Tamás Hencze
(1938, Szekszárd - 2018, Budapest)
About the Artist
Tamás Hencze is a classic of the Hungarian neo-avantgard, who was born in 1938. He received numerous awards, among them the most prestigious Hungarian honor, the Kossuth Prize. He exhibited with IPARTERV, an important group of young Hungarian avant-garde artists in the 1960’s. At the beginning of his career, he travelled to Paris and was greatly influenced by the abstract tradition, op-art like grids and re- and disappearing shapes ruled his canvases. During the 1970’s, his work became more conceptual, he did performances, silk-screen and land art works, and also created his influential burnt canvases. He later returned to painting, and as his titles refer to it, he focused on painting space itself, on the illusion of showing substance through delicately smooth tone-changes. Hencze often paints series, his most often used colors are variations of black, white, blue, yellow and red. From larger gestures he arrived to softer, calligraphy like forms in the 1980’s, employing less color combinations. Beautiful signs, writing-like constructions ruled his canvases, all arranged in a peculiar perspective. In the 2000’s Hencze turned back to rather immense gestures, vibrant structures, damaged edges and ragged motifs characterize his last several series. He yet wants to prove the harmony of spontaneity and reason, as he freezes the accidental paint drops into the language of calligraphy, into the of language eternity.
Tamás Hencze’s paintings are in the most important local and international, private and public collections.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017
Shaping Realities with Márton Nemes, Deák Erika Galéria, Budapest
Works from the 1990s, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2015
Parallel lights, Art. Salon: Társalgó Gallery, Budapest
Shaped pictures from the early ‘80s, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2013
Organic gestures, Biksady Gallery, Budapest
2012
Günter Damsich, Hencze Tamás, Österrechisch Kulturforum, Budapest
2011
Found pictures, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2010
Vertical light, Prestige Gallery, Budapest
2008
BTM - Kiscelli Museum, Gallery of Budapest, Budapest
2004
KOGART House, Budapest
2002
Somogyi József Gallery, Pápa
Licht und Farbe, Hungarian Embassy, Berlin
Tamás Hencze, Kulturinstitut der Republik Ungarn, Stuttgart
2001
Vadnai Gallery, Budapest
1998
Kaposfüredi Gallery and Sculpture park, Kaposfüred
1997
Oil/Canvas. Contemporary Hungarian Art, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1996
Rátz Gallery, Budapest
1994
Körmendi Gallery, Budapest
Gallery MM, Tokio
1993
Galerie Gaudens Pedit, Innsbruck
Gallery MM, Tokio
1992
Galerie Synthese, Linz
1990
Galerie Bawag Foundation, Wien
Positionen VII. (Wien-Budapest), Fészek Gallery, Budapest
1988
Galerie Eremitage, Berlin
Gallery MM, Tokio
1987
Ernst Museum, Budapest
1984
Plaster and paint, Fészek Gallery, Budapest
1981
Dorottya street exhibition space, Budapest
1980
Burnt Pictures, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Exposition Internationale des Arts Plastiques, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1979
Black-white-red, French Institute, Budapest
1977
Visual stories, Józsefvárosi Gallery, Budapest
King St. Stephen Museum, Székesfehérvár
1970
Structures, County Library, Veszprém
1969
Central Institute of Physics Research, Budapest
1968
University of Technology, Vásárhelyi Pál College, Budapest
Shaping Realities with Márton Nemes, Deák Erika Galéria, Budapest
Works from the 1990s, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2015
Parallel lights, Art. Salon: Társalgó Gallery, Budapest
Shaped pictures from the early ‘80s, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2013
Organic gestures, Biksady Gallery, Budapest
2012
Günter Damsich, Hencze Tamás, Österrechisch Kulturforum, Budapest
2011
Found pictures, Neon Gallery, Budapest
2010
Vertical light, Prestige Gallery, Budapest
2008
BTM - Kiscelli Museum, Gallery of Budapest, Budapest
2004
KOGART House, Budapest
2002
