapest
2009
Máquinas de mirar. O cómo se origan las imágenes, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Sevilla (ES)
Camera Obscura, House of Hungarian Photographers, Budapest
Agóra Digitáliában – Digital Trends in Contemporary Hungarian Art 2, Magyar Alkotóművészek Háza, Budapest
Visual Tactics, Kunsthalle, Budapest
2008
Blickmaschinen – Visual Tacticts, Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen, Siegen (D)
Camera Obscura, Hungarian House of Photography, Budapest
Constructive-Concrete Wanted, Vasarely Museum Budapest
Camera Obscura, Millenáris, Budapest
2007
ARTINACT, Paksi Képtár, Paks
Wolfgang von Kempelen. Mensch [in der] Maschine, ZKM – Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe (D)
Kempelen, Kunsthalle, Budapest
2006
Re:mbrandt – Contemporary Hungarian Artists Respond, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
ACM Multimedia Interactive Art Exhibition, Santa Barbara CA (USA)
Real and Virtual Spaces, Vasarely Museum Budapest
2005
Dingpolitik – Making Things Public, ZKM – Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe (D)
Active Image, NCCA Moscow (RUS)
Digital Media Artworks, House of the Future, Millenáris, Budapest
2004
Second World, APA Ateliers pro Arts, Budapest
EU&You, Vienna – Graz – Szombathely, Railway Stations
The Hidden Holocaust, Kunsthalle Budapest
2003
Aura – After the Age of Technical Reproduction, Millenáris, Budapest
2002
Nam June Paik Award, NRW Forum, Dusseldorf (D)
VISION – Image and Perception, Kunsthalle Budapest
Hungarian Electro-graphy, National Museum, Belgrade (SR)
Zweite Welt (Second World), KunstAllianz Berlin (D)
Iconoclash, ZKM Karlsruhe (D)
2001
Young Artists from Hungary, ICA London (UK)
On Photogram, C3 Gallery Budapest
C3 ou la jeune création, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris (FR)
2000
Media Modell, Kunsthalle Budapest
Intuition, Innovation, Invention, Kunsthalle Budapest
Derkovits scholarship holders’ exhibition, Ernst Museum, Budapest
1999
Intermedia – Inductive Point of Junction, Artpool P60 Budapest
Interstanding III., Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallin (EST)
Kunst der neunziger Jahre in Ungarn, Akademie der Künste, Berlin (D)
Young and serious – recycled images, Ernst Museum, Budapest
Perspective, Kunsthalle Budapest
1998
Digital Glance, Trafó Gallery, Budapest
DEAF Festival, Rotterdam (NL)
Trieste Contemporanea 98, Trieste (IT)
SeaFair, Skopje (MK)
Inter/Media/Art, Ernst Museum, Budapest
Obserwatorium, Centrum Sztuki Wsplczesnej – Zamek Ujazdowski, Warsaw (PL)
1997
Áthidalás, Danube Museum Esztergom
The code, exhibition and lecture with Gustav Hámos and Miklós Peternák, Vilém Flusser Symposion, Goethe Institut Budapest
Internet Galaxis, Museum of Fine Arts Budapest
1996
Beyond Art, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Exploration Network, Center for Culture and Communication, Budapest
Internet Galaxis, Budapest Gallery, Budapest
The Butterfly Effect, Kunsthalle, Budapest
1995
Ostranenie, Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau (D)
Autokatalízis, Vizivárosi Gallery, Budapest
Fotogramok (Photograms), Vigadó Gallery, Budapest
1994
Fotogramok (Photograms), Photobiennal, Esztergom
Sculpture City, RAM Galerie, Amsterdam (NL)
Intermedia Diploma, Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest
Rajz, rajzolás… (Drawing, to draw…), Polish Institute, Budapest
1993
Polyphony, Budapest
Jövőgyűjtés (Collecting future), Liget Gallery, Budapest
Tér-képzetek III. (Space-concepts III.), Budapest Gallery, Budapest
1992
Aritmia, Uitz hall, Dunaújváros
Tér-képzetek I. ( Space-concepts I.), Budapest Gallery, Budapest
Fotogram (Photogram), Goethe Institut, Budapest
1991
Olaj (Oil), Fészek Club, Budapest
Ostmodern Künstlerhaus Klenzestr. (with Attila Csörgő & Róza El-Hassan), München (D)
Áthatás (Cross-Reflections), Fészek Gallery, Budapest
Oszcilláció (Oscillation), 6th Bastel, Komarno ( Czechoslovakia) - Műcsarnok, Budapest
Sub Voce , Műcsarnok, Budapest
1990
Árnyék (Shade), Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, Barcsay Hall, Budapest
1989
Det nya Ungrens Konst, Kulturcentrum Ystadt, Stockholm (SE)
INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS
smalltalk 2016: hello stranger!
