Debrecen4U
March 13, 2026
New Exhibition in Debrecen’s Great Reformed Church
A new exhibition titled “In the Garden of Churches – In the Footsteps of Blooming Ceilings” by Borbála Vincze welcomes visitors at the Kálvin Gallery of the Debrecen Reformed Great Church.
The exhibition is a special fusion of sacred content and folk tradition, bringing the message of the masters of the past into the present. The artist’s works were inspired by the rich decorative motifs of Reformed churches.
The 15 panel paintings on display were created at the request and with the support of the Hajdúbagos Reformed Congregation.
The uniqueness of the series lies in the fact that it aims to depict the Stations of the Cross on the walls of the Hajdúbagos church, all expressed through the forms and motifs of traditional Hungarian decorative art.
The source of the images lies in the 18th-century regions of Szilágyság and Kalotaszeg. The works draw inspiration from the coffered ceilings of the Reformed churches of Szilágysomlyó and Kraszna (associated with the work of János Pataki Asztalos), as well as from the heritage of the Umling family of Kalotaszeg, specifically the motifs of the gallery of the church in Kalotadámos.
It is important to emphasise that the works on display in the gallery are not simple reconstructions. The artist’s aim was not to produce exact copies of paintings created three hundred years ago, but rather to reinterpret their spirit. The goal was to create a contemporary visual language that remains relevant and engaging for today’s communities.
“The coffers are not merely decorative elements but symbols that carry meaning. Each coffer holds the message of the masters of the past and the strength of the community for which it was created – forming a bridge between past and present, earth and heaven,” as stated in the exhibition’s description.
The exhibition will be opened on Sunday, 22 March at 11 a.m. by István Kolozsvári, ethnographer, museologist and president of the Association of Hungarian Folk Art Associations.
The exhibition can be visited at the Kálvin Gallery of the Great Reformed Church until 31 May.
Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)
