Kass, János
BiographyARTWORKS FOR SALE
Biography
János Kass is an extraordinary diverse artist: painter, sculptor and graphical artist. From the beginning of his studies, he tried different genres, between 1942-1946 he studied ceramics at the academy of applied arts, from 1946-1951 he dedicated himself to graphics at the HungarianAcademy of Fine Arts, with Gyula Hincz, György Konecsni and György Kádár being his teachers. The years 1960-61, he was working at the faculty of graphics and visual arts in Leipzig and from 1967-81 he was teaching at the Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts at the faculty of graphics. At that time he was already considered among the best book illustrators.
From 1973 on, he designed stamps and movie posters. During his rich artistic life, he has been working in nearly all areas of graphical arts and various genres, doing drawings, different techniques of graphical multiplication, book illustrations. Together with the famous animation movie maker with Hungarian origins John Halas, they developed the first animation movie with the computer, called “Dilemma”.
He created marble sculptures, but also modern materials did not hold him back. Over several decades, he was working with friends and artists at the series “Heads”, made out of polystyrene. The roots of his arts can be found in the Hungarian culture and the constantly renewing forms of modern arts equally. The master technique is based on the tradition of graphical arts, but is combined with collages and constructivist forms. The artist was always aware of the –individual and social- being of man, of culture traditions, of questions concerning technique and sciences. The various artists genres had always a productive effect on his work, literature and music play a major role in numerous outstanding works.
His series often show the gist of a creative period and a style. In “Psalmus Hungaricus” the state of being of the 1970s can be felt; in “The Tragedy of man” a certain worldview is expressed; the basic human, moral values are in the centre of the sacral representations of the “Old Testament”; the series “Duke Bluebeard’s castle” expresses beside the basic way of thinking of man and woman a possible way towards a rationally abstract and at the same time humanistic idea of man.
János Kass’ s numerous works can be found in the Hungarian National Gallery. Since 1985, the János Kass Gallery in Szeged shows a constant exhibition.
| Year | Biography |
|---|---|
| 1927 | He was born in Szeged |
| 1942-1946 | School of Applied Arts, ceramics specialist |
| 1946-1951 | Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, graphic specialist |
| 1960-1961 | Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, book art department, Leipzig |
| 1965-1973 | art editor of the 'New Writing' |
| 1967-1981 | He was professor of the Hungarian College of Applied Arts, Department of Graphic |
| 1973 | He are also planning postage stamps |
| member of the The Hungarian Society of Painters, az ATIPY ICTA, DCC (London), | |
| CDL (FR), vand the German Book Artists Association | |
| Honorary Citizen of Szeged. | |
| Awards | |
| 1999 | In the book arts exhibition he got the "the best book" award in Frankfurt |
| 1999 | Kossuth-award |
| On The Brussels World's Fair, on the Hungarian and German "Nice Book" competition he won awards in Moscow, Brno, Toronto, in Bratislava, São Paulo | |
| 1992 | Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic |
| 1986 | Outstanding artist |
| 1966,1977 | Merited artist |
| 1966,1977 | In the book arts exhibition he got the "the best book" award in Leipzig |
| 1954,1967 | Munkácsy-award |
| 1956-1959 | Derkovits-scholarship |
| Single exhibition | |
| 2000 | Zsámbék Saturdays, House of Culture, Zsámbék |
| Hungarian Academy in Rome | |
