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BELA SZEIFT

Bela Szeift (1944-2012) was one of the most notorious outsider artists in Hungary. He operated independently, completely outside of the fine art scene in Budapest. He was in fact was alienated from this group.

Szeift began his career as a high school art teacher in Budapest. He began showing his work in the late 1960’s when in his 20’s. His art, even in it’s early stages, operated outside of what was accepted and expected both artistically and politically in the 60s-80s Hungarian culture.

From the 70s onwards, he started to lose control of his life, he became an alcoholic, lost everything and was forced to spend the remaining days of his life mostly on the streets. He was often found at the Ecseri flea market in Budapest creating his art. It was here that several collectors from Budapest actively pursued Zeift’s work and supported him to a degree. 

Literature 
CSENKEY, É. (Preface, Frankel Leo Cultural Center, 1968) 
Z. VIDOR: Jubilee Exhibition of Young Artists' Studio, Art, 1969/10. 
TORNAI J .: (Kat. Bev., Madách Theater, Budapest, 1972) 
GYŐRFFY M .: ~ Exhibition, Hungarian Radio, Chronicle of the Evening, March 31, 1972 
KISS B .: (District of Bev., Ferencváros District Council, Budapest, 1974) 
HORVÁTH B .: ~ Exhibition, Art, 1974/2. 
ZS MOLNÁR: Three Exhibitions, Hungarian Youth, March 8, 1974 
UTASSY J .: Bones to a Star. ~ of his works, Contemporary, 1975/6. 
ZS MOLNÁR: Iron Sculptors, Hungarian Youth, September 15, 1975 
VADAS J .: Sematic wreckage, Life
and Literature, January 10, 1976 
GÁBOR E .: Responsible for the College ?, Criticism, 1976/3. 
G ANDRÁSI: Greetings From the Damage, Art, 1987/5. 
ZS SÓVÁRI: I Eat Your Heart, New Mirror, August 2, 1987 
PATAKI G .: Introducing His Graphics, Life and Literature, March 4, 1988 
ANDRÁSI G .: ~ for his drawings, New Source, 1989/1. 
PATAKI G .: (kat., Bev. Tan., Echirolles, 1992) 
Echirolles, A la
decouverte d''' 'artistes hongrois, September 22 , 1992 
CZIGÁNY GY .:
~ , report, Radio Bartók, April 16, 1997 
TOLVALY E .: Vicky and Smile, New Art, 1998/1.

 

 

Solo exhibitions 
1968 • Frankel Leó Cultural Center, Budapest 
1969 • Young Artists Club, Budapest 
1971 • Balatonboglár Chapel Traditions [with György Galántai] 
1972 • Madách Theater, Budapest 
1973 • Cegléd 
1974 • Ferencváros Concert Hall, Budapest 
1975 • The Last Supper [with György Dombay], Young Artists Club, Budapest 
1984 • Óbuda Pincegaléria, Budapest 
1987 • Budapest Gallery Lajos u., Budapest (collection exhibition) 
1992 • Echirolles (FR) [with Maria
Berhidi, Tibor Eisenmayer, Tibor Nádler] 
1997 • Welcome Dent, Óbudai Társaskör Gallery, Budapest-Óbuda

 

 

Selected group exhibitions 
1968 • Studio
'68 , Műcsarnok, Budapest 
1969 • Derkovits Club, Budapest 
1971 • No 1 Group, Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, Budapest 
1974 • Studio '74, Ernst Museum, Budapest • Spring Exhibition, Young Artists Club, Budapest 
1975 • Studio Exhibition, Uitz Room, Dunaújváros • Exhibition of Steel Sculpture
Simposion, Uitz Room, Dunaújváros • Lila School, Budapest • Studio '75, Ernst Museum, Budapest 
1976 • Vajda LSG, Szentendre 
1978 • Open-air Statue Exhibition, Budapest 
1982 • Music and Fine Arts, 
Minigalery, Budapest 
1985 • 101 subjects. Objects in Hungary, Óbuda Gallery, Budapest 
1986 • X. National Aquarius Biennial, General House, Eger 
1989 • The Hungarian Art of the Eighties, Passau • Passau I-II, Óbudai Társaskör Gallery, Budapest-Óbuda 
1993-97 • I-III. National Pastel Biennial, Balassa Bálint Museum, Christian Museum, Esztergom 
1998 • Collage, Vigadó Gallery, Budapest 
2000 • Oct 2000, Budapest Gallery Lajos u., Budapest • Artsides / K line, Óbudai Társaskör Gallery, Budapest • Surroundings, Vigadó Gallery, Budapest 
2001 • Our prizes 1996-2000, Újpest Gallery, Budapest

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