ZSOFIA SZEMZO

My work seeks to explore humans’ place in nature and their social environment. I feel the need to ask questions about our way of living in relation to nature. My interest leads to anthropological thinking. I am also interested in the possibilities of implicit narration in human interactions and the layers present in stories, personal or broader history written at the intersections of these layers. In most recent years my work was tending towards creating a mythology of an undefined culture that is the melting pot as a place of origin, the origin story of a culture embedded in nature, and the contradiction between solutions imagined by humans and their real outcomes or consequences. The notion of blending was essential to my previous projects. I focused on attempts to elaborate a common universal language, I studied the possible notion of blurring differences between continents, showing the process of similarities between all forms of learning, I drew the inventory of momentary wishes along with life-long desires. I tend to situate both my work and myself outside of the mental state that places constant growth in focus. To process the world slowly. Beyond my continuous search for some form of fusion, I also constantly attempt to understand diverse experiences by highlighting the risk factors and uncertainty that we have to face during everyday life and specific social experiences, makeing the change in speed and depth visible.

While drawing and other paper-based mediums are constant in my practice, I regularly work with video and ceramic objects as well. Technical and manual mediums are therefore equally present in my artistic approach. The aspect of looking at humans’ place in their social and historic environment also takes my work towards participatory practices in certain projects where the viewer or participant’s experience is in focus. Some of my works are ephemeral: mural drawings, planted grass in the form of a pillow, mending workshops or contrarily breaking plates together as a form of dialogue. The lack of background that characterizes my drawings and the structure of metaphors that interlaces all aspects of my practice may be a way to rethink our usual relations.
I currently live and work in Budapest, I lived in Paris for 5 years and in other parts of France for shorter periods.

2021 sheparticipated in Permanent leftovers group show in FKSE gallery and is part of the Secondary Archive 2020: She completed her doctoral stuies at Hungarian Academy of Fine arts, she participated in the So far so good exhibition, Budapest Gallery. Designer and curator of Stikli fanzine within the framework of Marom Jewish Culture2028. Was included in the collection of the Horváth Art Foundation at the auction of LupArt and Unicef. An interview about her work was published in PUNKT.hu 2019: Participated in the exhibition Everyone pick up a card with the Department of Fine Arts Theory of MKE at Telep gallery. Participated in LupArt artists' colony. Participated in the Gift an exhibition in the Budapest Gallery and the exhibition The Remnant with the AUW workshop. She made drawings in the Negyed magazine, she has works in the collection of Judit Reszegi and in the collection of Dénes andrea. 2018: solo exhibition, Byproduct in the Hidegszoba Studio, residency program in Strasbourg, CEAAC courtesy of the Budapest Gallery. 2017: residency program in MQ, Q21 Vienna, Tranzit.at, with Erste Foundation. She made drawings for the Cooperative city. Mist and dust exhibition with Sári Ember and Bori Szalai in Labor gallery. Defragmentation will be an eternity exhibition at SZIKM linked to the Smohay Prize. 2016: Participated in The Measure of our Traveling in Feet, Marres House for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht. Participated in Rain come down! exhibition, z2o Sarah Zanin gallery, Rome. Participated in 585,000 m2 a project, in WhiteBox gallery, New York. 2016: Smohay Award. 2015: Erasmus + Scholarship ESDAMM Marseille. Children of Eos on the Beaufort scale action on a rooftop as part of the Modus operandi-OFF biennial. 2014: FKSE Klára Herczeg junior award. She established the Co-op cooperative with Judit Csatlós and Daniela Krajcova as part of the FKSE Slightly Tinted Exhibition. She had a solo exhibition: Forgetting Continents related to sustainability. From 2013 MKE, Doctoral School student 2013: Hidden Visions. exhibition, Csepel. 2012: She attended a travel grant to New York City,Supported by the György Budai Foundation and the Alma on Dobbin Center. Ano Lino workshop, Banska Stanica art center, Banska Stiavnica. Curator’s Lab workshop with CosntructLab / Exyzt, ASAfactory, Guimaraes, Portugal. 2011: two solo exhibitions Something is Missing, Liget Gallery, and Mézesmadzag Ingatlaniroda, Inda Gallery. participated in the Hungary Subjective Atlas workshop organized by Kitchen Budapest, Hvg books. 2009: 3-month Hungarian State Eötvös Scholarship, 2008-2009 ENSCI, Paris, Mastère spécialisé Création et technologie contemporaine, with French State Scholarship. 2006 Erasmus Scholarship, Paris, École Supérieure des Arts Appliqués Duperré. 2003-2008 Moholy-Nagy University of Arts, Department of Visual Communication and 2004-2007 and 2010-2011 Moholy-Nagy University of Arts, Department of Visual Education.

