Konkoly Gyula

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Bio

Gyula Konkoly
(1941, Budapest / HU – )

Gyula Konkoly was born in Budapest in 1941. After attending the Secondary School for Art and Design, he was accepted to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1959, where his teacher was Gyula Hincz. In the 1960s, he was a member of the Csernus Circle, many of whom became important pioneers of Hungarian pop art, such as László Lakner and László Gyémánt. The exhibition in Vienna entitled Pop, etc., which showcased works by American artists made a deep impression on him (1964, Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts). After this, he began using press photos and art historical allusions to in his own works, often combining them with hard edge surfaces and appliqué textiles (for example his work Fallow Ragu). His grotesque, coloured objects made of synthetic resin are some of the most radical pieces of Hungarian pop art (An Academic Study, Tempered Egg). His object entitled Academy Study could be interpreted as a satire of socialism (see “raised fist”), but one could also contend that it pokes fun at academic instruction and vocations that can be taught. These objects were antecedents to his conceptual works. An emblematic work of the second Iparterv exhibition, which opened on 24 October 1969, was the block of ice the size of a human being wrapped in wad and gauze and bleeding potassium permanganate (October Memorial), which was part of the memorial series. In the 1980s, he began painting in the photorealist style, which around 2000 was replaced with a stylized figural style.

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Konkoly Gyula 1973-tól egészen a nyolcvanas évekig illusztrátorként is dolgozott, közel ezer könyvborítót tervezett (többek között a Gallimard, az Hachette, a Robert Laffont, a J’ai lu, valamint az Albin Michel kiadók részére is dolgozott). Ugyanekkor plakátokat is készített (a M. G. M., Warner Brs., Columbia, Walt-Disney, Gaumont, U. G. C. cégek számára többek között).
Konkoly Főiskolai tanulmány (1968) című munkája a magyar pop art első objektje.
Konkoly Gyula 1972 végén kihirdeti manifesztumát a neoavantgárd haláláról: „A művészet 1972 december 31-én megszűnik, aki e dátum után művek létrehozásán fáradozik, annak tudnia kell, hogy azok már nem érvényesek.”

World News

1968 in the world

The economic political reforms known as “New economic mechanisms” are initiated in Hungary.
In Romania the Autonomous Hungarian Mureş province is abolished. In its place three counties with Hungarian majorities are formed: Covasna, Harghita and Mureș Counties.
The Budapest Transport Company is established.
Meeting of communist and workers’ parties from 65 countries of the world in Budapest.
The civil rights activist Martin Luther King is shot to death in Memphis.
1968 was a year of student uprisings. First in Paris students complain about the circumstances of university education, and this leads to disciplinary measures against several students. Following this, a series of protests, riots, strikes and other unrests break out. Because of the brutal behaviour of the police, the unions show solidarity with the students, but they have another set of demands. By May, nearly 5 million French citizens are on strike. For four weeks, there is almost total chaos in France. Finally, Prime Minister Pompidou quiets workers with a significant raise, but the majority of the students’ demands are not addressed. Soon after this, student riots break out in Belgrade and other Yugoslav university towns. Meanwhile, the Prague Spring had begun, and it lasts from January to August. Czechoslovakia, under the direction of Alexander Dubček, strives to establish “socialism with a human face”. In the end, Soviet, Polish, Hungarian and Bulgarian troops bring an end to these efforts and Gustáv Husák is named as the successor of Dubček and the first secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party.
Stores in Hungary begin carrying Coca-Cola.
In the United States, Richard M. Nixon wins the presidential elections, taking office in January of the following year.
The American spacecraft Apollo-8 enters orbit around the Moon with three people on board.
István Örkény’s book entitled One Minute Stories is published.
Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova, the first female cosmonaut, is selected as the president of the Soviet Women’s Committee.
Robert F. Kennedy, the Democratic presidential nominee and brother of John F. Kennedy (who was murdered in 1963), is the victim of a political assassination.
The first Big Mac is made. It is sold for 49 cents.

Art Life

Events in the art world in 1968

Tamás Szentjóby establishes the Paralel Course / Study-Track program.
An exhibition of old and new avant-garde art is organized at the Vásárhelyi Pál College: Imre Bak, Tibor Csiky, Tihamér Gyarmathy, Tamás Hencze, Dezső Korniss, Endre Tót, Béla Veszelszky.
The first Iparterv exhibition is organized, showcasing works by the leading figures of contemporary avant-garde art, among others Ilona Keserü, Krisztián Frey, István Nádler, Endre Tót, László Lakner, Gyula Konkoly and Ludmil Siskov.
Marcel Duchamp and John Cage play their legendary musical chess game in Toronto.
Marcel Duchamp dies.

Design, Lifestyle

Design camera from Poland

5.design_konkoly The outer shell of the Alfa compact camera produced between 1961 and 1968 was created by professional designers. It is still, to this day, one of the outstanding products of Polish design. It was produced by WZFO: abbreviation of Warszawskie Zaklady Foto-Opticzne, the name of an optical goods company founded in December 1951. In 1968, the factory was merged with Polskie Zaklady Opticzne, a company established between the two world wars, in 1921. The organisation was working until 1997, when it was bought by the German Optik GmbH.
The Alfa-2 was produced between 1963 and 1968, with an Emitar/Euktar lense. The designer designed the outer shell for portrait format. A leather case was added to the machine, while the back panel was painted in various colours, to the great satisfaction of modern day collectors. Today, the colour of the camera depends on the fact, where the machine was sold. In socialist countries, the company sold them in dark blue, grey or light brown, while Westerners could buy it in light green, purple and bright yellow. In 2010, an Alfa-2 was sold for 1500 at the auction of the Auction Team Breker in Cologne, Germany.