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GEDŐ, Ilka
GEDŐ, Ilka
(1921 May 26, Ilka Gedő is born in Budapest. 1985 • On 19 June she dies in Budapest)
Her father, Simon Gedő was a secondary-school teacher, her mother, Elza Weiszkopf was a clerk. 1939 • Attends the free school of Tibor Gallé in the autumn. 1939–42 • Taught by Viktor Erdei, a friend of the Gedő family.
1940 • She begins to participate in the exhibitions of the OMIKE (National Hungarian Cultural Association of Jews) with her drawings. 1942–43 • Studies at the private school of István Örkényi-Strasszer. 1942 • Participates at the exhibition entitled „Freedom and the People” at the Vasas Steelworkers’ Union Headquarters organised by the Group of Socialist Artists. 1945 • Registers in the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts. She stops her studies after the first semester for family reasons. Attends the evening school of Gyula Pap drawing croquis. 1946 • Marries Endre Bíró, a biochemist. 1947 • Takes part in the Free National Exhibition of the Fővárosi tár (Municipal Gallery). On 26 September her first son, Daniel is born. 1950 • Begins a long period in which she does not take part in Hungarian artistic life. 1953 • On 19 February her second son, Dávid is born. 1962 • She takes part in the jubilee exhibition of the Group of Socialist Artists. The National Gallery of Hungary acquires three of her drawings. 1965 • The painter Endre Bálint selects her drawings made between 1945 and 1949 for a studio exhibition. 1968 • Resumes artistic work. 1969–70 • Lives in Paris. The Galerie Lambert exhibits two of her paintings at a group exhibition. 1974 • Becomes a member of the Hungarian Fund of Art (Fine Arts Section). 1980 • The King St. Stephen Museum of Székesfehérvár, Hungary organises a retrospective show of her art. 1982 • Exhibition of her recent work at the Gallery of Dorottya utca, Budapest. (The National Gallery of Hungary buys two of her oil paintings.) 1985 • On 19 June she dies in Budapest. In June and July of the same year a one-woman show of her works is organised at the Művésztelepi Galéria (Artist Colony Gallery) in Szentendre. Her paintings are exhibited at Glasgow’s Compass Gallery as part of the Hungarian Arts Season. Articles appreciate her art in the Glasgow Herald, The Scotsman, Financial Times, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer and The Guardian. 1987 • Retrospective show at the Műcsarnok (Palace of Exhibitions) of Budapest, the premier state gallery for the presentation of modern Hungarian and international visual art. 1989 • Exhibition of her drawings at the Municipal Gallery of Szombathely, Hungary. 1989 1990 • Second retrospective show at Glasgow’s Third Eye Centre that received as good a press coverage as her first show in Glasgow. 1994 • Retrospective exhibition of her art at Janos Gat Gallery in New York. 1995 • Between February and October an exhibition Victims and Perpetrators takes place showing works by Ilka Gedő and György Román, at the Jewish Museum, Budapest. From April 18, four of her drawings are shown for a period of nine months at the permanent exhibition Culture and Continuity: the Jewish Journey at the Jewish Museum of New York. Four of her drawings come into the collection of the Jewish Museum of New York. Between November and December an exhibition is organised of her drawings at Shepherd Gallery in New York. 1996 • Extended by three oil paintings of Ilka Gedő and György Román, the exhibition Victims and Perpetrators, formerly shown in Budapest, is also shown at the Art Museum of Jerusalem's Yad Vashem. Ilka Gedő's ghetto drawings come into the possession of Yad Vashem. Her works are shown at Janos Gat Gallery’s spring exhibition on 20the-century Hungarian art. 1997 • Janos Gat Gallery organises an exhibition of her paintings and graphic works in the spring season. A book titled The Art of Ilka Gedő is published including studies by the famous Hungarian art historians, Péter György, Gábor Pataki, Júlia Szabó and F. István Mészáros. 1998 • The British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings and The Israel Museum acquire drawings by Ilka Gedő. 1999 • One of Ilka Gedő’s drawings is shown at the Israel Museum’s exhibition titled Voices From Here and There (New Acquisitions in the Department of Prints and Drawings). The Düsseldorf Kunstmuseum acquires ten drawings by Ilka Gedő. 2000 • Works by Ilka Gedő are shown at the autumn group exhibition of Janos Gat Gallery in New York. The exhibition, titled Directions, shows works also from Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin and György Román. Jonathan Goodman wrote the preface to the catalogue.
