“Azurite was also called citramarine, suggesting its origins on the near side of the sea.” - Stella Paul, art historian
There are many kinds of blue - all the same blue, yet with inexhaustible permutations of appearance, impact and meaning. Artists have long chased the sensory thrills ignited by tropical light and the myriad hues of blue, embarking on journeys to distant lands of the Caribbean or Africa.
Andras Ikladi’s photographic exploration of colour commenced when he arrived in the subtropical city of Xiamen, South China. Previously working in the style of high contrast and grainy black-and-white photography, he found himself irresistibly pulled into this new dimension, resulting in his first body of work using colour: Citramarine.
Exploring the complexities of light and its interplay with colour unveils their psychological influence. Tropical hues possess a unique potency to evoke emotions, shape narratives, and even alter moods. The warm embrace of tropical light, the caressing warm breeze and the soft grainy sand trigger profound responses within our souls, allowing us to enter another space, where the interplay of light and colour reaches into the depths of human experience.
Citramarine is a realm beyond visual perception.
"Out of the ordinary is often characterised as strange, unusual, odd, peculiar, bizarre, uncanny, weird, mysterious, or even surreal. Subjects, scenes, themes, perspectives, compositions, portrayed events, visual experiences, and imaginative narratives may all deviate from the ordinary. Photographers often step into the realm of the extraordinary through the lens of their camera, embracing the unconventional, where the peculiar dances with the mysterious, and the odd intertwines with the surreal. They explore the realms of strange, unusual, and uncanny. Some venture into the world of traditional straight photography, where authenticity captures the essence of the outlandish. Others delve into staged photography, where each frame unfolds a narrative beyond the ordinary, or embrace the art of photomontage, seamlessly blending disparate elements to craft a visual tapestry of uniqueness. AI-generated photo-based images offer a digital canvas to manifest the bizarre and create a fusion of reality and imagination. This exhibition celebrates the diversity of perspectives that redefine the ordinary and elevate the extraordinary. The photographer’s lens is the gateway to a realm where the peculiar becomes art, the bizarre transforms into beauty, and the unconventional takes centre stage."
“Shapes are one of the most important aspects of creative photographic compositions. Living beings and inanimate objects, including the built environment, come in many forms, and photographers often rely on the creative possibilities offered by their shapes. While in some cases the images of things only serve a depictive function, at the other end of the spectrum, abstract photography concentrates on shapes and forms for their own sake, to the point where we can no longer recognise the depicted objects themselves. Between being either insignificant or the only significant element, the shape of recognisable forms may also be the driving compositional component of an image. That is, the shapes of living beings and objects may be of central importance to the composition of photographs, not only in abstract photography but also in virtually all other photographic genres. These images capture our attention and stand out for their creative compositional form.”
The exhibition aims to showcase what we see in each other’s homelands, the enduring values we carry with us regardless of borders and distances, how we perceive China, and how our Chinese friends perceive Hungary. This is expressed through the universal language of photography, bypassing linguistic barriers.
We aim to highlight natural beauty, architectural heritage, people, destinies, experiences, aspirations, joys, and sorrows—those everyday emotions that both sides can understand and relate to.
The primary objective of this initiative is to demonstrate how the friendship between the two nations has deepened over the past 75 years.
Let us take a glimpse together into the recent history of our countries, the development of our homelands, the growing ties and connections forged between nations and individuals, and their transformation into strong bonds.