Nora Juhász

Artist statement

Nóra Juhász, an emerging Hungarian artist, completed her MA at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts. Graduating with a focus on Painting, she also underwent seven years of university studies encompassing Stage Design and Intermedial Visual Arts. In 2018, she seized the opportunity to study at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris with a Campus Mundi Scholarship, an experience that left an indelible mark on her works and artistic perspective. Additionally, it afforded her the chance to showcase her creations and contribute as a set designer in the vibrant artistic milieu of Paris.

Juhász’s artistic practice unfolds across multiple facets. Primarily, she identifies as an independent creator rooted in a robust conceptual foundation. Initially, her artistic endeavors were channeled through traditional mediums like painting and installation. Drawing from the comprehensive technical and professional education she received in visual representation, she cemented her presence within Hungary’s painterly realm, marked by her inaugural solo exhibition ‘Nightlife vs Sunrise’ in 2020.

Concurrently, she has been an active participant in the realm of theater since 2014, operating as a freelance stage and costume designer. Her formative experiences within theater were forged amidst Hungary’s burgeoning alternative theater scene of the 2010s. Her journey commenced with experimental pop-up performances alongside TÁP Színház, ultimately leading to engagements in traditional theatrical productions at venues like Katona József Színház and Örkény Színház. Over the years, she transitioned from her designer role, actively participating in productions as a creator, co-creator, co-writer, dramaturge, and even as a live performer. Her fascination lies in theatric performances that dismantle the conventional notion of a stage, accommodating real-life occurrences and non-actors, thereby eroding the boundaries between reality and artifice.

In the contemporary landscape, Juhász’s diverse activities coalesce into a unified practice. Alongside her diversifying theater projects, her artistic trajectory underwent a significant transformation in the past year. She no longer perceives herself as a mere producer of artworks but rather as an individual who immerses herself in diverse subjects to subject them to critical scrutiny. Her approach is centered around project-based, highly conceptual methodologies, culminating in various forms of artwork—ranging from physical objects, exhibitions, and websites to events and performances.

Presently, she is engaged in the Esterházy Foundation’s Esterházy Art Dating Program and Pro Progressione’s Escape Fake 2.0 Program. These initiatives provide her with the platform to meticulously conceptualize and develop ideas, foster exchanges, and collaborate with fellow artists and curators.

Amidst this dynamic phase in her career, Juhász aspires to undertake projects that employ critical, self-reflective perspectives, underpinned by strong social connotations. As an artist, she views herself as a societal participant who doesn’t rigidly adhere to established norms but rather questions conventions, habits, and categorizations. This can manifest as direct interventions, imitations, or representations of certain patterns. Her artistic compositions thrive on elements like role-play, irony, and playfulness, often accentuated by the interplay between remote and digital techniques.

Throughout her theatrical journey, one of her earliest professional endeavors as a designer, “We Are Not Barbarians,” graced the stage in Prague at a theater convention. During her sojourn in Paris, she collaborated with Gyöngyi Bíró as a stage designer on an experimental performance titled ‘Etre forets,’ premiered at Théatre de l’Echangeur. Juhász’s contemporary artistic works have found exposure in exhibitions across diverse locations, including Paris, Regensburg (Germany), and Fano (Italy).