2001 • The Municipal Picture Gallery of Budapest/Museum Kiscell shows an exhibition of Ilka Gedő’s graphic works. The National Gallery of Hungary acquires three of her paintings. 2002 • As a part of the rearranged twentieth-century permanent exhibition of the National Gallery of Hungary that was opened on 4 September at the exhibition of the Contemporary Collection two of his oil paintings are exhibited (Witches in Preparation, 1980–1981 and Monster and Boy, 1981). 2003 • An extensive oeuvre catalogue is published on Ilka Gedő’s art titled The Art of Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Oeuvre Catalogue and Documents. INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS 1965 • Ilka Gedő’s Studio Exhibition (Budapest, 17 May – 30 May 1965)
1980 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (King St. Stephen’s Museum, Székesfehérvár, Hungary, 6 July – 3 August 1980)
1982 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (Dorottya Utca Gallery of The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 22 July – 15 August 1982)
1985 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) (The Gallery of the Art Colony of Szentendre, Hungary, 28 June – 28 July 1985)
1985 • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Retrospective and Memorial Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings (Compass Gallery, Glasgow, 5 October – 9 November 1985)
1987 • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) a Retrospective (The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 16 April – 17 May 1987)
1989 • The Drawings of Ilka Gedő at the Szombathely Gallery (The Gallery of Szombathely, Hungary, 3 February – 5 March 5 1989)
1990 • Ilka Gedő Paintings, Pastels, Drawings (1932-1985) (Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, 9 December 1989 – 13 January 1990)
1994 • Ilka Gedő (Paintings and Works on Paper) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Spring Season 1994)
1995 • Victims and Perpetrators (Drawings by Ilka Gedő and György Román) (Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest, 26 February - 30 May 1995) • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Drawings and Pastels (Shepherd Gallery, New York, 21 November - 29 December 1995)
1996 • Victims and Perpetrators (Drawings and Paintings by Ilka Gedő and György Román) (Art Museum, Yad Vashem, Jeruzsálem, 9 January – 30 April 1996)
1997 • Ilka Gedő Self Portraits (Paintings and Works on Paper) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Spring Season 1997)
2001 • Drawings and Pastels by Ilka Gedő, 1947–1949 (Budapest Municipal Picture Gallery, Museum Kiscell, 5 October – 28 October 2001)
2003 • The Painter Ilka Gedő (Raiffeisen Galéria, Budapest, 20 October 2003 – 11 January 2004) • The Painter Ilka Gedő (Raiffeisen Galéria, Budapest, 20 October 2003 – 11 January 2004)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1942 • Freedom and the People (Headquarters of the Steelworkers’ Union, Budapest, 29 March – 31 March 1942)
• Exhibition of the Society of the Artists of the Party of Social
1945 • Democrats and of Invited Artists (Ernst Múzeum, Budapest, 13 October – 28 October 1945)
1947 • The Second Free National Exhibition of the Free Association of Hungarian Artists (Municipal Gallery, Budapest, 16 March – 6 April 1947)
1964 • The Group of Socialist Artists 1934–1944 (National Gallery of Hungary, Budapest, 1964)
1996 • Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey (The Jewish Museum, New York, 18 April 1995– January 1996) • From Mednyánszky to Gedő - A Survey of XXth Century Hungarian Art (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Fall Exhibition 1996)
1997 • Diaspora (and) Art (Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest, 6 March 1997 – March 1998)
1998 • The László Levendel Collection (A Selection) (Municipal Gallery, Szentendre 18 June – 20 September 1998)
1999 • Voices from Here and There (New Acquistions in the Department of Prints and Drawings) (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1 June – 31 October 1999)
2000 • Directions (Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Ilka Gedő, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin, György Román) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Fall Exhibition 2000)
2002 • On the Bough of Nothing (Home Galéria, Budapest, 12 November – 14 December 2002)
2003 • The Second Sex (Home Galéria, Budapest, 28 October – 22 November 2003)
2004 • Das Recht des Bildes (Jüdische perspektiven in der modernen Kunst) Museum Bochum, Bochum, 21 September 2003 – 4 January 2004) • The Hidden Holocaust (The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 18 March - 20 May 2004) WORKS OF ILKA GEDŐ IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
• The National Gallery of Hungary, Budapest
• The Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest
• King St. Stephen’s Museum, Székesfehérvár, Hungary
• Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem
• Israel Museum, Jerusalem
• British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings
• Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf Department of Prints and Drawings
• The Jewish Museum, New York
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings by Ilka Gedő published in print
Levél Kállai Ernőnek, 1949 (Letter to Ernő Kállai, written in August 1949) In: King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980 in Hungarian and French (Published also in this volume: X.1); Vajda Lajosról (1954) (On Lajos Vajda, 1954) Holmi, 1990/12. (Published also in this volume: X.3).
