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Varga, Imre

Biography

Biography

Imre Varga was born on the 1st of November of 1923, in Siófok. He was discovered early as an artist. At the age of fourteen he already participated in an exhibition in Paris. He graduated from the Technical University in aerodynamics, and served as a soldier in World War II. He came back to Hungary from American captivity in 1945.
After an incidental meeting with sculptor Pál Pátzay, Varga was accepted to the University of Fine Arts, where he graduated in 1956 as a student of Pál Pátzay and Sándor Mikus. During his years at the University he was a regular participant of exhibitions. In 1965 he caused a stir with his chrome-steel sculpture titled "Prometheus", which can be found today at the Middelheim Open-air Sculpture Museum.
His diploma piece, titled "The sower", stands in the garden of the Lajosmizse Tanya-museum. Since 1957, Varga has participated in all the most significant Hungarian exhibitions. His first individual exhibition was held at the Institute for Cultural Relations in 1967.
He has worked in variuos different fields of sculpting. His works include small sculptures, medals, and - forming the most prominent part of his work - monumental public sculptures, monuments, portrait-monuments, and the design and creation of decorative sculptures. He often uses a combination of materials and techniques on a single work. Emphasis on everyday human traits is characteristic of Varga's art. He also worked on tapestries, graphics, and paintings for a short period of time. A major part of his oeuvre consists of funerary monuments.
Varga took part in nearly all the important European artistic events. He was awarded with all the prizes an artist can get: in 1969 the Munkácsy-, and in 1973 the Kossuth-awards, in 1975 he received the Polish Cultural Prize in Warsaw, while in Hungary he was awarded Merited Artist, and in 1979 Outstanding Artist. In 1983 he was the recipient of the Herder-award. He is a member of the European Academy. Since 1983, there has been a constant exhibition of his works in Óbuda. In 1985 he was nominated honorary citizen of Siófok
The French government awarded Varga the Medal of Arts and Humanities, and in Italy he recieved the Cross of Chilvalry. In 2003, the British Society of Portrait Sculptors gave him the Jean Masson-Davidson award in London. His sculpture of Béla Bartók was inaugurated in London in 2004. His sculptures can be found in Belgium, Italy, Serbia, Israel, Norway, Germany, Poland and France.
Year Biography
1923 Born in Siófok
1937 Participation at an exhibition in Paris
1950 Acceptance to the University of Fine Arts (Teachers: Pál Pátzay and Sándor Mikus)
1956 Sculpture "Magvető" - awarded diploma piece
1950 Many of his sculptures stood in public squares
1980 For 10 years he had been independent member of the Parliament
1983 Member of the German Academy
1985 Honorary citizen of Siófok
1989 Honorary citizen of Hajdúböszörmény
1991 Member of the European Academy
   
  His teachers: autodidact, Imre Goór, Pál Bánszky, Ferenc Hézső
   
  Awards
   
2004 Prima Primissima award
2004 Honorary citizen of Budapest
2003 Chivalrous Cross of the Hungarian Republic (polgári tagozat)
1983 Ordre des Arts et des Lettres French Republic's Merit
  and Ordine al Merito Italian Republic's Merit
1984 SZOT-award
1982 Herder-award
1979 Outstanding Artist
1975 Merited Artist
1973 Kossuth-award
1969 Munkácsy-Award
   
  Solo Exhibition
   
2013 Hegyvidék Gallery, Budapest
1999 Koller Gallery, Budapest
1996 Kálmán Imre Museum, Siófok
1993 Koller Gallery with Éva Kárpáti, Budapest
1988 Veszprémi Gallery, Veszprém
  Miskolci Gallery, Miskolc
1986 Vienna
  Paris
1985 Bad Kissingen
  Hamburg
1984 Library, Siófok
  Paks
  Bázel
  XLI. Venetian Biennial, Venice
1983 Attila József Museum, Makó
  Béri-Balogh Ádám Museum, Szekszárd
  Budapest, Laktanya street (permanent exhibition)
1982 Collegium Hungaricum, Vienna
  Vigadó Gallery, Budapest
1981 Népház, Tatabánya
  Kiskunhalas
  Galerie am Weidendamm, Berlin
1976 Kunsthalle, Budapest
  Dunaújváros
  Ferenc Móra Museum's Picture Gallery, Szeged
  Siófok
  Picture-gallery of Somogy, Kaposvár
1975 Győr
  Nyíregyháza
1974 Zacheta, Varsó
1972 Museum of Tihany, Tihany
1967 Dorottya street's Gallery, Budapest
   
