Ákos László the well-known and respected artist and long-time resident of Debrecen turned 80 on 6th March 2020. Born in,1940, in Budapest, and was raised by his grandparents in Oradea where he spent his school years. In 1963, he graduated from the Ion Andreescu College of Fine Arts in Cluj-Napoca. In the Autumn of 1982, he moved with his family from Oradea to Debrecen.
His artwork not only captures Debrecen’s sights but sometimes its women or even captures death. It revolves around the world with its twisted, distinctive lines, showing a crude yet dreamlike image. He speaks of a Romanic Debrecen, describing the city as a “gentle lover” its beauty and its history and ancient charm, gradually giving its secrets away over time but also its stern faith.
For almost forty years Ákos László has walked the streets of Debrecen with infinite loyalty and has captured its characteristic buildings, towers, the hidden parts of the city and does so with an artistic devotion.
His 20-century works are about charismatic messages such as shivering, pain, suffering, and hope. His work shows the influence of Japanese calligraphy and gesture painting and has an expressive, surrealistic association with many concrete figurative references.
He is a founding member of the National Association of Hungarian Creative Artists, the Association of Hungarian Fine and Applied Artists, and the Ajtósi Dürer Association of Graphic Artists in Debrecen.
He went on study trips to Lithuania, France, Switzerland, Poland and the former Soviet Union, and participated in the work of international art colonies in Vilnius, Kazimierz, Saint-Michel, Hajdúböszörmény, Derecske, and Kecskemét. He spent a month in Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, and his drawings about the city were exhibited with great success in the town hall.
His artistic activities have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 1970 Peace Competition II. Prize (Nagyvárad), Miklós Káplár Medal, László Holló Prize, GADE Ajtósi Dürer Medal. He has received the Debrecen City Art Scholarship and Debrecen Csokonai Prize, then the Pro Urbe Prize in 2015.
He was the recipient of the “Nivo Award” of Debrecen numerous times and national summer and spring exhibitions, as well as county autumn exhibitions. He won the Pro-Urbe prize of the city of Hirson (France).
The exhibition “Fragments” (Töredékek) is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM (7 PM in case of evening events) except Monday until 5th April 2020 at Kölcsey Centre. Admission: free
