Sándor Molnár’s latest exhibition features a selection of early landscapes by the Kossuth Prize-winning Hungarian painter (1936-2022), spanning from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. These works were created during a time when the stylistic censorship of the Kádár regime severely restricted access to the history of the avant-garde and modern movements and made it nearly impossible for artists to gain information about contemporary trends in art from behind the Iron Curtain. Despite these challenges, Molnár, as the intellectual leader of the Zugló Circle, systematically explored in informal settings the latest developments in European abstract painting, and, informed by the progressive trends he encountered, cultivated a unique creative vision and painterly style. From the 1960s onward, Molnár created his works within the theoretical framework of his artistic programme called “painter’s yoga.” The selection on display thus also reflects his pursuit of a purely intellectual form of painting, showcasing museum-quality works that span different phases of his career.
