George Baloghy
Encyclopedia
George Baloghy is a prominent New Zealand artist. He is a painter, preferring to paint with oil on canvas.
He was born in 1950 in Budapest
, Hungary
and emigrated to New Zealand in 1956 as a refugee. He was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland
and at the University of Auckland
from which he graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Elam School of Fine Arts
in 1977. He has had 27 major solo exhibitions in New Zealand and Australia, commencing in 1978.
Baloghy's style can be called a particular kind of realism, where major elements are altered and shifted around for dramatic effect. Some of these paintings are close to fiction, yet attempt to narrate a greater truth of the feeling of place. The realism depicted has been described by John Daly-Peoples
as being more like paintings of models of the landscape. Heightened edges and colours produce a sharpness of detail and an atmosphere that is at once familiar, yet faintly alien. Many of his works contain references to other painters and paintings.
Baloghy lives and works in Auckland
and Hahei
Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. Many of the subjects of his paintings are in those places. In 2007 he completed a major series of paintings of Wellington
subjects.
Baloghy is currently focusing on iconic pieces of New Zealand art, producing parodic interpretations of signature New Zealand regional paintings such as Robin White
's Mangaweka and Christopher Perkins
1931 painting Taranaki. In painting these works Baloghy has intimately studied the painting techniques of several important New Zealand artists such as Colin McCahon
, Don Binney
, Rita Angus
and Bill Hammond and replicated it with himself (and his car) located in their works. Some of the artists parodied have themselves been students of Baloghy.
He was born in 1950 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and emigrated to New Zealand in 1956 as a refugee. He was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
and at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
from which he graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Elam School of Fine Arts
Elam School of Fine Arts
The Elam School of Fine Arts, founded in 1890 by John Edward Elam is a part of Auckland University. Students study degrees in fine art with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach.-History:...
in 1977. He has had 27 major solo exhibitions in New Zealand and Australia, commencing in 1978.
Baloghy's style can be called a particular kind of realism, where major elements are altered and shifted around for dramatic effect. Some of these paintings are close to fiction, yet attempt to narrate a greater truth of the feeling of place. The realism depicted has been described by John Daly-Peoples
John Daly-Peoples
John Daly-Peoples is an Auckland based arts critic and correspondent. He is the arts writer for the weekly financial journal, National Business Review.He has worked in a number of arts related areas as writer, teacher, consultant, curator and administrator....
as being more like paintings of models of the landscape. Heightened edges and colours produce a sharpness of detail and an atmosphere that is at once familiar, yet faintly alien. Many of his works contain references to other painters and paintings.
Baloghy lives and works in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Hahei
Hahei
Hahei is a small settlement near Cathedral Cove on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula in the Waikato Region of New Zealand.Hahei is located in Mercury Bay, between the settlements of Cooks Beach and Hot Water Beach.It is approximately 6 km south east of Whitianga and 6 km north...
Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. Many of the subjects of his paintings are in those places. In 2007 he completed a major series of paintings of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
subjects.
Baloghy is currently focusing on iconic pieces of New Zealand art, producing parodic interpretations of signature New Zealand regional paintings such as Robin White
Robin White
Robin White may refer to:* Robin White , BBC journalist and playwright* Robin White , professional tennis player* Robin White , barrister at Old Square Chambers, Bedford Row, London who practises in employment and discrimination law....
's Mangaweka and Christopher Perkins
Christopher Perkins
Christopher Edward Perkins was an artist in England and New Zealand.-Background and education:...
1931 painting Taranaki. In painting these works Baloghy has intimately studied the painting techniques of several important New Zealand artists such as Colin McCahon
Colin McCahon
Colin John McCahon was a prominent New Zealand artist. During his life he also worked in art galleries and as a university lecturer...
, Don Binney
Don Binney
Don Binney is a New Zealand painter best known for his paintings of birds. He was awarded an OBE for services to the arts in 1995....
, Rita Angus
Rita Angus
Rita Angus was a New Zealand painter born in Hastings. Along with Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston, she is credited as one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art...
and Bill Hammond and replicated it with himself (and his car) located in their works. Some of the artists parodied have themselves been students of Baloghy.
Reference Sources
- E. M. Caughey, New Zealand Art Today, Saint Publishing (2002) Limited, Auckland, 2002, pp. 10 and 11.
- George Baloghy, Wellington Pictures 2007, Janne Land Gallery, Wellington, 2007.
- Kelly Andrew, Shifting reality, The Dominion Post, Wednesday, 24 October 2007.