Lehel Kovács

I encounter a form, a living creature, or a fragment of landscape that captivates me and leaves a lasting impression. If this sense of engagement endures, it leads me to study the form in depth and ultimately to paint it.

My paintings place recognizable motifs within abstract pictorial spaces. The illusion of reality alone is not enough for a painting. I am interested in the moment when a motif is released from its familiar context and enters into a new relationship with the painted space. It is from this new relationship that the painting comes into being.

Most of my works include the word Fragment in their titles. For me, a fragment always implies a greater whole—one that I occasionally sense but can never fully grasp. A painting cannot possess wholeness, but it can evoke it.