Writings on Ilka Gedő
Önarckép (Self-Portrait) [reproduction] Élet és Irodalom, 25 February 1978; Bohócok (Clowns) [reproduction] Élet és Irodalom, 1 July 1978; Antalfi, Mária: Gedő Ilka kiállítása (Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) Új Élet, 1 August 1980; Gedő, Ilka kiállításáról (On Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) [reproductions] Látóhatár, September 1980; Lukácsy, Sándor: Színek, kontúrok, szimmetriák (Colours, Contours, Symmetries). Élet és Irodalom, 26 July 1980; Szabó, Júlia: Gedő Ilka rajzai és festményei (The Drawings and Paintings of Ilka Gedő) In: King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980; King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980 = Gedő Ilka festőművész kiállítása. Székesfehérvár, István Király Múzeum, 1980. július 6. – augusztus 3. (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő, Székesfehérvár King St. Stephen Museum, 6 July – 3 August 3 1980) [exhibition catalogue]; Bálint, Endre: Életrajzi töredékek. (Biographical Fragments) Életünk, 1981/2.; Bán, András: Gigantikus vásznak, szalonfestmények, elvarázsolt kertek kertek (Gigantic Canvasses, Drawing-Room Paintings, Enchanted Gardens) Magyar Nemzet, 15 August 1982; Gallery of Dorottya utca 1982 = Gedő Ilka, Dorottya Utcai Galéria, Budapest, 1982. július 22–augusztus 15. (Ilka Gedő, Gallery in Dorottya Utca, Budapest, 22 July – 15 August 1982) [exhibition catalogue]; Gedő Ilka kiállításáról (On Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) Élet és Irodalom, 22 July 1982; Ury, Ibolya: Katalógus-bevezető Gedő Ilka kiállításához. (Catalogue Introduction: Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) In: Gallery of Dorottya utca 1982; Bálint, Endre: Életrajzi töredékek. (Biographical Fragments) Életünk, 1983/1.; Antalfi, Mária: A festő Gedő Ilka, 1921–1985 (The Painter Ilka Gedő) Új Élet, 1 July 1985; Antalfi, Mária: Gedő Ilka kiállítása (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő) Új Élet, 15 August 1985; Bán, András: Magyarok Skóciában. (Hungarians in Scotland) Élet és Irodalom, 8 November 1985; Bán, András: Művirágok. (Artificial Flowers) Magyar Nemzet, 15 July 1985; Carrell 1985 = Carrell, Christopher (ed): Contemporary Visual Art in Hungary. Eighteen Artists from Hungary. Texts by Paul Overy and Péter Kovács. Published by Third Eye Centre, Glasgow and The István Király Múzeum, Székesfehérvár, October, 1985 [exhibition catalogue]; Clare, Henry: Chance to Gain Unique Perspective. The Glasgow Herald, 1 October 1985; Coia, Emili Hungarians Occupy Glasgow. The Scotsman, 7 October 1985; Fergusson, William: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. The Times Educational Supplement, 11 October 1985; Henry, Clare: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Arts Review, 11 October 1985; Henry, Clare: Ilka Gedő. Compass Gallery, Glasgow. The Glasgow Herald, 11 October 1985; Kovács, Péter: Ilka Gedő. In: Contemporary Visual Art in Hungary. Catalogue. Compass Gallery, Glasgow, October, 1985; Losonci, Miklós: Gedő Ilka festményei. Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria. (Ilka Gedő’s Paintings, Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria) Új Tükör, 4 July 1985; Lukácsy, Sándor: Gedő Ilka (Ilka Gedő) Új Írás, July 1985; Mullaly, Terence: 18 Hungarians in Glasgow. The Daily Telegraph, 9 October 1985; Művésztelepi Galéria 1985 = Gedő Ilka (1921–1985) festőművész kiállítása. Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria, 1985. június 28. – július 28. (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (1921-1985), The Gallery of the Art Colony of Szentendre, Hungary, 28 June 1985 – 28 July 1985), [exhibition catalogue]; Newsletter No. 176, Compass Gallery, Glasgow, September, 1985; Packer, William: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Financial Times, London, 8 October 1985; Shepherd, Michael: Hungarian Temperament, Sunday Telegraph, 27 October1985; Spiró, György: Gedő Ilka festményei. (The Paintings of Ilka Gedő) In: Művésztelepi Galéria 1985; Szabó, Júlia: Gedő Ilka halálára (Obituray on Ilka Gedő) Élet és Irodalom, 27 June 1985; Taylor, John Russell: Brilliant Exponent of an Outdated Style. The Times, 29 October 29.; Acsay, Judit: Magyar művészet Glasgowban. Művészet, October 1986; Bán, András: Gedő Ilka grafikai munkásságának bemutatása (Introducing Ilka Gedő’s Graphic Work) Élet és Irodalom, 28 November 1986; Bíró, Endre: Feljegyzés Gedő Ilka művészi pályájáról (Recollections on the Artistic Career of Ilka Gedő) Budapest, 1986 (partly published in Műcsarnok 1987 and published in full in this volume in section X.); Gedő Ilka öröksége (Ilka Gedő’s Heritage) [reproductions] Élet és Irodalom, 1 August 1986; Gyetvai, Ágnes: Az “én múzeumom” Székesfehérvárott. (My ‘Personal Museum’ at Székesfehérvár) Magyar Nemzet, 27 January 1986; György – Pataki 1986 = György, Péter – Pataki, Gábor: Two Artists Rediscovered: Ilka Gedő and Béla Fekete Nagy. The New Hungarian Quarterly 1986, vol. 27, no. 101; Henry, Clare: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Studio International 1986, vol. 