End of Summer in Vermezo 1979

Curator: Looking at Maria Bozoky's "End of Summer in Vermezo," crafted in 1979, I'm immediately struck by its melancholic atmosphere. The watercolor washes create this hazy, almost dreamlike vision of a cityscape. Editor: There’s a palpable sense of yearning. I think Bozoky's choice of mixed media – watercolor layered with what looks like pen or ink – emphasizes the ephemeral nature of memory and place. It begs the question: what socioeconomic context informed Bozoky’s portrayal of this cityscape during the late 1970s? Curator: I’d agree; the overlaid lines give it a sort of immediacy. It isn't just representation but rather a physical inscription— a record of the hand and its movement. Consider the artist's labor. It’s not striving for illusionism, instead focusing on the making and the evidence thereof. Editor: Precisely. The intersection of material and concept evokes reflection on issues of urban planning, residential spaces, and perhaps the growing income disparity in Vermező, which impact identity and the lived experience. Curator: Interesting observation, the building façades possess their texture, due in no small part to her layered application of watercolor. The buildings’ repeated, regimented shapes speak of mass construction, not to say there is much variety or individuality given to the inhabitants or laborers. Editor: Or perhaps there's a quiet rebellion. Notice how the colours subvert the grimness, creating this dialogue about imposed structures that the individual adorns, a sort of 'making-do' to reflect and preserve dignity. This makes one consider the artist's subjectivity, her political voice within an environment that demands compliance. Curator: True, she reclaims what has been set for her, the colors speak more than just 'cityscape', but they show an intervention with the physical building itself. An alternative space has been crafted, more than what the actual cityscape does show. Editor: Exactly, it invites conversation on themes of resilience. With Bozoky creating this narrative of how people not just reside, but also exist and, perhaps, even subtly resist societal norms and expectations through artistic means. I now have a stronger interest in Bozoky’s contribution to our historical context. Curator: I, on the other hand, find that I understand watercolor in practice, not simply the aesthetic but rather its cultural relevance and materiality. It leaves the conversation on our need to interrogate the physical, both of object and location.