Somogyi József Gallery, Pápa
Licht und Farbe, Hungarian Embassy, Berlin
Tamás Hencze, Kulturinstitut der Republik Ungarn, Stuttgart
2001
Vadnai Gallery, Budapest
1998
Kaposfüredi Gallery and Sculpture park, Kaposfüred
1997
Oil/Canvas. Contemporary Hungarian Art, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1996
Rátz Gallery, Budapest
1994
Körmendi Gallery, Budapest
Gallery MM, Tokio
1993
Galerie Gaudens Pedit, Innsbruck
Gallery MM, Tokio
1992
Galerie Synthese, Linz
1990
Galerie Bawag Foundation, Wien
Positionen VII. (Wien-Budapest), Fészek Gallery, Budapest
1988
Galerie Eremitage, Berlin
Gallery MM, Tokio
1987
Ernst Museum, Budapest
1984
Plaster and paint, Fészek Gallery, Budapest
1981
Dorottya street exhibition space, Budapest
1980
Burnt Pictures, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Exposition Internationale des Arts Plastiques, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1979
Black-white-red, French Institute, Budapest
1977
Visual stories, Józsefvárosi Gallery, Budapest
King St. Stephen Museum, Székesfehérvár
1970
Structures, County Library, Veszprém
1969
Central Institute of Physics Research, Budapest
1968
University of Technology, Vásárhelyi Pál College, Budapest
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019
Harmonia Structuralis, Art Gallery Paks, Paks, Hungary
2017
Shaping Realities, Deák Erika Gallery, Budapest
2016
Standing before objects, Deák Erika Gallery, Budapest
2013
Divine formula, light, Kepes Institute, Budapest
2012
Loop, Virág Judit Gallery, Budapest
2010
Time, accelerating, Prestige Gallery, Budapest
2009
Hommage á El Kazovszkij, XO, Budapest
2008
Egress and magnetism, Centrális Gallery, Budapest
2006
Real and virtual spaces II., Vasarely Museum, Budapest
2004
Hungarian Geometry Today, Galerie Mesta, Plzne
Passage d’Europe, Musée(s) Art Moderne, Saint-Etienne
2003
Vass László Collection, Modern Gallery, Veszprém
2001
New mechanism, MEO Contemporary Gallery, Budapest
1998
Avant-garde in the 20th century, Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz, Linz
The first generation of the Hungarian neoavantgard, 1965-1972, Szombathelyi Gallery, Szombathely
Hungarian Presence 1998, Zachenta Gallery of Contemporary Art, Warsav
1997
Oil/Canvas, Contemporary Hungarian Painting, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1996
My museum (Vass-collection), Ernst Museum, Budapest
1993
Hungarian art of the 20th century (1980-1989), King St. Stephen Museum, Székesfehérvár
Konfrontationen, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Wien
Hungary Before and After, Washington, New York, Budapest
1992
Reductivism, Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Wien
Hungaricae, Arte Ungherese degli anni ’80 e sue origini, Museo d’Arte Moderna, Bolzano
1991
The Sixties, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Pozitionen, Ungarische Kunst der Neuziger Jahre, Künstlerwerkstatt, Munich
Contemporary Art, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Art Cologne, 25. Internationaler Kunstmarkt, Cologne
Hungarian Modern Art, Seoul Arts Center, Art Museum, Seoul
Harmonia Structuralis, Art Gallery Paks, Paks, Hungary
2017
Shaping Realities, Deák Erika Gallery, Budapest
2016
Standing before objects, Deák Erika Gallery, Budapest
2013
Divine formula, light, Kepes Institute, Budapest
2012
Loop, Virág Judit Gallery, Budapest
2010
Time, accelerating, Prestige Gallery, Budapest
2009
Hommage á El Kazovszkij, XO, Budapest
2008
Egress and magnetism, Centrális Gallery, Budapest
2006
Real and virtual spaces II., Vasarely Museum, Budapest
2004
Hungarian Geometry Today, Galerie Mesta, Plzne
Passage d’Europe, Musée(s) Art Moderne, Saint-Etienne
2003
Vass László Collection, Modern Gallery, Veszprém
2001
New mechanism, MEO Contemporary Gallery, Budapest
1998
Avant-garde in the 20th century, Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz, Linz
The first generation of the Hungarian neoavantgard, 1965-1972, Szombathelyi Gallery, Szombathely
Hungarian Presence 1998, Zachenta Gallery of Contemporary Art, Warsav
1997
Oil/Canvas, Contemporary Hungarian Painting, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1996