199, no.1012; Ury, Ibolya: Magyar művészet Glasgowban. (Hungarian Art in Glasgow) Művészet, October 1986; Hajdu, István: Festmény az egész világ (The Whole World is a Painting) Magyar Nemzet, 20 May 1987; Hudra Klára: Gedő Ilka festménye (Paintings of Ilka Gedő). Új Tükör, 17 May 1987; Műcsarnok 1987 = Gedő Ilka (1921–1985) kiállítása. Műcsarnok, 1987. április 16. – május 17. Budapest, Hősök tere (Ilka Gedő /1921-1985/ a Retrospective, The Palace of Exhibitions, 16 April –17 May 1987, Budapest, Heroes’ Square) [exhibition catalogue]; Néray Katalin: In memoriam Gedő Ilka. Katalógus előszó. In: Műcsarnok 1987; Szabó, Júlia: Ilka Gedő’s Paintings. The New Hungarian Quarterly, 1987, winter; Vadas József: Kívül-belül. (Outside-Inside) Élet és Irodalom, 1 May 1987; Szabó Júlia: Gedő Ilka rajzairól (Júlia Szabó on Ilka Gedő’s Drawings) In: Gedő Ilka festőművész rajzai a Szombathelyi Képtárban, 1989. február 3-tól március 5-ig (Ilka Gedő’s Drawings at the Szombathely Gallery, February 3 – March 5, 1989 [exhibition catalogue]; Gedő Ilka rajzai (Drawings by Ilka Gedő) Illustrations to the October 1990 issue of the monthly literary magazine 2000; György, Péter –Pataki Gábor: Az Európai iskola és az Elvont Művészek Csoportja (The European School and the Group of Abstract Artists), Corvina, Budapest, 1990, p. 11 and pp. 16-17.; Mészáros 1993 = Mészáros F. István: Hold-maszkok, tündöklő háromszögek–Gedő Ilka (Moon Masks and Glittering Triangles– Ilka Gedő) Nappali Ház, 1993, Vol. V. No. 3.; Szabó 1993 = Szabó, Júlia: “A valóság mezében”. Gedő Ilka művészetéről. (“In the Guise of Reality”–On Ilka Gedő’s Art) Új Művészet, 1993/5.; Century, Douglas: 100 Years in the Avant-Garde. Liberated from the Basements of Budapest, Hungarian Jewish Artists Arrive in New York. Forward, April 1994; Hernádi Miklós: Kincsek a mélyben/Gedő Ilka öröksége. (Treasures from the Depth. The Estate of Ilka Gedő) Balkon, February 1994; Román József: Gedő Ilka örökségéről. (On the Ilka Gedő Estate) Balkon, May 1994; Virbasius, Madeline A.: Ilka Gedő. Hungarian Masterworks’ First Showing in New York. Cover Magazine, March, 1994; Acsay Judit: Áldozatok és gyilkosok. Két nézőpont. (Victims and Perpetrarors. Two Viewpoins) Elite, April 1995; Altman, Anita: Somber Images of War Survivors. The Budapest Sun, 9-15 March 1995; Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Drawings and Pastels (November 21st–December 29th, 1995) (An Exhibition Organized in Cooperation with Janos Gat Gallery). Catalog by Elisabeth Kashey (Shepherd Gallery 21 East 84th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028); Lehmkühler, Birgit: Opfer und Täter Zeichnungen von Gedő und Román im Jüdischen Museum. Pester Lloyd, 8 March 1995; Semjén Anita (ed): Áldozatok és gyilkosok/ Gedő Ilka gettó-rajzai és Román György háborús bűnösök népbírósági tárgyalásain készült rajzai a budapesti Zsidó Múzeumban (Victims and Perpetrators/Ilka Gedő's Ghetto-Drawings and György Román's Drawings of the People’s Court War Criminals Trials at the Budapest Jewish Museum). (Published by): Cultural Exchange Foundation. Budapest, 1995 [exhibition catalogue]; Yad Vashem 1996 =a catalogue in Hebrew to Yad Vashem’s exhibition in 1996 titled Victims and Perpetrators and attached to the catalogue edited by Anita Semjén [exhibition catalogue]; The Art of Ilka Gedő 1997 = Gedő Ilka művészete (1921–1985). György Péter–Pataki Gábor, Szabó Júlia és Mészáros F. István tanulmányai (The Art of Ilka Gedő [1921–1985]. Studies by Péter György–Gábor Pataki, Júlia Szabó and F. István Mészáros). Budapest, Új Művészet Alapítvány, 1997. (The studies in this volume are in both English and Hungarian.); János Frank’s book review on the book titled The Art of Ilka Gedő in Élet és Irodalom, 21 August 1998; Zsidó Múzeum 1997-1998 = Diaszpóra (és) Művészet, Magyar Zsidó Múzeum 1997 mácius – 1988 március (Diaspora (and) Art, Hungarian Jewish Museum 1997 – March 1998) [exhibition catalogue]; Andrási, Gábor – Pataki, Gábor – Szücs, György – Zwickl, András: Magyar képzőművészet a 20. században. Corvina Kiadó, Budapest, 1999, p. 188., p. 246., p. 272; Andrási, Gábor – Pataki, Gábor – Szücs, György – Zwickl, András: Hungarian Art in the 20th Century, Corvina Publishing House, Budapest, 1999, p.188, p. 246, p. 271; Fitz Péter (ed): Kortárs Magyar Művészeti Lexikon, I. kötet. (Encyclopaedia of Present-Day Hungarian Art, Vol. I) Enciklopédia Kiadó, Budapest, 1999. pp. 704–706 (Lujza Havas– Katalin S. Nagy); Janos Gat Gallery 2000 = Directions (Works by Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Ilka Gedő, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin, György Román). Fall Exhibition 2000, Janos Gat Gallery, 1100 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10028 [exhibition catalogue]; Hajdu István: “Könnye kovászba hull...” - Gedő Ilka munkái 1946-1949 (“...Her tears drop into the dough...” –Works of Ilka Gedő, 1946-1949) Balkon, March 2002; Hajdu-Bíró: Gedő Ilka művészete, oeuvre katalógus és dokumentumok, Budapest, Gondolat, 2003; Hajdu–Bíró: The Art of Ilka Gedő, Oeuvre Catalogue and Documents, Budapest, Gondolat, 2003.
