BIO

Nikolett Balázs (b. 1990) is a Budapest based artist who graduated from the Painting Department from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in 2015. She was nominated for Leopold Bloom Art Award and Esterházy Art Award in 2021. Balázs is a member of MŰTŐ artist run collective since 2016 and internationally active artist. She is the winner of the Secondary Archive competition from the Hungarian young art scene section. Her works can be found also in public (MNB Hungarian National Bank, MODEM Modern and Contemporary Arts Centre) and private collections. Nikolett was recently selected to take part in MANIFESTA 14 Prishtina, Saco Biennial Chile 2023 and VISEGRAD FUND Residency in New York.

 

STATEMENT

Balázs works mainly with the iconic material of 20th century women artists, the raw jute canvas used by Ilona Keserü or Marina Abakanowicz, similarly stiffening the crumpled, shaped textile. Nikolett Balázs inhabits the space with her strange sculptures, completing the existing world with this missing formal order of hers. The rippling folds, which open and close like flowers, intertwine many layers of meaning beyond the feminist vulva symbolism, from folkloric tulip motifs to the symbolism of totemic individuality on flayed skin.

The examination of our socio-cultural system, the reinterpretation of our consciousness of reality is the main task of Balázs’s activity, which places a special emphasis on the identity of those living in the periphery and on the representation of women’s experience. Her artworks and installations go all the way down to the roots, into the deep, embedded in the story of our own age and personal mythologies.

 

CV

Membership 

MŰTŐ artist run space


Prizes

2023 MMA Scholarship

2021  Secondary Archive – winner of hungarian young art scene

2019  Young Talents of  Hungary Scholarship NTP NFTÖ -19

2016  Barcsay Prize


Collections

MNB Hungarian National Bank

Irokéz Collection

David Kovats

MODEM Modern and Contemporary Arts Centre public collection


Residencies

2023 Visegrad Fund Residency New York

2021  AIR – Artist in Residence – Krems

2019  Villa R residency – Sicily


Studies

2018-2019  Budapest Art Mentor

2015-2016  Hungarian University of Fine Arts – Teacher

2009-2015  Hungarian University of Fine Arts – Painter

2005-2009  Medgyessy Ferenc High School and Secondary School of Fine Arts


Solo shows

2024 BORN FREE – Zahorian & Van Espen Gallery, Bratislava

2023 BODYLAND – Saco Biennial – Antofagasta, Chile

2022 THIRSTY WELL – Artkartell projectspace – Budapest

2021  MADE of DUST – Nagyházi Contemporary – Budapest

2020  Recycling into Sacral – Hybridart space | Budapest

2019   Sensation Session – Négyszoba Gallery | Budapest

2019   Game of Snakes – Telep Gallery | Budapest

2019   Clean Yard – Deák palace | Budapest

2017   Inside-Out – MŰTŐ | Budapest


Selected Group Shows

2023 Open Floor – MŰTŐ – Practice of a common ground – Kunsthalle Energasse – Vienna

2023 Das Erbe der Avantgarde in Ungarn-KUNSTWERKBERLIN-Berlin

2022 Manifesta 14 – Prishtina

2021  Esterházy Art Award – Ludwig Museum – Budapest

2021  Leopold Bloom Art Award – Q Contemporary – Budapest

2021  FLOWERS and MONSTERS – Vunu Gallery – Slovakia

2021  All that is mine – Arcadia Missa – London

2020  Personal Mythologies – Nagyházi Contemporary | Budapest

2020  Art Market Budapest – acb Gallery online

2019  LOOP – MŰTŐ | Budapest

2019  Kepesita Collection Final – Eleven Blokk | Budapest

2019  Matter – MODEM Modern and Contemporary Arts Centre | Debrecen | Hungary

2019  The Tidal Flood Beneath the Lunar Sway – Lateral ArtSpace | Cluj-Napoca

2019  Transition – Suomi Art Fair | Helsinki

2019  Acidic Taste – Durden and Ray Gallery | Los Angeles

2019  Dreams Upon waking – MŰTŐ | Budapest

2018  Break-out 2.0 – MŰTŐ | Budapest

2018  Break-out – Supermarket Independent Art Fair | Stockholm

2016  Interferencia – MŰTŐ | Budapest

2016  Hélium Contemporary – A38 Exhibition Space | Budapest

2016  Barcsay Prize – Barcsay Museum | Szentendre | Hungary

2015  There must be a window above every coach! – Hermina Gallery | Budapest

2015  Studio discourse – Godot Gallery | Budapest

2015  Degree show – Barcsay room | Budapest

2015  Thinking spaces – Ram colosseum | Budapest

2014  Ludwig scholarship group show – Barcsay room | Budapest

2014  Gén-Tér-Kép – Artus Gallery | Budapest

2013  Gender brush – Barcsay room | Budapest

2013  Feminin-masculine – Műterem Gallery | Budapest

2013  Attention – Mazart Gallery | Budapest

2011  Master and his apprentices – Karinthy Salon | Budapest


Contact

Mobile: +36 30 925 5454

E-mail: nikolett.blzs@gmail.com