30th International Workshop

30 th International Enamel Workshop

The well-known international Enamel Workshop in Kecskemét celebrated its 30 years existence with a conference and two different exhibitions: 1) a historic exhibition of the works of 30 years symposia with Hungarian and International Enamel Artists in Cifrapalota Gallery, Kecskemét; 2) an actual exhibition of this year's 30^th Internation - al Enamel Symposium, Summer 2004, in the Cultural Center of the town. At the anniversary conference, the director of the International Enamel Workshop, László Gyergyádesz Sr., and the art historian Gabor Pap talked about the history of the studio and the future ideas for this institution. Dr. Janos Borbola from the Netherlands showed slides and compared Egyptian Cloisonné enamels of the Armana period with the enamels which are integrated into the Hungarian Holy Crown (11th - 12th century) of the Hungarian King Stephan.

Further lectures were held by László Gyergyádesz Junior ('Hungarian Enamel Art of the 20th Century') and Katalin Hollósy ('Foreign Enamel Art, Seen (viewed) from Hungary') - with slides, Dr. Magdolna Való and Joszef Lakó ('Enamel Art and the Chemists') - followed by interesting discussions. Lectures - partly with slides from foreign enamel artists were held by Marie-Therese Masias (GIRAEFE, France), Nikola Vdowkin (Pobegailovka, Russia) and Barbara Lipp (Kunstverein Coburg, Germany)

Mr. Bernd Finger, the second Secretary for Culture and Education at the German Embassy in Budapest, Hungary, came to the opening of the 30th anniversary exhibition, talked to the responsible persons of Kecskemét and gave a speech. The contacts between Hungarian and German enamel artists are already very close - the hope is to intensify this exchange in the near future with visits, symposia, and exhibitions.

30th International Enamel Symposia in Hungary

15 years of Exchange of Enamel Artists Between Hungary and Germany.

Already since 1988, before the opening of the wall between East and West Germany, German enamelers from the former Eastern German Democratic Republic have been invited to participate in the International Symposia of Kecskemét. It had been possible to meet artists from the other country - though the political situation was difficult between East and West. Thus well known enamel artists from Hungary (e.g. Lilla Bencze), and many enamelers from East and West-Germany, were allowed to go to the International Enamel Exhibitions in Coburg or to the Biennale in the French town of Limoges to meet one another at exhibitions and conferences. This was the basis for long-lasting connections and friendships between our two countries.

In 1991, I had been invited to Kecskemét as one of the first enamelers from West Germany. It was a wonderful experience for me, because I was able to fire large panels in a big kiln for the first time. This meant a change from copper to steel and to spray or paint liquid industrial enamel colors on big panels as I had not done before. I enjoyed it very much.

It is unique that the enamel colors which are used in the Kecskemét studio are fabricated in the same place - the liquid industrial colors in a factory nearby or (later) in Budafok and the transparent and opaque powder- or lump-enamels in the "backyard" of the studio - where we were allowed to watch how the hot enamel colors from the kiln were poured into cold water and broke into lumps. Also very special are the rare metallic colors which are produced by the chemist Joszef Lakò.

The great hospitality of the people and the beautiful town and landscape attracted me - so I returned at least every two years to Kecskemét since and learnt to know many international enamel-artists, especially from the former eastern countries. It was a privilege to be invited to the private enamel workshops of Lilla Bencze, Maria Hertay, Edit Morelli and Katalin Hollosy, Eva Nuridsany and others.

The former director, Endre Turi, and Laszló Gyergyádesz invited German enamelers every year, so a lot of them came to work in the studio. Visits of different Hungarian towns and places of interest completed the stay - it was always exciting, and combined exhibitions, slide lectures and fruitful talks. Hungarian artists visited Germany and came to our studios, many pieces crossed the borders for exhibitions, back and forth, but there were still problems with the customs.

When the Erfurt workshop (Kuenstlerwerkstaetten der Stadt Erfurt KWST) has been installed (by the famous enamelers and goldsmiths Uta Feiler, Hans-Joachim Haertel and Uta Stade), I am lucky to have been invited to the Erfurt Enamel symposia since 1993. Helmut Senf, well-known enamel artist and metal sculptor, directed the national enamel symposia in Erfurt. Later, I have been asked to organize the international enamel symposia there . So I took the chance to give back some thanks to Hungarian friends and invite the Hungarian enamelers to the Erfurt International Symposia - as well as artists from other countries. Many of them (such as Kaya Igarashi from Tokyo, Marie-Therese Masias from France, Vivian Kline from Cincinnati, and many Erfurt artists, e.g Arnold Bauer, Uta Feiler, Rolf Lindner, and Gudrun Wiesmann) then contacted the Kecskemét studio to participate in an enamel symposium or to exhibit in Hungary - an exciting exchange. Especially now, it is more and more interesting because in these days, Europe is getting together and the customs difficulties will be no more severe in the future - as we hope.

It is a pity that everywhere is a lack of money for cultural projects like these international activities in Erfurt or Kecskemét. Such workshops and symposia are very rare worldwide, and we are happy that until now, the cultural directions had been understanding and helpful not to close these institutions. So we hope that they will exist a long time for future generations and that our plans come true to intensify our contacts with many more enamel-centers of all different countries.

To contact the Hungarian Enamel Organization, please write to:

INTERNATIONAL STUDIO OF ENAMEL ART OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF COUNTY BACS- KISKUN László Gyergyádesz, Sr., Director Bethlen krt, 16 H 6000 KECSKEMÉT HUNGARY Tel. 06 76 48 21 23 e-mail: nzazomanc@nicrosvstem.hu

By Barbara Lipp [Volume 23, Number 5, December, 2004]

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