In 1964, Tibor Hajas began to study at the ELTE, Budapest. He was arrested in 1965 and not released until 14 months later. As from 1967, his first poems appeared in literary magazines and anthologies. He began producing action art and conceptual works in 1969. In 1973, he was represented by readings and happenings at the chapel exhibitions of Balatonboglár. In 1974, he met the artist and musician János Vető, who became his artistic partner. From 1975 onwards, he developed an active interest in film and video – both in practice and theory. From 1978 onwards, his principal active interest was in performances. Hajas died in a car accident in 1980.
His work, most of which dates from the 1970s, includes objects, theoretical texts, photographs, performances (often without an audience) and films. Above all, his artistic work centred on the body, on its physical and mental resilience and the thin line between life and death. Hajas thus placed his own life in danger in actions such as Dark Flash (1978, Galeria Riwiera-Remont), giving the audience the responsibility of abandoning their passive role and putting an end to the performance. Using a camera, Hajas documented the uncertainty of those present as they unexpectedly became protagonists in the event.
Hajas’ actions – particularly the way they exhaust the human body’s limitations – have an affinity to Vienna Actionists like Günter Brus and Rudolf Schwarzkogler, but also to the Body Art of the Czech artist Petr Štembera. Parallels to Fluxus can be discerned in Tibor Hajas’ clear anti-art position, and in actions such as Everything is but its own copy – a stamp action.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2005 Emergency Landing, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
1997 Ernst Museum, Budapest
1990 Nightmare Works: ~, Anderson Gallery, School of the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University
1987 1946-1980 posthumous exhibition, Székesfehérvár
1980 G. Permafo, Wrocław
1978/1979 Bercsényi 28-30 Gallery, Budapest
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1999/2001Viewpoints/Positions Art in Central-Europe, Museum Moderner Kunst, Wien, Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Fundacio Miró, Barcelona, Hansard Gallery/City Gallery Southampton, Národní G., Prága
1999/2000 Global Conceptualism Points of Origin – 1950s/1980s, Queens Museum of Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Miami Art Museum, Miami (USA)
1998 Body and the East, Moderna G., Ljubljana
1996/1997 Beyond Art/Jenseits von Kunst, Ludwig Museum and Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz
1994 Europa, Europa, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
1990 Nuit de la photographie, Musée Elysée, Lausanne
1989 "Más-kép", Ernst Museum, Budapest
1988 Fotohof, Kurt Kaindle Galerie, Salzburg
1987 Out of Eastern Europe Private Photography, List Visual Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusets (USA)
Magic works, Budapest Gallery Lajos Street, Budapest
Bilder. Zeitgenössische ungarische Fotografie, Fotogalerie, Bécs
1986 Photos, Liget Gallery, Budapest
1984 Situation, Budapest Gallery Lajos street, Budapest
1983 Film/Art, Budapest Gallery, Budapest
1982 "Fotóhasználat a grafikában", Óbuda Galéria, Budapest
1981 Tendencies 1970-1980, 6., “Hard and soft” postconteptulaist tendecies, Óbuda Gallery, Budapest
Erweiterte Fotografie, 5. Internationale, Biennálé, Wiener Secession, Bécs
14. Mednarodni graficni b., Ljubljana
1980 6 HongaARSE Kunstenaars, M. van Hedendaagse Kunst, Gent
"II. Esztergomi Fotóbiennálé", Vármúzeum, Esztergom
"A Makói Művésztelep kiállítása", Pataki I. Művelődési Ház, Makó
1979 Photogramms, Józsefvárosi Kiállítóterem, Budapest
European Dialogue, B. of Sydney
Works and Words, Stichtung De Appel, Amsterdam
1978 Miedzynarodowe Triennale Rysunku, Wrocław
1977 Möbius, Fiatal Művészek Klubja, Budapest
1976 Dia-pályázat, Fiatal Művészek Klubja, Budapest "Tavaszi Tárlat", Fiatal Művészek Klubja, Budapest
1975 Comics, Fiatal Művészek Klubja, Budapest "Tavaszi Tárlat", Fiatal Művészek Klubja, Budapest
Expositions – Fotó/Art, Hatvany Lajos, Museum, Hatvan
1973 Texts, Balatonboglári kápolnatárlat