János Géczi décollage exhibition now open at REÖK Szeged
Hungarian artist and writer János Géczi unveiled a major exhibition of his décollage works Friday at the Reök Palace, marking his return to the city where his academic and artistic career began.
The exhibition, titled :elements, features more than 150 décollages on the first floor of the REÖK Regional Arts Center. The show is open to the public through Sept. 14.
Géczi, an Attila József Prize-winning author and trained biologist, is known for his cross-disciplinary work in literature, science, and the visual arts. His décollages – large, layered compositions made from torn street posters – transform ephemeral public messages into enduring artworks.
Visitors to REÖK are welcomed by monumental décollages in the building’s atrium, a symbolic introduction to the scale and concept of the show. The works vary in size and style, reflecting Géczi’s decades-long experimentation with form, symbolism, and found materials.
“This isn’t a retrospective,” Géczi said during Friday’s opening. “It’s a focused look at a technique I’ve worked with for over 40 years. I used to be chased for stealing posters – now I’m showing them in a palace.”
László Barnák, director of the Szeged National Theater, which operates REÖK, described Géczi’s work as “redefining waste into value” through creativity and vision. He praised the transformation of discarded street posters into powerful visual messages.
Dr. Róbert Nátyi, chief curator of REÖK and dean of the Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts at the University of Szeged, emphasized the inherent artistic value of the pieces beyond their cultural context. He urged visitors to view them not only as cultural artifacts but as stand-alone aesthetic experiences.
The exhibition offers a varied layout: in some rooms, installations emphasize the raw, poster-like origins of the material, while others present the pieces as formal artworks. The result is a dynamic experience that encourages free association, interpretation, and visual appreciation.
:elements is open daily at REÖK and free to visitors holding valid tickets to the Szeged Open-Air Festival.
Photos: Szilvia Molnar / Szegedify
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