The Hungarian born Australian painter of world fame, Ms Judy Cassab, will have her first solo exhibition in Budapest at the Vasarely Museum from 2 October to 2 November 2003 (Zichy Palace, Budapest III., Szentlélek tér 6.)
Ms Cassab's paintings have so far been on display only once in Hungary, at an exhibition presenting the works by expatriate Hungarians in 1975. Her portrait of Dezso Orbán is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest.
This show presents a cross-section of Judy Cassab's oeuvre by displaying a selection of her portraits and landscapes. When moving to Budapest, the Beregszász (Beregovo)-born Judy Cassab studied under painters such as Aurél Bernáth and Lipót Hermann. Only few in her family survived World War II. In the post-war years she forms a link to the city of Szentendre and the active community of artists there. The "European School", hallmarked by Czóbel, Barcsay and Kmetty, becomes her intellectual basis in this period.
She emigrates to Australia in 1950 and has lived and worked there ever since. Her art, especially the paintings inspired by the Australian desert, has been heavily influenced by Yves Tanguy. She won considerable fame with her grand portraits (among others, of the Dukes of Kent and Sirikit, Queen of Thailand). Her oeuvre is acknowledged both internationally and in Australia by the highest of prizes. This present show intends to highlight a remarkable segment of her unique and - from the point of view of cultural history - noteworthy career as an artist.
Ms Cassab, whose paintings are held in collections by institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, National Portait Gallery, London, as well as the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, will be present at the opening of her exhibition.
The exhibition is underwritten by the Hungarian Ministry of National Cultural Heritage and the Australian Embassy in Budapest, and will be part of the Budapest Autumn Festival.
The show is to be opened by H.E. Mr Gábor Görgey, Minister for National Cultural Heritage, in the presence of the Australian Ambassador, H.E. Mr Leo Cruise.
Interested journalists are welcome to the Vasarely Museum one hour before the opening at 17.00h where the curator of the exhibition, Dr Vera Baksa-Soós is to provide background briefing on Judy Cassab and her art.
For further information, please contact Mr Péter Buru at the Australian Embassy in Budapest via email at peter.buru@dfat.gov.au or the curator of the exhibition, Dr Vera Baksa-Soós, via email at veruschka@ludwigmuseum.hu.