Studies, Bursary, Scholarship
In 2020 i finished the doctoral studies at the University of Fine Arts, Budapest. 2018 artist in residency at CEAAC, Strasbourg, Budapest Gallery, 2017 artist in residency, Wien MQ with Tranzit.hu, Tranzit.at, Erste stiftung, 2016 Smohay prize, 2015 ESDAMM Marseille Erasmus+ scholarship, 2014 Klara Herczeg prize junior of FKSE, 2013 Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Doctoral studies, 2010 Hungarian Eotvos Scholarship, 2008–2009 ENSCI, Paris Mastère Spécialisé en Création et Technologie Contemporain, with the bursary of the French State, 2006 Ecole Supérieure des Arts Appliques, Duperré, Erasmus scholarship, Paris, France, 2003–2008 Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Faculty of visual communication, 2004-2007, 2010-2011Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Faculty of visual education

Professional work, Exhibitions
2021 Permanent leftovers group show in FKSE gallery
2021 Photo based works from the Balázs-Dénes collection, group show, Fuga
2021 participant in Secondary archive
2021 image apearing on artportal
2021 Article on TELEX.HU
2021 Virtual residency at ArtcampCommons of Judit Navratil
2021 LP cover for Tibor Szemző

2020 Selection of works on TELEX.hu-n
2020 Song of the Sea, group show in 2B
2020 So far so good, group exhibition, Budapest Gallery
2020 DLA final exam at Hungarian Academy of Fine arts
2020 Exhibition in delay: Song of the sea, 2B
2020 Upcoming exhibition in delay: Maradandó Maradék
2020 Upcoming exhibition: Dénes collection in Fuga
2020 Drawing In the Horváth art foundation collection
2020 Lupa auction for UNICEF, participant
2020 Gallery weekend: In between space – between reality, participant
2020 Stikli fanzine curation and layout design and fanzine lauch
2020 gráf camp
2020 Text for Zsófia frazon's Tiger in the Museum page

2019 Everyone pull out a paper, exhibition at Telep gallery
2019 Punkt article about her work
2019 Pins series for Aurora community center
2019 LP cover for Tibor Szemző
2019 In the Dénes Andrea and Balázs Árpád collection
2019 Patron 2019, participation
2019 Exhibition design for Knoll Gallery Budapest
2019 AbsolutBudapest talk
2019 Negyed magazine, drawings
2019Luppa island artcamp
2019 The viewer, group exhibition in Fresh paint X. Tel Aviv, Israel
2019 How long have you been here? collage in Empty Horses zine made to acompany the movie of Péter Lischter
2019 Secret Pessach, group exhibition in 2b gallery
2019 What about them, group show, The studios
2019 Present, Budapest gallery
2019 Pictures in the Reszegi Judit collection

