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In connection with the Hungarian Culture Day event, the exhibition of Alexandra Grela, illustrator-painter and recipient of the 2024 Ferenc Kölcsey Scholarship from the city of Debrecen, and visual artist Ábel Kónya opened at the New Town Hall Gallery on January 16, 2025.
Magda Szabó, one of the emblematic figures of Debrecen and Hungarian literary history, is perhaps best known for her novel “Abigél,” which has been translated into numerous languages.
In 2024, Alexandra Grela created a new series of illustrations for this book, which stylistically and approach-wise align with her literary illustrations from recent years. The works utilize the artist’s graphic arts experience while drawing on the distinctive drawing, collage, and painting patterns characteristic of her previous creative periods.
At the exhibition opening, Deputy Mayor István Puskás expressed his hope that the exhibition would embark on a long journey, not only attracting readers’ attention to the novel but also promoting Debrecen wherever it goes in the future.
He mentioned that we can now see familiar locations and characters through the eyes of the creators. “An exciting and interesting element is which quotes and scenes the creative duo highlighted from the text, where they placed the emphasis, and what they thought was worth visually representing in this way,” he said about the exhibition.
The city leader reminded everyone that from today until next Friday, a series of dedicated programs await us. “There will be events related to Hungarian Culture Day in all community spaces and cultural institutions of the city. Lots of literature, lots of visual arts, lots of music, lots of dance,” he highlighted.
The exhibition can be viewed until February 14, 2025, during the opening hours of the New Town Hall.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