Instant Phono-Visual Poetrizator (Pseudo-Chaotic Dadamaton)
Promenade, Interactive VR Installation, 1998/2002
Films/Videos
1991
Camera Obscura I-VII. (VHS)
S8 1-3 (Super-8)
1992
Cavalier (Computeranimation)
3d (Computeranimation/Installation)
1995-96
Life-forms (Video-CD, together with Dóra Maurer)
1997
Real-time I-III. (interactive computeranimation usig celluloid shooted in pinhole camera)
1999
Real-time IV. (computeranimation)
Videos
SELECTED PRESS
Sub Voce, Catalogue, published by Műcsarnok, Budapest, 1991.
The Genes of Architecture (CD-ROM documentation of the Internet workshop Budapest-Wien-Rotterdam, published by Attila Foundation, Rotterdamm, 1994)
Camera-Obscura-Photogram Fotművészet 1994. 3-4.
Intermedia Balkon 1995 Feb.
Crossroads in Central Europe – Ideas, Themes, Methods and Problems of Contemporary Art and Art Criticism edited by Katalin Keserű, published by the Association of Hungarian Creative Artists, 1996. ISBN 963 04 8548 6
Bohár András: This is a(nother) world Balkon 1996 December
Kuglóf és fasírt – Austrian and Hungarian filmavantgarde catalogue published by the Béla Balázs Studio, Budapest 1996
Peter Weibel: Jenseits von Kunst Passagen Verlag, 1997. ISBN 3-85165-254-1
Petőcz András: In the Belly of the Whale Magyar Hírlap 1997. Jan. 7.
L. Simon László: Virtual Sculptures on the Net interview with Zoltán Szegedy-Maszák, Magyar Műhely 102, Spring, 1997
Cryptogram Magyar Műhely 102, Spring, 1997
Miklós Peternák: Achilleus and the turtle Balkon 98/5
Obserwatorium Catalogue published by Műcsarnok, Budapest, 1998.
DEAF 98 catalogue 1998, V2_Organisatie, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ISBN 90-5662-090-8
Bel Tempo 1999, Trieste Contemporanea, Triest, Italy
The Butterfly Effect – Current Coordinates CD-ROM, published by C3 Center for Culture and Communication Budapest, 1999.
Young and serious – recycled images Catalogue published by the Studio of Young Artists Association Budapest, 1999. ISBN 963 03 8250 4
Kunst der neunziger Jahre in Ungarn Catalogue published by the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany. ISBN 3-88331-033-6
“István Hajdu: Designing the meaning” (Jelentésdizájn) Interview, Balkon 99/11,12
“István Hajdu: Designing the meaning” (Jelentésdizájn) Interview in the book entitled “Előbb-utóbb” (Before and After), Orpheus Publishing House 1999, ISBN 963 9101 61 3
Media Modell Catalogue published by Műcsarnok, Budapest, 2001.
Perspective Catalogue published by Műcsarnok, Budapest, 2001.