  Group exhibitions
   
2001 Szobrászaton innen és túl, Kunsthalle, Budapest.
1984 Kunstmesse, Basel
1980 XXXIX. Biennial of Venice, Venice
  Art and Society, Kunsthalle, Budapest
1976 XXXVII. Biennial of Venice, Venice
1974 Hungarian Modern Art, Vienna
1973 Hungarian Modern Art, Belgrade
1972 Hungarian Modern Art, Copenhagen
  Hungarian Modern Art, Moscow
1971 Hungarian Modern Art, Paris
  Zagreb [with Béla Kondor, Lili Ország]
  Hungarian graphics and sculptures, Naples
  New works, Kunsthalle, Budapest
  I. International Statuette Biennial, Kunsthalle, Budapest
1970 IV. European Statuette Biennial, Musée Rodin, Paris
  Hungarian Modern Art, Würzburg
1967 I. National Statuette Biennial, Pécs
1957 Spring Exhibition, Kunsthalle, Budapest
1950,1954 Hungarian Art Exhibition, Kunsthalle, Budapest
   
  Works in Hungarian public collections
   
2009 Radnóti, Budapest, Nagymező street
2009 Arthur Koestler, Budapest. Lövölde square
2006 Memorial of II. Lajos and the battle of Mohács, Mohács, Széchenyi square
2006 David, Hajdúböszörmény, Park of Géza Losonczy
2004 Piéta, Budapest, XI. dist., St. Gellért church
2001 Sylvester pope, Budapest, XI. dist., St. Gellért church
2000 Martyrdom of Saint Gerard Bishop, Budapest, XI. dist., St. Gellért church
2000 Portraits of Hungarian saints, St. Gellért church, Budapest
1997 Imre Kálmán, Siófok
1996 Bor-Kalán nemzetségfő, Nagykőrös
1996 János Arany and his companions, Nagykőrös
1993 Erkel Ferenc-relief, Budapest, Diana street
1993 St. Mary Queen of the World, Zalabaksa, Roman Chatolic Church
1992 Memorial of the II. world war (Jacob struggles with the angel), Hajdúdorog
1990 Martyrs Monument, Budapest, Dohány street's Synagogue
1988 The born of Venus, Siófok,
1986 Expectants, Budapest, Óbuda
1985 St. Elisabeth- and Louis's equestrian statue, Sárospatak
1984 Professors, Debrecen, DOTE
1983 Ferenc Liszt, Pécs, Bishop's Palace
1983 Wine seller, Budapest, Boráros square
1982 Kodály, Budapest, Castle, European-park
1981 Ornament frontage statuette, Attila Joseph Museum
1981 Bartók, Budapest, Bartók Memorial House's garden, Makó
1980 Bust of Ferenc Liszt, Mecseknádasd
1979 Grave monument of Tibor Déry, Budapest, Cemetery of Farkasrét
1977 Derkovits, Szombathely
1977 Bust of István Szőnyi, Budapest, 5th. dist., Markó str.
1977 Grave monument of József Darvas, Budapest, Cemetery of Kerepes
1975 Passing time, Siófok
1971 Professor, Debrecen
1971 Bust of Attila József, Budapest
1970 Radnóti, Mohács, Salgótarján
1969 Táncsics, Budapest, Castle
1966 Bust of Endre Ady, Ráckeve, Endre Ady Secondary School
1966 Bust of Otto Korvin. Budapest
1964 Nude recumbent women, Debrecen, L. Kossuth University
   
  Works in public collections in Abroad
   
1999 St. Francis is listening the birds, Bad Kissingen
1997 Memorial Fountain of Peter Heil, Bad Kissingen
1997 Elephant, Gitzenweiler-Hof Lindau, Camping
1996 Bust of St. Leslie, Aachen
1996 Mobil Statue with water, Brückenau
1995 Béla Bartók, Brüsszel
1993 Susanne and the olds, Jacob struggles with the Angel, Genezis, William Apor bishop's
  memorial gobelin, gobelins Bad Neustadt, Rhön klinika, Herz und Gefassklinik
1993 St. Stephen, Aachen, dome
1992 Women with umbrella, two figure version, Los Angeles
1991 II. Franciscan Rákóczi, Bad Kissingen
1991 Bride dressing, Bad Neustadt Kurparklinik
1988 Memorial of Radnóti, Überlingen
1986 Eagle and snake, Bad-Neustadt
1982 Bartók, square Bela Bartok)
1979 Radnóti, Bor [YU]
1977 Liberation Monument, Aden [Jemen]
1974 War memorial - 1944, Oslo
1973 Copernicus, Warsaw
1965 Iron Bars, Auschwitz, Hungarian Memorial Museum
   
  Works in public collections
   
  Antwerpen (Prométheusz)
  Capital Picture Gallery, Budapest
  Middelheim Freesquares, Statue Museum
  Hungarian National Art Gallery, Budapest
  Statue Park
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