Mundus Imaginalis

B o t o n d RĂŠszegh m u n d u s imaginalis

B o t o n d RÊszegh m u n d u s imaginalis April 30 – September 17, 2010 International Village

Playing with the Sin of the Unpunishable Fantasy – a shadow-play of imagination “For however sublime love might appear, it has its roots in the sexual instinct, what is more, it is nothing but … a specialized and individualized sexual instinct” Schopenhauer

A new play with the soul’s tense mirror, another inner struggle, another confession.

Botond Részegh’s constitution is Dionysian, or, to say the least, that is the pole on which his works resonate. This does not only mean an expressive and emotional manifestation, it is also a descent into the insecure, the obscure realms of the inner world. His spontaneous drawings are emotionally guided, which, however, does not mean a lack of balance or a lack of care. His series of drawings hidden in erotic fantasies and stylized forms, deliver a somewhat uncouth and uninhibited confession. This is a way of self therapy, in which eroticism is more than a mass of pulsating and intertwining bodies. The lack of perfect nuptials with which we are presented is not a fulfilment of an androgynous unification, but a fantasy-play of floating, translucent jellyfish-bodies, a meeting ground of lost and maimed bodies, teasing, tearing, dragging each other like each other’s chains, parting from each other and approaching each other again and again and again. Traps of suppressions and affections, the

endlessness of uncertain relationshipvariations. My psychoanalytical approach is first and foremost a means to explore the psycho-creative process which, however, cannot but include the foreshadowed trauma from which and through which the creator is trying to escape. Sexuality is a tormenting conflict, rather than a self-dissolving pleasure. Drawing the indigestible – a series of analyses serving a final inner peace. Hence the resigned style, this is why the impulsive, expressive habit is taken over by symbolic, stylized forms. Heads without mimics, maimed, puppet-like bodies, protruding genitals: different variations on being together. The male agent is often doubled – a split, or the appearance of a disturbing third party, through which no raptured playfulness of the „ménáge á trois” is suggested, but, rather, a spectre-figure of rivalry.

I may have no sins, but will always have things to repent – the artist goes beyond the personal line and gains absolution. He sacrifices the ego to become free of his desires. Beyond the dispassionate there is a wise, reasonable gaze, the distance of

a vantage point. Thus we can view it as an illustration of a ritual orgy that goes beyond the sin of self-directed pleasure and disdains the suffering yearning, the humiliating desire, the repenting penitence. Why would God be in favour of self-tormenting, broken and unfulfilled desires, of agonizing renouncement?

Sexuality has been demonized by the Judaeo-Christian ethics which has labelled orgies or any manifestations of free love as satanic and sacrilegious. This is the inner conflict that the title of this series of drawing suggests: the fantasy of the soul knows no taboos. It is impossible to regain the primordial totality, the condition before the fall. It is an illusion, a mythic daydream.

In Botond Részegh’s works immediate articulation and stylized forms are inseparable, his world is informed by symbolic, archaic traditions. He brings his inner conflicts to the surface through the immediate naturalness of a mythological paradigm.

József Gaál Translated by Barna Marthy

Play with the Staying (with Oscar Wilde). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

u Play with the Staying (with Dostoyevsky). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in. t Play with the Staying (with Georg Trakl). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Play with the Staying (with Georg Trakl). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Playing with the Sins of the Unpunishable Fantasy I窶的I. 2010.

Mixed technique. 15 x 11 in. t Play with the Staying (with Georg Trakl). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

t Play with the Staying (with Oscar Wilde) 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Play with the Staying (with Oscar Wilde). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in. t

t Play with the Staying (with Oscar Wilde) 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Play with the Staying (with Dostoyevsky). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in. t

u Play with the Staying (with Dostoyevsky). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in. t Play with the Staying (with Dostoyevsky). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Botond Részegh w w w. r e s z e g h b o t o n d . r o Date of birth: 1 June 1977 Education: 1996-2001: University of The Fine Arts, Bucharest, Graphic arts section. Master: Mircia Dumitrescu 2001-2002: Master studies at the University of The Fine Arts, Bucharest 2004-2008: DLA.(Doctor of Liberal Arts) studies at the Hungarian Fine Arts University.

Advisor: König Róbert

individual exhibitions: 2010: Northeastern Univeristy – Boston (USA) 2009: Galeria IX – Budapest (Hungary) 2009: Ingeborg Zweymüller Gallery – Baden (Austria) 2009: Skanzen Gallery – Szentendre (Hungary) 2008: Volksbank Gallery – Budapest (Hungary) 2008: Eleusis Gallery – Iasi (Romania) 2008: Hungarian Culture Institute, with my master Mircia Dumitrescu – Bucharest (Romania) 2007: Gallery of Romanian Academy – Bucharest (Romania) 2007: Romanian Culture Institute, with my master Mircia Dumitrescu – Budapest (Hungary) 2007: Romanian Culture Institute, with my master Mircia Dumitrescu – Wien (Austria) 2007: Vizivarosi Galeria, with my master Mircia Dumitrescu – Budapest (Hungary) 2006: Jelen Haz – Arad (Romania) 2006: Book release of the bilingual (Hungarian, English) bibliophile work The Welsh Bards by János Arany at The National Széchényi Library – Budapest (Hungary) 2006: Galeria IX – Budapest (Hungary) 2005: Vincze Gallery (Saint Michael Chapel, Fisherman Bastion in Buda castle) – Budapest (Hungary) 2005: Széchenyi Castle – Nagycenk (Hungary) 2005: Ingeborg Zweymüller Gallery – Baden (Austria), with Gusztáv Üto 2004: The Green Room of the Virág Confectioner’s – Szeged (Hungary) 2004: Ingeborg Zweymüller Gallery – Baden (Austria) 2004: The Cultural Institution of Hungary – Bucharest (Romania) 2003: Book release of the trilingual (Hungarian, Romanian, German) bibliophile work The day of the dead in Vienna by Sándor Kányádi at The National Széchényi Library – Budapest (Hungary) 2002: Horváth & Lukács Gallery – Nagycenk (Hungary) 2001: Exhibition of 17 Endre Ady illustrations, and release of the bilingual bibliophile work Vertical Horses by Sándor Kányádi at the International Book Exhibition – Budapest (Hungary)

Art Fairs: Courtesy of Léna & Roselli Gallery 2009: Slick Paris 2009: Lineart (Belgium) 2009: Budapest ArtFair (Hungary) 2008: Budapest Art Fair (Hungary)

Play with the Staying (with Georg Trakl). 2010.

Mixed technique. 40 x 27 in.

Botond Részegh greatly appreciates all the help and support from Albert-László Barabási and Isabel Meirelles who made his artist residency possible at Northeastern University. During Botond’s appointment he collaborated closely with the Department of Art + Design and the Center for Complex Network Research on a number of artistic projects, including this catalog and exhibition.

Botond is also grateful to the following individuals who generously helped him during his stay at Northeastern University: Suzanne Aleva, Trevor Gillaspy, Renata Nyul and Bruce Ronkin.

Funding for the visiting artist program and this exhibition in the International Village was generously provided by Northeastern University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Boston, MA.

Isabel Meirelles Botond Részegh and Isabel Meirelles the text was written by József Gaál the translation was by Barna Marthy the photos were taken by Botond Részegh printed in 2010 the exhibition was organized by

the catalog was designed by

Department of Art + Design 239 Ryder Hall www.art.neu.edu Center for Complex Network Research 111 Dana Research Center www.barabasilab.com Northeastern University 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA, 02115