Szilvia Ponyiczki
Szilvia Ponyiczki is a British-Hungarian artist based in Lincolnshire. Her work brings together interrogations concerning identity, our personal and collective unconscious, and delves into the symbolism, messages and representation of dreams.
Her worked as an architect for fifteen years and fine art practice has always been an important factor in her life. In 2016 she began her studies for an MFA degree in Nottingham.
“I think that to live a happy and satisfying life, we have to believe in our own significance and in a meaningful existence, whilst acknowledging and respecting the uniqueness and intrinsic value of every human being. To achieve this, having a clear sense of one’s own identity and individuality are crucial.”
Szilvia paints mainly with acrylics, incorporating text elements in different languages into her paintings as metaphors for the unconscious and as symbols of multiculturality and constant change which are important factors in her own life. The same way as these texts cannot be fully read or understood, the information from our unconscious cannot be completely retrieved.
The feelings invoked by her work lead the audience to scrutinize their own life and struggles, to look within, ultimately to discover their own truth, identity, and meaning.
Education:
2016 - present: MFA (Fine Art) - Nottingham Trent University, UK
2004 - 2008: MBA - Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary
1992 - 1997: MSc (Arch) - Budapest University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Hungary
Recent exhibitions:
11. 2017 - 'Evocativo' Exhibition, Turin, Italy
07. 2017 - ‘Dreams and Extremes’ Exhibition, finalist, Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield
07. 2017 - ‘Event One’ Exhibition, Primary, Nottingham
07-08. 2017 - Chester Art Centre Open Exhibition, Chester
06. 2017 - MFA winner, Nottingham, Trent University marketing campaign, ‘MA show student image’
06. 2017 - ‘Threads’Exhibition, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
03. 2017 - Mixed Exhibition, Carre Gallery, Sleaford
03. 2017 - ‘Threads’ Exhibition, Espacio Gallery, London
12 2016 - Poly-Art Exhibition, Érd, Hungary
11. 2016 - eNRA Exhibition, Art Gallery of the Mining Museum, Rozsnyó, Slovakia
11. 2016 - ‘Mustra’ Exhibition, Community Centre, Érd, Hungary
10. 2016 - RSMA Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
08. 2016 - ROVAS Exhibition, MKE Artists’ Residency, Tihany, Hungary
02. 2016 - eNRA group exhibition in the Vermes Villa’s Contemporary Hungarian Art Gallery, Slovakia
04. 2014 - ‘Összhangban / In harmony’ solo exhibition with Emőke László, Community Centre, Érd, Hungary
11. 2014 - eNRA group exhibition of Rovás, Art Gallery of the Mining Museum of Rozsnyó, Slovakia
05. 2014 - Group exhibition, International Friendship Group, Grantham Town Hall, UK
What don't we know about you?
I love when traditional artistic techniques and methods surprise me, like Thangka painting or the Vietnamese lacquer technique.
Favourite Book?
Weöres Sándor: “A teljesség felé” – I love every word of it. Unfortunately it is only available in Hungarian.
Favourite Artist?
Depends on my mood, but Leonora Carrington or Dave McKean are always on the top of my list.
Favourite Quotes?
“To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.”
by William Blake
How do you keep the balance in life?
Analysing my dreams helps a lot, but maintaining balance is difficult.