BRUEGEL VARIATIONS – Sándor Vály
Sándor Vály has studied the paintings of Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel (1525-1569) discovering in them sounds, rhythm and notes. Together with composer-musician Nikoletta Máté they notated the paintings, creating an audiovisual work from them. The premiere of the work was in the Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki in 2008. The composition was interpreted by Éva Polgár on the piano and artist Sándor Vály on the sampler. The Bruegel Variations exhibition is an audiovisual installation comprising a video of the concert, a documentary on Pieter Bruegel, and the notations.
MEDIA RELEASE
SÁNDOR VÁLY: SELECTED LIFE
February 10 – May 27, 2012, Siipi
BRUEGEL VARIATIONS
February 10 – March 25, 2012, MEDIApiste
MONDRIAN VARIATIONS
March 30 – May 27, 2012, MEDIApiste
“Art and the creative process are odyssean and dionysian. From the perspective of everyday life, the creative process unleashes immense forces, and it is utterly terrifying how the artist crosses boundaries and vanishes into a horrifying, wild world, where they are at the mercy of those forces. The dionysian disintegration of individual knowledge, ecstasy, wild orgy, and loss of consciousness can be encountered here in their raw state. But the return from the creative process to everyday life is just as harrowing. The artist moves between two alternatives, crossing the boundaries of dimensions in both directions. On one hand, the ecstasy that is an essential part of the creative process resides in the dionysian realm, while on the other, the artist depends on the security offered by civilization to avoid losing their mind. Nietzsche presents this exact situation, portraying the artist as an odyssean figure: Odysseus, upon hearing the dionysian song of the sirens—a song that, despite its charm and enchantment, leads its listeners to ruin—binds himself to the mast, which provides the ‘security of civilization,’ allowing him to experience both options without paying the ultimate price. He hears the irresistible call but has accepted the bonds of culture, the protection life creates against the irresistible.”
Sándor Vály: Notes of a Painter 2006–2010 (Part II)
SELECTED LIFE
Sándor Vály (b. 1968), a Hungarian-born artist, has worked as a professional artist in Finland for over 20 years. His works were first exhibited at Pori Art Museum in 1997 as part of the Samaa maata exhibition, which showcased visual artists who had moved to Finland from abroad.
In the 1990s, Vály focused on depicting the imaginary culture of the ancient Talazüek people, creating an epic and cultural history for this fictional civilization. His works are extensive, often taking years to complete. Vály’s artistic pursuits extend beyond visual art, encompassing performance, music, and literature to create holistic artworks.
The Selected Life exhibition offers a new perspective on Vály’s artistic output. It consists of short films and large sculptural constructions, forming an audiovisual installation in the museum’s Siipi space. Since the 2000s, Vály has produced numerous black-and-white short films, two thematic series of which—Dadaworks and Life-Death—are showcased in this exhibition. The films, shot in Finland, Italy, and Spain, explore themes of art history, artistry, and existential questions. Inspired by the poetry of dadaist Hans Arp (1886–1966), Vály composed music for the films, which has been released under the N.U.D Records label.
The exhibition’s themes are further explored in Vály’s diary-style book, Notes of a Painter 2006–2010 (Part II), published as part of Pori Art Museum’s series (#112).
BRUEGEL VARIATIONS, February 10 – March 25, 2012, MEDIApiste
“While studying Pieter Bruegel’s The Triumph of Death at Madrid’s Prado Museum in 2003, I noticed something peculiar. At first, my attention was drawn to the hats, then to the scattered items abandoned by people fleeing death—items that had lost their significance in the face of mortality. {…} When I squinted, the items appeared as dots. Shifting my focus to the people and death’s army, I saw ten skeletons in white shrouds standing in a row on the left. They involuntarily appeared as musical notes to me. Suddenly, the entire painting unfolded, and in my mind, I assigned a note to every figure. Bruegel’s work transformed into a score, with dramatic music resonating in the background. While the painting contains direct references to music—timpani, bells, pipes, and lutes—the true music lies in the composition itself. Through his unique style, Bruegel created not only an image but also music.”
Sándor Vály: Notes of a Painter 2006–2010 (Part II)
Sándor Vály has explored the works of Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel (1525–1569), discovering sounds, rhythms, and melodies within them. Along with composer and musician Nikoletta Máté, he transcribed Bruegel’s paintings into musical scores, creating a piano work. After two years of effort, studio recordings were made in Hungary in 2006. The premiere took place at the Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki in 2008, performed by Éva Polgár on piano and Sándor Vály on sampler.
The Bruegel Variations exhibition is an audiovisual installation comprising a concert video, a Pieter Bruegel documentary, and musical scores.
MONDRIAN VARIATIONS, March 30 – May 27, 2012, MEDIApiste
For painter Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), music was a source of inspiration. He loved dancing, and the rhythms of music and dance often found their way into his paintings. One of his most famous works, Broadway Boogie Woogie, reflects this.
Artist Sándor Vály and composer-musician Éva Polgár have transcribed Mondrian’s paintings into musical scores, creating an audiovisual work. The world premiere will be at Pori Art Museum in May 2012, with Éva Polgár on piano and Sándor Vály on sampler performing the concert section.
Translated with ChatGPT