* * *
A comprehensive documentation on the artist is accessible at the Institute of Art History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, at the Fine Art Documentation Centre at the Center For Culture & Communication in Budapest as well in the Library of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
(1921 May 26, Ilka Gedő is born in Budapest. 1985 • On 19 June she dies in Budapest)
Her father, Simon Gedő was a secondary-school teacher, her mother, Elza Weiszkopf was a clerk. 1939 • Attends the free school of Tibor Gallé in the autumn. 1939–42 • Taught by Viktor Erdei, a friend of the Gedő family.
1940 • She begins to participate in the exhibitions of the OMIKE (National Hungarian Cultural Association of Jews) with her drawings. 1942–43 • Studies at the private school of István Örkényi-Strasszer. 1942 • Participates at the exhibition entitled „Freedom and the People” at the Vasas Steelworkers’ Union Headquarters organised by the Group of Socialist Artists. 1945 • Registers in the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts. She stops her studies after the first semester for family reasons. Attends the evening school of Gyula Pap drawing croquis. 1946 • Marries Endre Bíró, a biochemist. 1947 • Takes part in the Free National Exhibition of the Fővárosi tár (Municipal Gallery). On 26 September her first son, Daniel is born. 1950 • Begins a long period in which she does not take part in Hungarian artistic life. 1953 • On 19 February her second son, Dávid is born. 1962 • She takes part in the jubilee exhibition of the Group of Socialist Artists. The National Gallery of Hungary acquires three of her drawings. 1965 • The painter Endre Bálint selects her drawings made between 1945 and 1949 for a studio exhibition. 1968 • Resumes artistic work. 1969–70 • Lives in Paris. The Galerie Lambert exhibits two of her paintings at a group exhibition. 1974 • Becomes a member of the Hungarian Fund of Art (Fine Arts Section). 1980 • The King St. Stephen Museum of Székesfehérvár, Hungary organises a retrospective show of her art. 1982 • Exhibition of her recent work at the Gallery of Dorottya utca, Budapest. (The National Gallery of Hungary buys two of her oil paintings.) 1985 • On 19 June she dies in Budapest. In June and July of the same year a one-woman show of her works is organised at the Művésztelepi Galéria (Artist Colony Gallery) in Szentendre. Her paintings are exhibited at Glasgow’s Compass Gallery as part of the Hungarian Arts Season. Articles appreciate her art in the Glasgow Herald, The Scotsman, Financial Times, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer and The Guardian. 1987 • Retrospective show at the Műcsarnok (Palace of Exhibitions) of Budapest, the premier state gallery for the presentation of modern Hungarian and international visual art. 1989 • Exhibition of her drawings at the Municipal Gallery of Szombathely, Hungary. 1989 1990 • Second retrospective show at Glasgow’s Third Eye Centre that received as good a press coverage as her first show in Glasgow. 1994 • Retrospective exhibition of her art at Janos Gat Gallery in New York. 1995 • Between February and October an exhibition Victims and Perpetrators takes place showing works by Ilka Gedő and György Román, at the Jewish Museum, Budapest. From April 18, four of her drawings are shown for a period of nine months at the permanent exhibition Culture and Continuity: the Jewish Journey at the Jewish Museum of New York. Four of her drawings come into the collection of the Jewish Museum of New York. Between November and December an exhibition is organised of her drawings at Shepherd Gallery in New York. 1996 • Extended by three oil paintings of Ilka Gedő and György Román, the exhibition Victims and Perpetrators, formerly shown in Budapest, is also shown at the Art Museum of Jerusalem's Yad Vashem. Ilka Gedő's ghetto drawings come into the possession of Yad Vashem. Her works are shown at Janos Gat Gallery’s spring exhibition on 20the-century Hungarian art. 1997 • Janos Gat Gallery organises an exhibition of her paintings and graphic works in the spring season. A book titled The Art of Ilka Gedő is published including studies by the famous Hungarian art historians, Péter György, Gábor Pataki, Júlia Szabó and F. István Mészáros. 1998 • The British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings and The Israel Museum acquire drawings by Ilka Gedő. 1999 • One of Ilka Gedő’s drawings is shown at the Israel Museum’s exhibition titled Voices From Here and There (New Acquisitions in the Department of Prints and Drawings). The Düsseldorf Kunstmuseum acquires ten drawings by Ilka Gedő. 2000 • Works by Ilka Gedő are shown at the autumn group exhibition of Janos Gat Gallery in New York. The exhibition, titled Directions, shows works also from Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin and György Román. Jonathan Goodman wrote the preface to the catalogue.