2018 Leftover workshop end exhibition with AU Workshop
2018 585,000 m2, group multimédia exhibition, Budapest
2018 Garden kariathides, Non realized works in Műértő magazine with Tranzit.hu
2018 KözKemp workshop exhibition
2018 Erasing the present, Yearly exhibition of FKSE in the Barcsay room of the Hungarian Fine Art Academy
2018 KözKemp workshop participation
2018 Byproduct, solo exhibit in Hidegszoba studio, Budapest
2018 accumulation internaiunal group exhibition in 2B gallery, Budapest
2018 artist in residency at CEAAC, Strasbourg with Budapest Gallery, Strasbourg
2018 Field of imaginary sport, in Common affairs with Krisztina Erdei, Museum Ludwig Budapest
2018 Balkon isnside express of FKSE, with Sári Ember

2017 UND magazine, drawing
2017 artist in residency, Wien MQ with Tranzit.hu, Tranzit.at, Erste stiftung
2017 585,000 m2, Jerusalem Biennale
2017 Defragmentation will be an eternity, solo show in Székesfehérvár Szikm museum
2017 Contemporary Istambul, with Inda
2017 Escape from noise, 2b gallery, Budapest
2017 Poco at Telep gallery Budapest
2017 artist in residency, Wien MQ with Tranzit.hu, Tranzit.at, Erste stiftung
2017 Teleport Gallery: CINEMA TELEPORT, Berlin
2017 MIST AND DUST//Ember-Szemző//Labor gallery, Budapest
2017 13.Contemporary art auction for Bátor tábor
2017 Had Gadja/ 2b gallery, Budapest
2017 En route, Inda gallery
2017 Teleport Gallery: CINEMA TELEPORT, Trafó klub
2017 sculptors 02/ 2b gallery / time from nowhere

2016 light installation for Marom budapest
2016 The Measure of our Traveling Feet , Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht
2016 Rain Come Down!, z2o Sara Zanin gallery, Rome
2016 585,000 m2, WhiteBox gallery, New York
2016 Enjoy your strugles, Fkse
2016 Matzah, 2b gallery
2016 curator with Jutka Szalipszki of I sleep to wake up, I get up to lay down, FKSE, Budapest
2016 Giberish, with Judit Navratil and Judit Fischer in Inda gallery, Budapest
2015 Everyone has a dream, everyone has a failure, Miskolc
2015 + 45 + 55 + 95 +, Austrian cultural forum, Budapest
2015 Expanding space, Teleport gallery, Tit
2015 Eos’s children on the Beaufort scale, Performance, Modus Operandi, OFF Biennale2015
2015 Creation Works, Budapest gallery

2014 Our Holocaust /Fkse
2014 Everything is/ Latarka
2014 Art under dangerous stars: The responsibility of art / Tranzit
2014 Pensive Pictures Goodbye! / HiggsField
2014 Ask// Jurányi inkubatorhouse
2014 Free-hand, Drawing in Hungarian Fine Arts Now and Before, Modem, Debrecen
2014 Founding Co-op with Judit Csatlós
2014 Slightly tinted... with Daniela Krajcova in FKSE residency space and Co-op, and Deák library
2014 Forgetting the continents, solo show in Inda gallery

2013 Hidden Visions, Csepel
2013 Conceptualism now: Conceptual art in Hungary, Paks
2013 ArtParis with Inda gallery from March 28th - to April 1th

2012 travel grant New York, with the bursary of the Budai György Foundation with Alma on Dobbin center
2012 yearly exhibition of FKSE in Dunaújváros Contemporary art center
2012 participation in Gallery by Night, Studio FKSE

2011 Something is missing, solo exhibition in Liget gallery
2011 Speaking for it’s self, group show of FKSE(Young Artist Association) in National Gallery, Budapest
2011 Feint Reaestate Agency, solo show in Inda Gallery, Budapest
2011 participation in the construction of Yona Friedman: Architecture without building exhibition, Ludwig Museum, Budapest,
2011 participation in UfoWorkshop with Gonzague Lacombe, Exyzt collective, Warsaw