My museum (Vass-collection), Ernst Museum, Budapest
1993
Hungarian art of the 20th century (1980-1989), King St. Stephen Museum, Székesfehérvár
Konfrontationen, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Wien
Hungary Before and After, Washington, New York, Budapest
1992
Reductivism, Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Wien
Hungaricae, Arte Ungherese degli anni ’80 e sue origini, Museo d’Arte Moderna, Bolzano
1991
The Sixties, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Pozitionen, Ungarische Kunst der Neuziger Jahre, Künstlerwerkstatt, Munich
Contemporary Art, Ludwig Museum, Budapest
Art Cologne, 25. Internationaler Kunstmarkt, Cologne
Hungarian Modern Art, Seoul Arts Center, Art Museum, Seoul
1990
Movement 1970-1990, Modern Gallery, Pécs
Metaphor, Modern Gallery, Pécs
1988
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul
1985
Drei Generationen Ungarischer Künstler, Neue Galerie, Graz
Snapshot (Three Generations of Hungarian Painters), Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1984
Wet paint, Ernst Museum, Budapest
1982
Black-and-White, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
Art Hongrois Contemporain, Musée Cantini, Marseille
1981
Ungesk Konst 1905-1980, Lijevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm; Konstmuseum, Göteborg; Konsthall, Malmö
1980
Iparterv 68-80, Iparterv, Budapest
XXXIX. Biennale de Venezia, Padiglione Ungherese, Venice
1978
Józsefváros Gallery, Budapest
Painting ’77, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
Tendencies in contemporary Hungarian painting, Bartók 32 Gallery, Budapest
Hongaarse Konstruktivistische Kunst 1920-1977, Hertogenbosch, Utrecht, Arnheim
Ungarische Konstruktivistische Kunst 1920-1977, Kunstverein, Munich, Düsseldorf
1976
Serial works, Csók István Gallery, Székesfehérvár
1975
New Hungarian constructivism, Kunstmuseum, Bonn
1972
Art System, Buenos Aires
1971
New Works, Műcsarnok/Palace of Art, Budapest
1970
Movement ’70, Modern Gallery, Pécs
„R” (New Hungarian avant-garde), University of Technology and Economics, Budapest
Amerika Haus Galerie, Wien
II. Internationalen Malerwochen im Burgenlan, Eisenstadt
Wystawa Grupy Aristow wegierskych, Poznan
1969
Pannonia Biennal 1969, Murska Sobota (Yugoslavia)
1968
II. Iparterv exhibition, Iparterv, Budapest
1966
Zuglói Circle, Ady Endre Cultural House of the 4th District, Budapest
Works in Collection
Magyar Nemzeti Galéria, Budapest
Kassák Lajos Múzeum, Budapest
Munkácsy Mihály Múzeum, Békéscsaba
Kortárs Művészeti Múzeum/ Ludwig Múzeum, Budapest
Kiscelli Múzeum, Budapest
Artaria Alapítvány, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
BNP-Dresden Bank, Budapest
Modern Magyar Képtár, Pécs
Szent István Király Múzeum, Székesfehérvár
Szombathelyi Képtár, Szombathely
Sárospataki Képtár, Sárospatak
Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Bécs
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Bécs
Neue Galerie am LandesMúzeum Joanneum, Graz
Folkwang Museum, Essen
National Museum of Contemporaray Art, Seoul
Galerie der Stadt Esslingen, Esslingen
Muzeum Okregowe, Chelm
Vass László Gyűjtemény, Veszprém, Budapest
Lentos, Kunstmuseum, Linz
MEO, Kortárs Művészeti Gyűjtemény, Budapest
Raiffeisen Gyűjtemény, Budapest
Kassák Lajos Múzeum, Budapest
Munkácsy Mihály Múzeum, Békéscsaba
Kortárs Művészeti Múzeum/ Ludwig Múzeum, Budapest
Kiscelli Múzeum, Budapest
Artaria Alapítvány, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
BNP-Dresden Bank, Budapest
Modern Magyar Képtár, Pécs
Szent István Király Múzeum, Székesfehérvár
Szombathelyi Képtár, Szombathely
Sárospataki Képtár, Sárospatak
Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Bécs
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Bécs
Neue Galerie am LandesMúzeum Joanneum, Graz
Folkwang Museum, Essen
National Museum of Contemporaray Art, Seoul
Galerie der Stadt Esslingen, Esslingen
Muzeum Okregowe, Chelm
Vass László Gyűjtemény, Veszprém, Budapest
Lentos, Kunstmuseum, Linz
MEO, Kortárs Művészeti Gyűjtemény, Budapest
Raiffeisen Gyűjtemény, Budapest