Page 48 - World of Art magazine (2000)

marte szirmay new zealand

biOgRAPhy 1946 Born Budapest Hungary; 1957 arrived in Venice’ exhibition, art addiction Venice italy. Gallery auckland; 1981 Janne land Gallery Wellington;
in New Zealand; 1960 1964 auckland Girls’ Grammar MeMbeRShiPS Federation of international Medallists, The Hocken library Gallery Dunedin; New Vision Gallery
School; 1968 Graduated DFa (Hons) auckland university, France; international Sculpture centre Washington Dc, auckland; 1980 New Vision Gallery auckland; 1979
elam School of Fine arts; 1969 Dip.Teaching, auckland uSa; artist’s alliance auckland NZ; art educators of Bosshard Galleries Dunedin; Manawatu art Gallery
Secondary Teachers college. aotearoa, NZ; Friends of acaG palmerston North; Victoria university Wellington; New
AWARDS 1968 air New Zealand Sculpture award; 1971, SOLO eXhibiTiOnS 1999 Drawings Gallery auckland Vision Gallery auckland; 1977 cSa Gallery christchurch;
72 Frances Hodgkins Fellow, university of otago Dunedin; New Zealand; 1997 Drawings Gallery auckland NZ; 1976 Barry left Galleries auckland; Bosshard Galleries
1973, 78, 82 Qe ii arts council awards; 1982 Visiting 1995 lopdell House auckland; Drawings Gallery auckland; Dunedin; Brooke-Gifford Gallery christchurch; Bishop
artist, Johnson atelier, princeton, New Jersey uSa; 1983 1992 Gow langsford Gallery auckland; 1991 Gow Suter Gallery Nelson; 1974 Barry left Galleries auckland;
Visiting artist, Governors State universityillinois uSa; langsford Gallery auckland; 1989 Gow langsford Gallery 1973 Govett-Brewster art Gallery New plymouth; 1972
1994 Selected as a Woman of the Year, international auckland; 1988 Fisher Gallery auckland; 1987 lopdell Barry left Galleries auckland; Dawson’s Gallery Dunedin;
Biographical center, uSa; 1997 Honorary Selection, House auckland; 1986 Denis cohn Gallery auckland; Waikato art Gallery Hamilton; 1971 Dawson’s Gallery
international Miniature art exhibition art addiction Janne land Gallery Wellington; 1984 New Vision Gallery Dunedin; cSa Gallery christchurch; 1970 Barry left
Sweden; 1998 Honorary Selection, international ‘Masks auckland; 1983 cSa Gallery christchurch; New Vision Galleries auckland.

ChASe PLAzA
WATeR SCuLPTuRe
AuCkLAnD
1987 STAinLeSS STeeL
178 X 51 X 152,5 M /
7000 X 2000 X 6000 in

ma r te s z ir ma y
ARTiST TalK

My initial Fine Arts training was based on a traditional figurative nological advances visual communication has increased on a global scale,
approach to sculpture. While I am not figurative, occasionally I tend to over the past 50 years. Globalisation has given rise to the multifaceted
be representational. Although I usually don’t represent the human form, I character of contemporary art practice. The contemporary art work still
do represent articles that are of importance to so called humanity. communicates its message to an audience, but that audience may vary in
On saying that the figure has always been vital in how I conceive of my size from the global to the intimate, and will have varying and contradic-
work, and in how it is received. In other words it exists for the human tory expectations of art. This is what characterises art’s function today -
form, to interact with it, either in a spatial sense, or in more literal an indeterminate purpose that can be everything or nothing, universal or
interactive ways. Thus although my work is largely non-figurative, it can intimate, political or aesthetic, et cetera. On saying that an art work still
only be complete when the human form is present. requires interaction from its audience through the senses, intellect or a
I am a sculptor who speaks about sculptural, 3 dimensional issues. physical engagement with it. Art works are still perceived by some as
These may be dealing with the object and its placement; spatial instal- something to ’transport’ the observer beyond the everyday, mundane
lation; materials; processes; and audience interaction. concerns of daily life. Art works are still collectable and are still tied to the
There is a tendency today to confuse anything that is three dimensional economic superiority of the few (collectors, who may be the state,
with sculpture. Sculpture is a specific category of creative activity within corporates, or the wealthy). The economic superiority of ownership still
the visual arts. I work within this category and its histories, and push and divides the ‘patron’ and those who can only enjoy art works as ’
play with its demarcations. Sculpture is not a closed, static phenomena. worshippers’/ onlookers in a gallery/museum, with all the narcissistic
Some might say that I am a traditionalist, in that I tend to work in what benefits that this provides.
has, over time, been identified as the fundamental principles of sculpture I did think that I might become a medical doctor or scientist during my
- space, mass, volume, surface, et cetera. However within this framework early schooling. These early interests have stayed with me throughout my
there is the potential of endless movement, both intellectual and visual. life and have influenced my work in a variety of ways. For example, I
Art, of which sculpture is a sub-category, is a name used to label one have investigated the mathematical formulae of biological structures like
aspect of our cultural landscape. It is a term for which it is impossible to shells, which then I used to develop a series of sculptures using the same
locate a universal definition, and therefor a specific function. It is all sequencing of numbers.
culturally linked. Art works as such have not changed their own nature or Music has always played an important focusing function. I listen to
function throughout history. It is society’s changing needs, attitudes and music while I work. And, although I do not subscribe to synaethesia, I
economic philosophy that has changed art’s function. Through tech- like to think of the contemplative qualities of art as comparable to the »

46 WORLD of ART Special iSSue 2000