Czóbel Béla Önarckép, 1970 Papír, Szén, 33x24cm 

Editor: Here we have Béla Czóbel’s self-portrait from 1970, rendered in charcoal on paper. It feels so raw, so immediate – like he just grabbed the charcoal and let his emotions flow onto the page. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Oh, it whispers secrets, doesn't it? The hurried strokes, the searching eyes...it's like Czóbel is wrestling with himself right there on the paper. I see the influence of Expressionism, that desperate urge to externalize inner turmoil. Have you ever felt that kind of creative urgency, like your hand is just chasing after what your soul already knows? Editor: Absolutely! Especially when things get difficult – creating sometimes feels like the only way to process it. I am especially struck by the face. The lack of precision gives a feeling of a face, without giving you the actual form, more suggestive. Curator: Precisely! It’s about suggesting a feeling, a presence, rather than documenting a likeness. And you see the darks are so intense – almost aggressive – while the lights are fragile, fleeting. Do you get a sense that he's grappling with something in particular? Is it sadness or desperation, something related to aging maybe? Or do you find it beautiful? Editor: I definitely pick up on that sense of unease. Aging makes sense as interpretation. I still think it’s beautiful, although perhaps ‘beautiful’ isn’t quite the right word. Haunting? Evocative? Something like that. I definitely agree that aging might be on the forefront of Czóbel mind, however, his raw strokes suggest the importance of mental state regardless of a specific subject matter Curator: “Haunting” nails it! And the fact that he chose himself as the subject… that’s brave, isn't it? I imagine the Hungarian expressionists may have thought of their face as the last true refuge, as their only honest reflection, and in a broader sense, of any painter, no? Editor: It really is. Thinking about art like that opens new perspectives. It's made me appreciate Czóbel’s emotional honesty much more. Curator: And for me, your pointing out that it could have to do more with general distress or anxiety has been refreshing and eye opening!