2001 • The Municipal Picture Gallery of Budapest/Museum Kiscell shows an exhibition of Ilka Gedő’s graphic works. The National Gallery of Hungary acquires three of her paintings. 2002 • As a part of the rearranged twentieth-century permanent exhibition of the National Gallery of Hungary that was opened on 4 September at the exhibition of the Contemporary Collection two of his oil paintings are exhibited (Witches in Preparation, 1980–1981 and Monster and Boy, 1981). 2003 • An extensive oeuvre catalogue is published on Ilka Gedő’s art titled The Art of Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Oeuvre Catalogue and Documents. INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS 1965 • Ilka Gedő’s Studio Exhibition (Budapest, 17 May – 30 May 1965)
1980 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (King St. Stephen’s Museum, Székesfehérvár, Hungary, 6 July – 3 August 1980)
1982 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (Dorottya Utca Gallery of The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 22 July – 15 August 1982)
1985 • The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) (The Gallery of the Art Colony of Szentendre, Hungary, 28 June – 28 July 1985)
1985 • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Retrospective and Memorial Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings (Compass Gallery, Glasgow, 5 October – 9 November 1985)
1987 • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) a Retrospective (The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 16 April – 17 May 1987)
1989 • The Drawings of Ilka Gedő at the Szombathely Gallery (The Gallery of Szombathely, Hungary, 3 February – 5 March 5 1989)
1990 • Ilka Gedő Paintings, Pastels, Drawings (1932-1985) (Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, 9 December 1989 – 13 January 1990)
1994 • Ilka Gedő (Paintings and Works on Paper) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Spring Season 1994)
1995 • Victims and Perpetrators (Drawings by Ilka Gedő and György Román) (Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest, 26 February - 30 May 1995) • Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Drawings and Pastels (Shepherd Gallery, New York, 21 November - 29 December 1995)
1996 • Victims and Perpetrators (Drawings and Paintings by Ilka Gedő and György Román) (Art Museum, Yad Vashem, Jeruzsálem, 9 January – 30 April 1996)
1997 • Ilka Gedő Self Portraits (Paintings and Works on Paper) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Spring Season 1997)
2001 • Drawings and Pastels by Ilka Gedő, 1947–1949 (Budapest Municipal Picture Gallery, Museum Kiscell, 5 October – 28 October 2001)
2003 • The Painter Ilka Gedő (Raiffeisen Galéria, Budapest, 20 October 2003 – 11 January 2004) • The Painter Ilka Gedő (Raiffeisen Galéria, Budapest, 20 October 2003 – 11 January 2004)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1942 • Freedom and the People (Headquarters of the Steelworkers’ Union, Budapest, 29 March – 31 March 1942)
• Exhibition of the Society of the Artists of the Party of Social
1945 • Democrats and of Invited Artists (Ernst Múzeum, Budapest, 13 October – 28 October 1945)
1947 • The Second Free National Exhibition of the Free Association of Hungarian Artists (Municipal Gallery, Budapest, 16 March – 6 April 1947)
1964 • The Group of Socialist Artists 1934–1944 (National Gallery of Hungary, Budapest, 1964)
1996 • Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey (The Jewish Museum, New York, 18 April 1995– January 1996) • From Mednyánszky to Gedő - A Survey of XXth Century Hungarian Art (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Fall Exhibition 1996)
1997 • Diaspora (and) Art (Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest, 6 March 1997 – March 1998)
1998 • The László Levendel Collection (A Selection) (Municipal Gallery, Szentendre 18 June – 20 September 1998)
1999 • Voices from Here and There (New Acquistions in the Department of Prints and Drawings) (The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1 June – 31 October 1999)
2000 • Directions (Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Ilka Gedő, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin, György Román) (Janos Gat Gallery, New York, Fall Exhibition 2000)
2002 • On the Bough of Nothing (Home Galéria, Budapest, 12 November – 14 December 2002)
2003 • The Second Sex (Home Galéria, Budapest, 28 October – 22 November 2003)
2004 • Das Recht des Bildes (Jüdische perspektiven in der modernen Kunst) Museum Bochum, Bochum, 21 September 2003 – 4 January 2004) • The Hidden Holocaust (The Palace of Exhibitions, Budapest, 18 March - 20 May 2004) WORKS OF ILKA GEDŐ IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
• The National Gallery of Hungary, Budapest
• The Hungarian Jewish Museum, Budapest
• King St. Stephen’s Museum, Székesfehérvár, Hungary
• Yad Vashem Art Museum, Jerusalem
• Israel Museum, Jerusalem
• British Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings
• Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf Department of Prints and Drawings
• The Jewish Museum, New York
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings by Ilka Gedő published in print
Levél Kállai Ernőnek, 1949 (Letter to Ernő Kállai, written in August 1949) In: King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980 in Hungarian and French (Published also in this volume: X.1); Vajda Lajosról (1954) (On Lajos Vajda, 1954) Holmi, 1990/12. (Published also in this volume: X.3).
