RHYS FULLERTON REVIEWS ILONA SZALAY'S WITNESS
Currently provoking strong reactions on Dundas Street are Ilona Szalay’s bold glass paintings.
This is Szalay’s first Scottish solo exhibition, and you can see why the gallery is keen to show off her talents.
From street level, we are greeted with two stunning oil on glass paintings: 'Red' (right) and 'Yellow' (below). These are really eye-catching and have an immediate effect. To place them directly in the window of the gallery is a brave move, but it’s a statement of intent and you know this exhibition won’t hold back.
The oil and glass works are strengthened with 'Black'. The image is painted directly onto the glass and the face of the figure in the painting is transparent. This gives you a different perspective from every angle. From one spot you may get a view of a building. From another you may see another gallery visitor or even another painting. This is an unexpected effect and it really enhances the painting. The glass is not just a canvas or even a gimmick; it is as much a part of the work as the paint.
Other oil and glass pieces on display are the Self-Portrait series. These works are daring and personal. They represent a different mood or personality of Szalay, and she is not afraid to push the boundaries.
The 'Supplicant' series is a completely different approach. For a start, these are oil on paper and not glass. These works are minimalistic and very red, but the contrast with the sparse empty background works perfectly.
I particularly liked ‘Supplicant 2’, where a horse appears to be dragging along a person who is upside down. Has the person fallen off the horse or is this how things are in this sparse red world?
‘Blue Room’ was one of my favourite works. I admired the use of colour and the way the background seems rushed and heavy-handed in parts but also light and free-flowing. It’s as if a blue drink has been spilt and has almost dried up by the time it reaches another corner. The reds in this work are all the more apparent and suggestive when used in this way.
With Szalay’s work, you often need to look more closely to decipher what the image actually is. Her style leaves you to question the images, it’s not immediately obvious what is going on and nor should it be. She doesn’t make it easy, but her works are stylish, affective and thought provoking.
This exhibition may not meet all of Broughton’s tastes but in my opinion Dundas Street needs more such challenging contemporary art and this is the perfect place to start.
Ilona Szalay's Witness continues at Arusha Gallery (13A Dundas Street) until 31 August 2015. Admission free.