Dóra Maurer: Fényelvtan (On Photogram) Magyar Fotográfiai Múzeum-Balassi Kiadó Budapest, 2001 ISBN 963 8383 28 3
Iconoclash Catalogue, ZKM Karlsruhe-MIT Press 2002 ISBN 0-262 62172-X
Zweite Welt (Second World – Artists from Budapest) Catalogue, KunstAllianz Berlin, 2002 ISBN 963-440-954-7
MÉLYI József: Hidden Space. Conceptional Help to the Works of Zoltán Szegedy-Maszák, Hungarian Lettre Internationale (47/2002-2003)
Nam June Paik Award Catalogue, Hatje Cantz Verlag 2002 ISBN 3-7757-1258-5
VISION Catalogue, C3 Foundation Budapest, ISBN 963 204 494 0
Iconoclash – Beyond the Image Wars in Science, Religion, and Art , Catalogue, ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe-MIT Press, ISBN 0-262-62172-x
Elhallgatott Holokauszt / Bisterdo Holokaust / The Hidden Holocaust, Catalogue, Műcsarnok Budapest, 2004, ISBN 963 9115 91 6
Making Things Public – Atmospheres of Democracy , Catalogue, ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe-MIT Press, 2005, ISBN 0-262-12279-0
DÉKEI Kriszta: Joyful Science (Vidám tudomány) – Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán – Fernezelyi Márton: Aura 2.0, Magyar Narancs 2007-08-09
Kempelen, Catalogue, Műcsarnok-C3 Alapítvány, 2007
HAJDU István: Embergépember – Kempelen a Műcsarnokban, Magyar Narancs 2007-04-19
Joyful Science – Interview with Zoltán Szegedy-Maszák & Márton Fernezelyi In: Praesens — Central European Contemporary Art Review 2007/1.
RIEDER Gábor: Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán és Fernezelyi Márton, Artportal July 2007
Hermann Veronika: Fénykényszer, Balkon, 2007/7-8
Wolfgang von Kempelen. Mensch [ in der ] Maschine, Catalogue, ZKM – Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe – Matthes & Seitz Berlin, 2007
Szegedy-Maszák – Fernezelyi: Collaborative Works 1997-2007, Catalogue, az Ernst Múzeum Dorottya Galériája, 2007, ISBN 978-963-7032-37-0
ARTINACT, Catalogue, Museum of Paks, Paks, 2007
DÉKEI Kriszta: Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán, Artmagazin 2007/5
ENTZ Sarolta Réka: 01101011 11101001 01110000, Új Művészet 2007/6
Blickmaschinen oder wie Bilder entstehen, Catalogue, Cat, Dumont Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978 3 8321 9186 3
Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán, bilingual book and DVD, edited by Zoltán Prosek, Museum of Paks, 2009, ISBN 978 963 87881 1 5
Hermann Veronika: A szavak és a dolgok – Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán: Magányos és társas művek,, Balkon 2009/2
Pillanatgépek, catalogue, C3 Center for Culture and Communication – Műcsarnok Kunsthalle Budapest, 2009, ISBN 978 964 9506 35 0
Máquinas de mirar. O cómo se origan las imágenes, Catalogue, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Sevilla, 2009, ISBN 978-84-8266-859-8.
Concrete Photo, Photogram, Catalogue, Vasarely Museum, Budapest, 2010
Grafitri XXV., katalógus, Miskolci galéria könyvek 44, 2011
Gateways – Art and Networked Culture, Catalogue, Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-7757-2796-9
Hermann Veronika: A jelrendszerek magányossága (The Loneliness of Symbologies), Balkon 2012/11-12, pp. 30-32.
Sole and Joint Works 2.0, Catalogue, MAGMA Contemporary Medium, 2013
Bakk-Dávid Tímea: Sole and Joint Works – Language is not a Reliable Instrument. We should not talk about the Picture., Transindex, 2013 május 24.
Seres Szilvia: Interwiev with Zoltán Szegedy-Maszák, Artmagazin, 2014 March
Mélyi József: To Do Lists in Images, Műértő, 2015 February
Hermann Veronika: Weekdays and Miracles, Balkon 2015/3
Időalap – Timebase, catalogue
Hermann Veronika: A legkedvesebb idegenek, Balkon 2016/6
DLADLA100, catalogue, Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Budapest, 2017
Fugue, catalog, OSAS – Vasarely Museum, 2018
Varga Tünde: Szoftver tekintetében: az irányított véletlen szépsége, Tempevölgy 2018/3 pp. 102-120
GameOmetry, catalog, OSAS – Vasarely Museum, 2019
Dia-Logos, catalog, ZKM Kralsruhe – CCCB Barcelona – Artlab Lausanne, 2019
Thinking Machines – Ramon Lull and the ars combinatoria, EPFL Artlab, Lausanne
Bauhaus 100, catalog, Ludwig Museum, Budapest, 2019
Code and Algorithm, OSAS – catalog, Vasarely Museum, 2019
Beáta Istvánkó: Machines should work! (Dolgozzanak a gépek!), Új Művészet, 2020 September
Finally We Can Learn Something, catalog and leaflet by Kisterem Gallery