Havadtoy has been a collector of old pieces of lace for decades, because their tangible beauty, the endlessly variable forms, but first of all the life stories of those anonym women who had made these pieces fascinates him: the life stories which are imperceptibly, hardly visibly, yet somehow palpably interwoven with the lace. Most of the time Sam Havadtoy writes stories and thoughts under the layers of lace that are hidden and concealed by paint a lace. This is the first time, that he presents paintings where the text underneath can be partly seen and read.

„Havadtoy’s writings was born out of a psycho-therapeutic need. The stories he tells are the product of a unique blend of automatic writing and oneiric strains. Struggling with a deep depression, he underwent a short period of psychoanalysis. The doctor suggested that he writes down the reasons for his unhappiness, to free himself of those concerns. Thus he began to write an autobiographical text, which he then summarized in ever more concise terms.

However, he did not wish these literary exercises be read. When the idea occurred to him to transcribe them onto the canvas he was working on, he covered them up with a coat of paint.” – writes Arturo Schwarz, noted art-historian, the trustee of the exhibition.

One of the most fascinating pieces is a Yoko Ono painting „over-painted” by Havadtoy. The process of the artistic act took two days and was filmed, the editied version of which can also be seen in the exhibition. 60-year old Havadtoy repeats the famous act of Robert Raushenberg, who 60 years ago erased a De Kooning drawing. „Finally I put a mark at the end of a sentence now. It is true that I turned a valuable object of virtu into less valuable, but for me this gesture was a resurrection.” – says the artist.

Born in London, Havadtoy later in his life lived in Hungary, New York and Geneva, between 2000-2009 lived in Budapest again, now in Italy. In the course of his career the artist had intellectual, artistic and friendly relationships with Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, George Condo and Donald Baechler, to mention just a few. He has been in a close connection with the contemporary art world of New York to this day.

Kepes Institute opened in March 2012. Its temporary exhibition is based on the legacy of György Kepes, an internationally aclaimed artist born in Heves county Kepes Institute aims to present the values of modern and contemporary art. It organizes 6-10 exhibitions every year that tend to link technology, science and other periferical fields. Visitors can observe here several light, computer-, video and 3D pieces of art.

The exhibition is open until 10th June.
Address: 3300 Eger, Széchenyi u. 16.

Source: kepeskozpont.hu