21 May 2019
Acclaimed artist and Blacktown resident of over 30 years,
Vitéz Dr. Alex Sándor Kolozsy, will be exhibiting 50 of his
sculptors and oil paintings at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts
Centre.
The exhibition features bronze artworks of many well-known
Australian figures, including the late artist Tom Bass, and
musician Johnny O’Keefe, and famous places such as the
Kokoda Track.
Mayor Stephen Bali said the exhibition was an opportunity to
see a world renowned artist located in Blacktown.
“We are delighted to be showcasing the artworks of an
important migrant artist who has made Blacktown his home
for the last three decades.”
The artist’s inspiration has come from the classical
European tradition of sculpture.
“I think Rodin is one of my favourites,” Kolozsy said.
“I do not copy, but over the years I have developed my own
impressionistic figurative style.”
“My sculptures are not smooth. I have a certain texture on
the surfaces, and I refine the highlights, and I aim to reflect
the spirit and soul of the person in their portrait, which is the
most important aspect of my work.”
Kolozsy arrived in Australia in 1958 on the Dutch
ship, Johan Van Oldevarneveld, with 3,000 Dutch and 7
Hungarian migrants. Two years earlier he was a young
freedom-fighter in Budapest repelling the invasion of his
country by Soviet Russia, taking over a tank in front of the
Parliament building and hoisting the Hungarian national flag,
despite being wounded. This same flag is part of the artist’s
personal memorabilia to be featured in the exhibition
alongside his sculptures, drawings and paintings.
Kolozsy - has many permanent public sculptures across
Australia, including a memorial to the pioneering women of
Australia located at Jessie Street Square in Sydney.
Kolozsy – the sculptor was awarded an International Gold
Medal in 1981 by the Arpad Academy in Cleveland, Ohio,
and in 1991 he was awarded a Cultural Doctorate in Visual
Arts from Benson, Arizona. His work is held in the Royal Art
Collection, London, the Presidential Collection, Washington,
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra and the Australian
Parliament Art Collection.
Last year he was knighted as Vitéz by the Hungarian
Parliament. He is currently Sculptor-in-Residence with the
Blacktown Showground Society
Exhibition dates:
23 May – 27 June 2019
The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre is open Tuesday to
Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission to the exhibition is
free.
ABOUT BLACKTOWN ARTS
Blacktown Arts is a recognised leader in the development of
contemporary arts in Australia. We support artistic
innovation and offer exciting, new experiences for audiences
through an award-winning curated program of exhibitions,
performances, workshops, residencies and events. We are
committed to making dynamic, culturally diverse work that
reflects Blacktown, its history and its communities. We place
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities
at the heart of our program to develop new work drawing on
issues of local and global significance. This is how we make
art.
Kolozsy - Sculptor, Two Vases 1995 (left), Kolozsy –
Sculptor, Zsuzsa 1989 (right)
Photo: Jennifer Leahy