2010 one month artist in residency La ferme du Buisson, Paris
2010 one month artist in residency Camac art center, Marnay sur Seine
2010 participation in workshop Chaud devant, with the collective Exyzt Saint Jean en Royans, France
2010 Relations, Who? To who? With who?, Deak collection, Szekesfehervar
2010 Every other day, Contemporary Art Institute, Miskolc

2009 Contemporary drawing, Kosice-Praha-Budapest
2009 Conditional present, Hungarian Institute of Paris, Paris
2009 “Urbanscape” with FKSE , in AKKU, Budapest
2009 In picture relations, with Erik Binder and AKA in Inda gallery, Budapest

2008 “Grass/brick” with FKSE , in Holdudvar, Budapest
„Couple” with Eszter Szabó, FKSE, 50 one day show
„Not obligatory” group introduction show in FKSE
Member of FKSE since 2018
one day project with Ágnes Éva Molnár, in the tent of János Szirtes, Oktopus, Sziget festival
2007 “Honeypillow and pocketmap” solo exhibition in Boulevard et Brezsnyev gallery
our days in Bukor, group show in Bb gallery
“Teleportation” , with the artists of Boulevard et Brezsnyev, Kassel
2006 animációs végefőcím Guillaume Gibout "La grande dispute" c. diplomafilmjéhez
storyboard és főcím Cserháti Gabriella és Fabien Lartigue „Tom Tamás” c. filmjéhez
2005 OASE Film program, Bécs-Budapest-Györ-Pozsony, a Mome diákjainak videómunkáival

Workshop particiation:
2018 Leftover with AU Workshop 2018 KözKemp workshop participation 2018 Mending workshops in the exhibition Byproduct2017 workshop as part of 2017 artist in residency, Wien MQ with Tranzit.hu, Tranzit.at, Erste stiftung, 2017 Mending workshop in the Defragmentation exhibition 2017 workshops in a school with Krisztina Erdei, 2015-2017 workshops on a weekly basis with kids for an NGO, Bagázs, 2016 workshop as part of The Measure of our Traveling Feet , Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht, 2015 ESDAMM Marseille Thomas Hirschorn workshop in Bureau des positions couse, 2012 Curators Network, critical tinkering, portfolio review, Ludwig Museum Budapest, 2012 Ano Lino workshop at Banska Stanica art center, Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia
2012 The Reunion , London, installation of Exyzt collective, drawings, 2012 participation in the workshop, Curator’s Lab, with CosntructLab/Exyzt, ASAfactory, Guimaraes, Portugal, 2011 participation in the construction of Yona Friedman: Architecture without building exhibition, Ludwig Museum, Budapest, 2011 participation in UfoWorkshop with Gonzague Lacombe, Exyzt collective, Warsaw, 2010 Subjective atlas of Hungary workshop at Kitchen Budapest, 2010 participation in workshop Chaud devant, with the collective Exyzt Saint Jean en Royans, France

Zines and books:
2019 How long have you been here? as part of the Empty Horses Zine 2018 Garden Khariatides, Non realized works in Műértő magazine with Tranzit.hu, 2018 UND magazine, drawings 2014 Collectiveplant spring zine, 2011 Prizma magazin n#6, drawings, 2011 Subjective Atlas of Hungary, HVG books, participation 2011 Wall and Concrete Fanzine n2 workshop and Launch, Labor Bp, 2010 Wall and concrete fanzine n#1, 2010 Participation Reflex magazine fanzine n#3

Artfairs, in collection:
2016-2017-2018 Judit Reszegi's collection 2017 Contemporary Istambul, with Inda, 2016-2015-2011 ArtMarket Budapest, Inda, 2013-2014-2016 Tihany artplacc, projektplacc, 2012-2013 ArtParis, Inda, 2010 one drawing in K&H Bank group’s contemporary art collection, Budapest, 2010 Vienna fair, Inda Vienna, 2010 Budapest Artfair, first step, 2009 Art Fair in Open city, Rome, with Inda, 2007 Mome „Curiosity Cabinet” , Salone Satellite, Milano