"... In order to begin creating, I need to be taken over by a tune. As I’m immersing myself in the melody, “vision-like images” start building the visual expression of the tune. As the artist, I’m getting to befriend the process of transformation of the musical subject into a visual object. I sense a spiritual presence while the metamorphosis takes shape like a voice in my soul. The images might have been converted from a different dimension and turned into inspired paintings, but as the process takes place in me, they become undeniably and inseparably part of me.

The “silent touch” happens rarely. If it does, the vision of the forming object talks to me first, while it searches for its own voice. It often happens that during the process of painting creation I realize that the music had been with me for a long time on a subconscious level, waiting to be expressed on canvas. These are mystical experiences. Myself I also only try to understand the process itself, the way in which music and image take form in this soul cradle to achieve completeness in a mysterious metamorphic form…”

 

  
 

ABOUT THE ARTIST

ISTVAN FUJKIN “Techno-surrealistic Visual Artist of Music” 

Born in the former Yugoslavia, Istvan Fujkin has been a visual artist since 1974. He is a self-taught artist, a visionary  with a distinct techno-surrealistic style of music-canvas fusion called “Fujkin’s Music Vision.” 

Istvan Fujkin’s artistic style builds upon various pre-existing styles, but its uniqueness comes from its imagery, the techno-surrealistic metamorphosis of the world of music into visual arts. The metaphorical visual expression of music in his paintings has been inspired by familiar tunes and the artist’s internal soul reverberations. Fujkin’s art unchains deep emotions and reaches the subconscious, a reaction often neglected in today’s artistic world. His style and technique enable him to reach uncharted territories and go beyond barriers of time and space. Translating music into visual images, as well as giving paintings a “high-tech” appearance without the use of any technical aids but a standard paintbrush, is an art in itself.

His inspirational artwork is created under the auspices of his “Fujkin’s Music Vision”, and many of his works are exhibited as significant parts of musical events due to their ability to fuse the worlds of music and visual arts.

Istvan Fujkin has been a member of the Metronome Canada Creative Team since 2003.

***

By becoming a member of the Creative Team working on the preliminary plans and designs of Canada’s Metronome Music Museum, a new chapter has opened in Istvan Fujkin’s career. He contributed with his artistic talent to the designs of the future Metronome Canada, a one-of-a-kind “music city” featuring a National Music Education Centre and Museum, a cultural benchmark for Canadian music and an international attraction representing Canada and its contributions to the world of music. 

As a Metronome Canada Creative Team member, Istvan Fujkin took charge of various designs for the Metronome Canada project. These include the inception and design of a Serendipity Music Sculpture Garden with a Musicland Playground, Music Totem Pole and the interior design of the “Rhapsody” Rooftop Restaurant and Bar. 

This project capitalizes on his creative talent, but most importantly, it offers him the opportunity to share his “Blue Owl” project with the world.

The artworks of his “Blue Owl” project represent a link between visual arts and contemporary music inspired by First Nations musical traditions. As an original part of Metronome Canada, the paintings and designed music themed sculptures of his “Blue Owl” project will become a central element of a permanent First Nations music exhibition, and for Fujkin, a tribute to musician and composer Robbie Robertson, whose songs served as the main source of inspiration for his artwork.

***

Career Flashback

Hungarian visual artist Istvan Fujkin moved to Toronto in 1997. Prior to settling in Canada, his artwork had been known mainly in Hungary, where his individualistic style was highly distinguishable on the visual arts scene and in the domain of contemporary Hungarian music.

In 1990, István Fujkin joined the "Laser Theatre" of Budapest, which is the only permanent theatre of this kind in Europe. It uses the interaction of light and music and the most advanced auditory and visual technology. Fujkin contributed tremendously to the success of the theatre by artistically combining these advanced forms of light and sound expressions and by developing a new method of multi-visional panoramic projection. 

Since Fujkin’s work is inspired by musical experiences, many prominent rock stars and rock groups in Hungary have enhanced their new albums through CD covers and illustrations designed by him. Aside from his creative accomplishments in fusing visual arts with music, Fujkin responded to challenges involving the design of book covers and title pages for prestigious magazines.

Another important aspect of Fujkin’s work in Hungary consisted of developing and furthering the concept of “visual novel” and producing illustrations. The “visual novel” presents its message on usually one page without the use of any linguistic clues. The advancement of this form of expression in Hungary was greatly influenced by Fujkin’s innovation. This innovation goes back to 1985, when, for the first time, he visually depicted popular songs in a monthly Rock Magazine published in Yugoslavia. He continued to use this innovation later on when he moved to Hungary in 1990, and ultimately it won him “The Visual Novel Artist of the Year” title in 1993. 

