Szentendre 

Curator: Welcome. We’re standing before Kmetty János’s painting, "Szentendre." Note the impasto and plein-air application of paint on the canvas, very much in the Impressionist style. Editor: Oh, this has such a hazy, dreamy feel. Like squinting in the bright sunshine, all softened edges and summery colors. I almost feel the heat rising from the canvas. Curator: Precisely. The loose brushstrokes work to dissolve clear, distinct form in favor of a focus on the effects of light and color. Consider how Kmetty builds form through these blocks of layered pigment, for example, look at the buildings. Editor: True, those buildings aren't trying to be photographically accurate; they're more about capturing a fleeting sense of place. A memory of a sunny day in Szentendre rather than a precise record. Makes you want to hop on a bike and explore those little streets. Curator: Yes, though, structurally, we observe how each component–the buildings, the figure, the greenery–plays with both linear and atmospheric perspective in equal parts to guide the eye throughout the canvas, giving both formal organization and free spirited feeling. Editor: And that figure in the foreground—almost swallowed by the landscape! Maybe it's the artist himself? It’s like he’s both observing and participating in the scene. Blurring the line, you know? I always wonder what their state of mind was when painting! Curator: Well, beyond speculation, we know the materiality and form combine, the way that canvas acts as a visual register and record of a certain optical event—an experience translated through impressionistic vocabulary. Editor: So, it's a feeling turned into paint, a moment made permanent! Amazing how a jumble of colors can evoke such a powerful sense of being there, in Szentendre. It sort of makes you reconsider the power of observation. Curator: I agree. The work serves as a compelling study of subjective experience. It's Kmetty's world through a very specific lens. Editor: Yeah, now, I won't just walk by without looking for the dreamy bits in everyday. Thank you, Kmetty!