| Ferenc Móra Museum-Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1999 | Cultural House, Veszprém |
| Dániel Berzsenyi County Library, Szombathely | |
| Várfal Gallery, Székesfehérvár | |
| 1998 | Csikász Gallery, Veszprém |
| 1997 | Lajos Kossuth University, Debrecen |
| (Retrospective exhibition), Budapest Gallery, Budapest | |
| Bible pages, Széchenyi garden Reformed Church Temple, Debrecen | |
| Iskolai Gallery, Dunakeszi | |
| Cultural House, Zsámbék | |
| Rózsavölgyi Music School and Public Library, Balassagyarmat | |
| Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| Dutch House, Dég | |
| 1996 | Hungarian Embassy in Copenhagen |
| Forum Club, Újvidék | |
| Public House, Szabadka | |
| County and City Library, Kaposvár | |
| 1995 | (Retrospective exhibition), Vajdasági Museum, Újvidék |
| Kossuth Club, Budapest | |
| Cultural Center, Békéscsaba | |
| Hungarian Opera House | |
| Holy Crown Gallery-St. Stephen's Community Centre, Székesfehérvár | |
| 1994 | Arte Fiera, Bologna |
| Hungarian Institute, Stuttgart | |
| Gellért Hotel | |
| University of Economics | |
| Semmelweis University of Medicine | |
| 1993 | E H2 2HB, Edinburg |
| Cyprus Culture House, Ministry Exhibition Hall, Nicosia | |
| The exhibition at the Kass family, Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1992 | Peters's G., Limassol, Ciprus |
| Vigadó Gallery, Budapest | |
| Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1990,1991 | Olympia, National Hall, London |
| 1989 | Ivanoff Galerie, Aachen |
| Újvidék Theatre, Novi Sad | |
| Cultural Center, Ózd | |
| Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| Ateljee Hulmin, Loimaai (FIN) | |
| 1987 | Catholic Academy, Hamburg |
| Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1986 | Fitz William Museum, Cambrigde |
| Békés County Library, Békéscsaba | |
| 1985 | Videoton Cultural House, Székesfehérvár |
| 1983 | Vigadó Gallery, Budapest |
| Kass Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1982 | Bath festival, Pumproom, Turnbridge, Wells |
| Mora Ferenc Museum Gallery, Szeged | |
| 1981 | County Cultural Center, Szombathely |
| Mini Gallery, Miskolc | |
| 1980 | Petőfi Theatre, Veszprém |
| 1979 | Nagy Balogh Hall |
| Chapel Exhibition, Balatonboglár | |
| Klosterneuburg | |
| 1977 | Lifetime Exhibition, Lajos Kossuth University, Debrecen |
| Csók Gallery, Graphics Hall, Budapest | |
| Georgi Dimitrov Cultural Center, Veszprém | |
| 1976 | County Library, Eger |
| Bartók Cultural Center, Szeged | |
| 1975 | Spatial shapes, Institute for Cultural Relations, Showroom |
| Chapel Exhibition, Balatonboglár | |
| Dániel Berzsenyi County Library, Szombathely | |
| 1974 | Shakespeare-illustrations, Csontváry Hall, Pécs |
| Miskolc Gallery, Miskolc | |
| 1973 | Lo Squardo G., Torino |
| Heads, Petofi Literary Museum, Budapest | |
| Fem kunstnere fra Ungarn, Galleri F 15., Tromsö M., Moss, Norway | |
| 1972 | Heads, Savaria Museum, Szombathely |
| Attila József Library, Miskolc | |
| Cultural House, Hajdúszoboszló | |
| 1970 | Woollahra, Sidney |
| Cultural House, Hajdúszoboszló | |
| Cultural House, Balmazújváros | |
| Scientific Educational Society Csokonai Club, Debrecen | |
| 1967 | Institute for Cultural Relations, Dorottya str. Exhibition hall |
| 1964 | Dürer Hall, Budapest |
| 1960 | Scientific Educational Society Bartók Hall, Pécs |
| Works in public collection | |
| Bankside Gallery, London | |
| Deutsche Bücherei, Leipzig | |
| Fitz William Museum, Camridge | |
| Ottó Herman Museum, Miskolc | |
| Katolische Akademie, Hamburg | |
| Kunstmuseum, Basel | |
| MIT, Boston | |
| Moravska G., Brno | |
| Museum of Modern Art, Society of Printers, Cleveland | |
| Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest | |
| National Gallery, Pozsony | |
| Pinakhotek, Vienna | |
| Petofi Literature Museum, Budapest | |
| Shakespeare Museum, Stratford |