After he moved to Toronto in 1997 and up until 2001, Fujkin was an associate character designer with “Super Fly Films,” the animation studio of Oscar-winner Animation Director, Ferenc Rofusz. As well, Fujkin managed the regular “Cartoon Corner” of the “Hungarian Life” Toronto weekly newspaper. He was also the art director and illustrator of “Pythagoras Notebooks” (Toronto), Hungarian literary periodicals.

Since 2002, his time and talent have been solely dedicated to his “Blue Owl” project and making Metronome Canada become reality.


EXHIBITIONS:

Individual Exhibitions:
2004  Toronto, Canada – “Metronome Music Museum Project 
Milestone Event” – The Molson Amphitheatre 
2004 Toronto, Canada – Remenyi Music House 
2004  Budapest, Hungary – “Szamizdat – Poetry Night” 
FIDESZ Headquarters
1997  Budapest, Hungary - “Jazz – Gala” - Thalia Theatre 
1995  Budapest, Hungary – “Musicians for Sick Children Gala” 
Congress Centre 
1993 Budapest, Hungary - “Musicians for the Environment Gala” 
Congress Centre
1989  Cologne, Germany - Ute Gallery
1989  Munich, Germany - Rech Music Centre
1989  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “37th International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1987  Budapest, Hungary – Metro Club
1987  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “35th International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1986  Szabadka, Yugoslavia – ME Gallery
1986  Sarajevo, Yugoslavia – ULUB Gallery
1985  Zenta, Yugoslavia – Museum of Fine Arts
1985  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “33rd International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1984  Szeged, Hungary – City Art Gallery
1983  Novi Sad, Yugoslavia – Youth Tribune
1983  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “31st International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1982  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “30th International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1981  Szabadka, Yugoszlavia – ME Gallery
1981  Horgos, Yugoslavia – Cultural Community Centre
Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - “28th International Writers’ Program” 
KASZ Gallery
1979  Munich, Germany - Rech Music Centre
1978  Becse, Yugoslavia – City Art Gallery
1978  Toplya, Yugoslavia – ME Gallery
1978  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia - KASZ Gallery
1978  Horgos, Yugoslavia – Cultural Community Centre
1977  Szabadka, Yugoslavia – ME Gallery 
1977  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia – KASZ Gallery
1976  Bihac, Yugoslavia – Dom JNA
1975  Kanizsa, Yugoslavia – KASZ Gallery



Group Exhibitions:

 
2000  Mississauga, Canada - “The Thousand Year 
The Art of Hungarian Canadians” – Living Arts Centre
2000  Toronto, Canada - “The Thousand Year – The Art of Hungarian
Canadians” – Neilson Park Creative Centre
1993  Nyiregyhaza, Hungary – “2nd Hungarian Comic Book Festival” 
City Art Gallery 
1992  Tokaj, Hungary – “1st Hunagrian Comic Book Festival” 
City Art Gallery
1989  Szabadka, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Biennale” 
Fine Arts Salon
1989  Belgrade, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
ULUS Gallery
1989  Novi Sad / Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
UPIDIV Gallery
1985  Szabadka, Yugoslavia – “Szabadka Fine Arts Biennale” 
Fine Arts Salon
1986  Novi Sad, Yugoslavia – Youth Tribune
1986  Zagreb, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
ULUH Gallery
1985  Belgrade, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
ULUS Gallery
1985  Novi Sad, Yugoslavia – “New Members Exhibition” 
UPIDIV Gallery
1985  Zenta, Yugoslavia – Artist Centre
1985  Pristina, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
ULUC Gallery
1985  Sarajevo, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Fine Arts Exhibition” 
ULUB Gallery
1982  Ruma, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery
1983  Vinkovci, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery 
1983  Nis, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery
1981  Sarajevo, Yugoslavia – “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery
1982  Novi Sad, Yugoslavia – Forum Club Gallery
1982  Ada, Yugoslavia – City Art Gallery
1980  Novi Sad, Yugoslavia - “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery
1981  Rijeka, Yugoslavia - “Vojvodina Amateur Visual Artists Exhibition” 
RU Gallery
1978  Becse, Yugoslavia – City Art Gallery 
1976  Szabadka, Yugoslavia – ME Gallery
1977  Temerin, Yugoslavia – “TAKT” City Art Gallery 
1974  Muzslya, Yugoslavia – Artist Centre
1974  Zagreb, Yugoslavia – Youth Tribune
1972  Horgos, Yugoslavia – “200-year Jubilee” Karasz Castle



AWARDS:

2005 - The Best Artist of 2004 - Net Odyssey, Canada
1993 - "The Visual Novel Artist of the Year " Award  - Nyiregyhaza, Hungary 
1985 - Fine Arts Grand Prize - Pristina, Yugoslavia
1985 - Fine Arts Grand Prize - Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
1983 - Certificate of Merit - Ruma, Yugoslavia
1974 - Certificate of Merit - Muzslya, Yugoslavia
1974 - Certificate of Merit - Zagreb, Yugoslavia
 

 


Copyright © István Fujkin

   
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