BUILDING BEINGS
This collection is a homage to the dear departed Hungarian architect, Imre Makovecz, his larger than life creations & ahead of its time, twenty-first century ideologies. Continuing the work & mindsets of the Hungarian Art Nouveau &National Romanticism architects, in order to pay tribute to & develop the Hungarian national ideals. His distinctive buildings or “Building beings” as he liked to call them, were an endeavor to work with the natural surroundings instead of overcoming or conquering them. This magical artifice, symbolism, lavishness & non-traditional, yet operational style of his architecture is what I hope to have achieved with this collection.
Upon discovering Makovecz, I was first struck & attracted to the willowy frameworks of his buildings & his use of hauntingly gothic colors like black to dark grays for the exterior of such sacred, godly structures.
Nearly all of his buildings have these grand archway entrances that are adorned with variations of amazingly massive angel wings carved out of naturally colored stained wood.
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Paks, Hungary 1987-88
The outside of his buildings are so magnificent & the interior is most times even more beautiful and intricate. The linear, curving & crisscrossing of the inner woodwork ceiling structures remind me of the inside details of a complex couture fashion garment.
Rákoskert Church, Budapest, Hungary 2016
Farkaseret Mortuary Chapel, Hungary 1975
The Greek Catholic Church of Csenger, Hungary 2014
His work originated as a critique of communist principles & the brutal standardization of system building. In the early 90’s it then became a comment on corporate society & the nature of globalization.
Makovecz topped his buildings with rounded roofs that are extremely tall, with multiple high peaks crowned in golden copper metalwork ornamentations, symbols & carving cutouts.
Hungarian Pavilion at the World Expo 1992
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Paks, Hungary 1987-88
Bringing to life Makovecz’s “building beings” by sculpting on the powerful female form, mimicking his dark voluminous structures, romantic details & intricate lines on elaborate couture denim evening gowns.