THE HUNGARIAN ARTIST TIMKA SZÖKE UNFOLDS HER VERSATILITY IN ILLUSTRATION.
CARMEN HUST | ARTICULATE | DECEMBER 2018 The Hungarian artist Timka Szőke unfolds her versatility in illustration. Szöke’s drive is generated by her fashion for drawing, as the sights of art has always amazed her, leading to a specific world of new dimensions; leaving a significant inheritance to (un)told legends and tales. The preferred media of Szöke is the pencil. With this specific tool, she makes her base, her sketch, her plan. She adores the texture, the tone and how well it can be combined with other materials. The watercolor pencil, graphite, simple color pencil - all of them are enchanting on the paper, lend quite lively and softer colors at once. A rewarding device. Yet, the project choses the media, as Szöke freely manages pencils, acrylics and oils, depending on themes and profoundness. The works of Szöke are in most cases preformed in her mind. Occasionally, a random theme is taken from a small thing, about any little random thing. When the face of a person that she first saw in her life, inspires to a special character that suddenly comes into her mind.
Actually, Szöke would say that most of the topics choose her. Every day, there is so much stimulus hits the man that many times it is incomprehensible. As the world changes, with these tools evolve, everything is modernized, the power of modern technology is facing us everywhere. This has been the most popular since the spread of the Internet, and millions of information flows per day. Personally, who is the one who most welcomes, what interests it. If that is not enough for certain topics, then it is even more complex. |
The most impressive information source is life itself. To Szöke, it is a real endless philosophization to think of the miracles of life, especially of nature. The lifeblood of mankind, his eternal muse. The process of evolution is the most exalted art itself.
The other source of inspiration is the various traditions and cultures of mankind. I find it wonderful to be different and complex. In Szöke’s favorite folk cultures, her great favorites are the magically unique world of various worlds and folk tales. To her, all such stories, narratives, superstitions, legends, are a unique world that is incomparable, because each tale's story / story creates a unique world. The unique truth of face mimics, the most sincere human traits; a capture of self-forgiving or dramatic moment. Be it the smile, laugh, grimace, whether it is a sad, moody or sobbing face. |
Among Hungarian painters Mihály Munkácsy, Miklós Barabás, Károly Lotz, Pál Szinyei Merse, Bertalan Székely, Viktor Madarász and Gyula Benczúr have influenced the work of Szöke. Their pictures were completely captured by her childhood. Dynamic, dramatic and idyllic moods are emitted at the same time with their light sophistication with the style of the era. It is simply never enough to discover the wonderful works of these artists. The favorite Hungarian graphic artist of Szöke, is definitely Károly Reich, because his drawings are light, characteristical, extremely unique and beautiful. They create a special beauty, a harmonious world that captures the viewer. Be a feminine nude, or a lovely animal figurative representation made for children's books.
With regard to art history, Renaissance, Baroque, Expressionism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Pop Art and Pop-Surrealism are the closest to the work of Szöke. My versatility unfold in illustration, lead glass design and photography. Naturalness, honesty gives back the charm of that moment. Every person is different, every moment goes away and is forgotten, that we often don't notice. For me these are the greatest values I can capture in the heat of the moment. Without any forced setting, the totally spontaneous scenes characterize the concept. The simple is the great. These photos provide some insight into the most human feelings. Because every day, every ordinary weekday, there are those values that we all experience. The goal is to notice them. However, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli were always the greatest masters for me.
Timka Szőke |