Csaba Kis Róka now presents his latest paintings at acb Attachment. The decadence the title alludes to is at once a reference to the theme of the paintings and to the change the artist’s style has undergone over the past years. The baroque mass scenes of his early paintings have been replaced by simpler compositions that focus on states and moods; the artist’s attention has shifted from narrative content to pictorial rendition. In his paintings rooted in the traditions of realism and expressionism, abstract and plastically textured surfaces had first appeared in the rendering of figurative contents – tortured, mutilated human bodies and body parts as well as certain background elements. In later works, these abstract structures became autonomous, equally important compositional elements. In his latest series, on display at the exhibition, compositions are unequivocally governed by colors and pictorial qualities instead of figurative motifs, giving rise to an organic abstract imagery, thematically rooted in the physical suffering and decay of the body.

Csaba Kis Róka (1981) caught the attention of the public and the profession at the very start of his career with his extraordinary, singular, and expressive painterly practice. The confrontation of classical traditions of painting with taboo-breaking themes involving blood and violence has given ample grounds for appraisal and criticism alike. His works have been featured at numerous domestic and international shows, including the 2010 Liverpool Biennial, and he has had several solo exhibitions in venues such as the Trafó Gallery in Budapest, the CACT in Bellinzona, Switzerland, and the MOA Museum in Bunnik, the Netherlands. So far, acb Gallery has organized two solo exhibitions for Csaba Kis Róka, and in 2015 we presented his works at a dedicated booth at the Viennacontemporary art fair.