Attila Malya exhibition opened at Kiss Kunszt Gallery
A new exhibition titled "Brutál," featuring the vibrant and socially-conscious work of young painter Attila Malya, opened on Thursday, November 7, at the Kiss Kunszt Gallery in Szeged.
Known for his bold compositions, Malya is part of Generation Y and brings a distinctive style to his paintings, featuring unique characters and surprising color combinations. His art reflects a deep commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable living – values that he upholds both in his artistic practice and personal life. Malya’s work also reveals a strong sense of humanity and social sensitivity, resonating with viewers who value responsibility and progressive thought in modern art.
Attila Malya, a painter and animation filmmaker, lives on a renovated farmstead in Tótkomlós and commutes regularly to Budapest, where he studies at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME). This dual lifestyle allows him to blend the perspectives of a rural farmer – gardening and raising animals – and an urban intellectual and creative professional, positioning himself in both worlds.
When opening the exhibition, art historian Anna Váraljai observed that a unique blend of forces has deeply influenced the outlook of Attila Malya’s generation: the lingering atmosphere of post-socialism, the rise of neo-nationalism, the spread of capitalism, and the relentless pace of digitalization. Adding to this complex backdrop are anxieties over climate change, economic crises, inflation, the impact of nearby conflicts, and the isolation brought on by COVID-19. Together, these factors shape a worldview marked by uncertainty and resilience.
“The exhibition was titled Brutál because today’s young adults in their twenties face brutal challenges, and this is evident in Attila Malya's paintings,” explained the curator of the Kiss Kunszt Gallery, Anna Váraljai. “Malya offers various responses to processing the world’s challenges: on the one hand, he retreats into nature; on the other, he creates critical and often boldly outspoken works. He lives on a farm in Tótkomlós, where he practices beekeeping, tends to his animals, creates his art, and even crafts the wooden frames for his paintings from the wood in his own garden.” Váraljai added that they are proud to have the Kiss Kunszt Gallery as the first venue to showcase Malya’s work on such a large scale.
In his opening speech, geographer and organic farmer Gábor Balogh emphasized not only his long-standing friendship with the artist but also the environmental and nature conservation themes present in the exhibited works. He pointed out that Malya is one of the few who has truly returned to the countryside, living a lifestyle that keeps him in daily contact with nature. This unique relationship with the natural world, Balogh noted, is reflected in Malya's distinctive visual language, through which he strives to bring all of us closer to our environment.
At the exhibition opening, guests were treated to a poetry recitation by Andrea Fabulya and music by Balázs Szokolay Dongó.
After the opening, Anna Váraljai also revealed that Malya's paintings undergo a kind of initiation ritual when exposed to natural elements. The artist boldly mixes his tried-and-tested techniques, sometimes placing fur on the canvases and setting it on fire. He experiments with different materials, and even when mice chew on the paintings, he leaves the damage as it is.
The exhibition is free to visit and will be on display at the Kiss Kunszt Gallery at Takaréktár Street until December 7, 2024.
Photos: Szilvia Molnar / Szegedify
