Ferenc Somogyi

(1962 Budapest)

Ferenc Somogyi, sculptor. From my childhood i always drew a lot, luckily my parents also favor art. (My father drew and was a photo-enthusiast in his youth.) My first work, which can be called a sculpture was a brick, i carved with a screwdriver and a small hammer, portaying the famous hungarian poet, Petőfi calling the people to battle. In the High School of Fine arts and Arts & crafts i have studied decorative sculpture on plaster. Because stone-cutting was not in the school's schedule, i've borrowed the tools from my tutor, and spent the afternoons at the institute's yard trimming stones. In a little while others joined in, so the school added stone sculpting to our schedule. I graduated in 1982, and was working after it in the hungarian movie producing company, MAFILM, creating sets, and improving my skills.





I took part in a University of Fine Arts-organized creative camp in the summer of 1986 at Hajós. We were given beautiful black burr oak to realize our plans. Wood carving was an exciting challenge, and I love it ever since. From 1994 I live in Budaörs with my family. Every sculpture I make, i try to to find the optimal material and shape for the actual topic. I like the gently exaggerated, slightly grotesque style, but always with reason, never for it's own sake. I've been said, that not two works of me are the same.

This can be a praise, at least I take it like that. Of course those who know my art better, see the common features in all of my works. In fact I try to avoid any routine solution. I carve stone, plaster, fireclay, but every so often i find the wood as the best form to manifest my conceptions.