Writings on Ilka Gedő
Önarckép (Self-Portrait) [reproduction] Élet és Irodalom, 25 February 1978; Bohócok (Clowns) [reproduction] Élet és Irodalom, 1 July 1978; Antalfi, Mária: Gedő Ilka kiállítása (Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) Új Élet, 1 August 1980; Gedő, Ilka kiállításáról (On Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) [reproductions] Látóhatár, September 1980; Lukácsy, Sándor: Színek, kontúrok, szimmetriák (Colours, Contours, Symmetries). Élet és Irodalom, 26 July 1980; Szabó, Júlia: Gedő Ilka rajzai és festményei (The Drawings and Paintings of Ilka Gedő) In: King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980; King St. Stephen’s Museum 1980 = Gedő Ilka festőművész kiállítása. Székesfehérvár, István Király Múzeum, 1980. július 6. – augusztus 3. (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő, Székesfehérvár King St. Stephen Museum, 6 July – 3 August 3 1980) [exhibition catalogue]; Bálint, Endre: Életrajzi töredékek. (Biographical Fragments) Életünk, 1981/2.; Bán, András: Gigantikus vásznak, szalonfestmények, elvarázsolt kertek kertek (Gigantic Canvasses, Drawing-Room Paintings, Enchanted Gardens) Magyar Nemzet, 15 August 1982; Gallery of Dorottya utca 1982 = Gedő Ilka, Dorottya Utcai Galéria, Budapest, 1982. július 22–augusztus 15. (Ilka Gedő, Gallery in Dorottya Utca, Budapest, 22 July – 15 August 1982) [exhibition catalogue]; Gedő Ilka kiállításáról (On Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) Élet és Irodalom, 22 July 1982; Ury, Ibolya: Katalógus-bevezető Gedő Ilka kiállításához. (Catalogue Introduction: Ilka Gedő’s Exhibition) In: Gallery of Dorottya utca 1982; Bálint, Endre: Életrajzi töredékek. (Biographical Fragments) Életünk, 1983/1.; Antalfi, Mária: A festő Gedő Ilka, 1921–1985 (The Painter Ilka Gedő) Új Élet, 1 July 1985; Antalfi, Mária: Gedő Ilka kiállítása (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő) Új Élet, 15 August 1985; Bán, András: Magyarok Skóciában. (Hungarians in Scotland) Élet és Irodalom, 8 November 1985; Bán, András: Művirágok. (Artificial Flowers) Magyar Nemzet, 15 July 1985; Carrell 1985 = Carrell, Christopher (ed): Contemporary Visual Art in Hungary. Eighteen Artists from Hungary. Texts by Paul Overy and Péter Kovács. Published by Third Eye Centre, Glasgow and The István Király Múzeum, Székesfehérvár, October, 1985 [exhibition catalogue]; Clare, Henry: Chance to Gain Unique Perspective. The Glasgow Herald, 1 October 1985; Coia, Emili Hungarians Occupy Glasgow. The Scotsman, 7 October 1985; Fergusson, William: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. The Times Educational Supplement, 11 October 1985; Henry, Clare: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Arts Review, 11 October 1985; Henry, Clare: Ilka Gedő. Compass Gallery, Glasgow. The Glasgow Herald, 11 October 1985; Kovács, Péter: Ilka Gedő. In: Contemporary Visual Art in Hungary. Catalogue. Compass Gallery, Glasgow, October, 1985; Losonci, Miklós: Gedő Ilka festményei. Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria. (Ilka Gedő’s Paintings, Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria) Új Tükör, 4 July 1985; Lukácsy, Sándor: Gedő Ilka (Ilka Gedő) Új Írás, July 1985; Mullaly, Terence: 18 Hungarians in Glasgow. The Daily Telegraph, 9 October 1985; Művésztelepi Galéria 1985 = Gedő Ilka (1921–1985) festőművész kiállítása. Szentendre, Művésztelepi Galéria, 1985. június 28. – július 28. (The Exhibition of Ilka Gedő (1921-1985), The Gallery of the Art Colony of Szentendre, Hungary, 28 June 1985 – 28 July 1985), [exhibition catalogue]; Newsletter No. 176, Compass Gallery, Glasgow, September, 1985; Packer, William: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Financial Times, London, 8 October 1985; Shepherd, Michael: Hungarian Temperament, Sunday Telegraph, 27 October1985; Spiró, György: Gedő Ilka festményei. (The Paintings of Ilka Gedő) In: Művésztelepi Galéria 1985; Szabó, Júlia: Gedő Ilka halálára (Obituray on Ilka Gedő) Élet és Irodalom, 27 June 1985; Taylor, John Russell: Brilliant Exponent of an Outdated Style. The Times, 29 October 29.; Acsay, Judit: Magyar művészet Glasgowban. Művészet, October 1986; Bán, András: Gedő Ilka grafikai munkásságának bemutatása (Introducing Ilka Gedő’s Graphic Work) Élet és Irodalom, 28 November 1986; Bíró, Endre: Feljegyzés Gedő Ilka művészi pályájáról (Recollections on the Artistic Career of Ilka Gedő) Budapest, 1986 (partly published in Műcsarnok 1987 and published in full in this volume in section X.); Gedő Ilka öröksége (Ilka Gedő’s Heritage) [reproductions] Élet és Irodalom, 1 August 1986; Gyetvai, Ágnes: Az “én múzeumom” Székesfehérvárott. (My ‘Personal Museum’ at Székesfehérvár) Magyar Nemzet, 27 January 1986; György – Pataki 1986 = György, Péter – Pataki, Gábor: Two Artists Rediscovered: Ilka Gedő and Béla Fekete Nagy. The New Hungarian Quarterly 1986, vol. 27, no. 101; Henry, Clare: Hungarian Arts in Glasgow. Studio International 1986, vol. 199, no.1012; Ury, Ibolya: Magyar művészet Glasgowban. (Hungarian Art in Glasgow) Művészet, October 1986; Hajdu, István: Festmény az egész világ (The Whole World is a Painting) Magyar Nemzet, 20 May 1987; Hudra Klára: Gedő Ilka festménye (Paintings of Ilka Gedő). Új Tükör, 17 May 1987; Műcsarnok 1987 = Gedő Ilka (1921–1985) kiállítása. Műcsarnok, 1987. április 16. – május 17. Budapest, Hősök tere (Ilka Gedő /1921-1985/ a Retrospective, The Palace of Exhibitions, 16 April –17 May 1987, Budapest, Heroes’ Square) [exhibition catalogue]; Néray Katalin: In memoriam Gedő Ilka. Katalógus előszó. In: Műcsarnok 1987; Szabó, Júlia: Ilka Gedő’s Paintings. The New Hungarian Quarterly, 1987, winter; Vadas József: Kívül-belül. (Outside-Inside) Élet és Irodalom, 1 May 1987; Szabó Júlia: Gedő Ilka rajzairól (Júlia Szabó on Ilka Gedő’s Drawings) In: Gedő Ilka festőművész rajzai a Szombathelyi Képtárban, 1989. február 3-tól március 5-ig (Ilka Gedő’s Drawings at the Szombathely Gallery, February 3 – March 5, 1989 [exhibition catalogue]; Gedő Ilka rajzai (Drawings by Ilka Gedő) Illustrations to the October 1990 issue of the monthly literary magazine 2000; György, Péter –Pataki Gábor: Az Európai iskola és az Elvont Művészek Csoportja (The European School and the Group of Abstract Artists), Corvina, Budapest, 1990, p. 11 and pp. 16-17.; Mészáros 1993 = Mészáros F. István: Hold-maszkok, tündöklő háromszögek–Gedő Ilka (Moon Masks and Glittering Triangles– Ilka Gedő) Nappali Ház, 1993, Vol. V. No. 3.; Szabó 1993 = Szabó, Júlia: “A valóság mezében”. Gedő Ilka művészetéről. (“In the Guise of Reality”–On Ilka Gedő’s Art) Új Művészet, 1993/5.; Century, Douglas: 100 Years in the Avant-Garde. Liberated from the Basements of Budapest, Hungarian Jewish Artists Arrive in New York. Forward, April 1994; Hernádi Miklós: Kincsek a mélyben/Gedő Ilka öröksége. (Treasures from the Depth. The Estate of Ilka Gedő) Balkon, February 1994; Román József: Gedő Ilka örökségéről. (On the Ilka Gedő Estate) Balkon, May 1994; Virbasius, Madeline A.: Ilka Gedő. Hungarian Masterworks’ First Showing in New York. Cover Magazine, March, 1994; Acsay Judit: Áldozatok és gyilkosok. Két nézőpont. (Victims and Perpetrarors. Two Viewpoins) Elite, April 1995; Altman, Anita: Somber Images of War Survivors. The Budapest Sun, 9-15 March 1995; Ilka Gedő (1921–1985) Drawings and Pastels (November 21st–December 29th, 1995) (An Exhibition Organized in Cooperation with Janos Gat Gallery). Catalog by Elisabeth Kashey (Shepherd Gallery 21 East 84th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028); Lehmkühler, Birgit: Opfer und Täter Zeichnungen von Gedő und Román im Jüdischen Museum. Pester Lloyd, 8 March 1995; Semjén Anita (ed): Áldozatok és gyilkosok/ Gedő Ilka gettó-rajzai és Román György háborús bűnösök népbírósági tárgyalásain készült rajzai a budapesti Zsidó Múzeumban (Victims and Perpetrators/Ilka Gedő's Ghetto-Drawings and György Román's Drawings of the People’s Court War Criminals Trials at the Budapest Jewish Museum). (Published by): Cultural Exchange Foundation. Budapest, 1995 [exhibition catalogue]; Yad Vashem 1996 =a catalogue in Hebrew to Yad Vashem’s exhibition in 1996 titled Victims and Perpetrators and attached to the catalogue edited by Anita Semjén [exhibition catalogue]; The Art of Ilka Gedő 1997 = Gedő Ilka művészete (1921–1985). György Péter–Pataki Gábor, Szabó Júlia és Mészáros F. István tanulmányai (The Art of Ilka Gedő [1921–1985]. Studies by Péter György–Gábor Pataki, Júlia Szabó and F. István Mészáros). Budapest, Új Művészet Alapítvány, 1997. (The studies in this volume are in both English and Hungarian.); János Frank’s book review on the book titled The Art of Ilka Gedő in Élet és Irodalom, 21 August 1998; Zsidó Múzeum 1997-1998 = Diaszpóra (és) Művészet, Magyar Zsidó Múzeum 1997 mácius – 1988 március (Diaspora (and) Art, Hungarian Jewish Museum 1997 – March 1998) [exhibition catalogue]; Andrási, Gábor – Pataki, Gábor – Szücs, György – Zwickl, András: Magyar képzőművészet a 20. században. Corvina Kiadó, Budapest, 1999, p. 188., p. 246., p. 272; Andrási, Gábor – Pataki, Gábor – Szücs, György – Zwickl, András: Hungarian Art in the 20th Century, Corvina Publishing House, Budapest, 1999, p.188, p. 246, p. 271; Fitz Péter (ed): Kortárs Magyar Művészeti Lexikon, I. kötet. (Encyclopaedia of Present-Day Hungarian Art, Vol. I) Enciklopédia Kiadó, Budapest, 1999. pp. 704–706 (Lujza Havas– Katalin S. Nagy); Janos Gat Gallery 2000 = Directions (Works by Julian Beck, Herbert Brown, István Farkas, Ilka Gedő, Lajos Gulácsy, Knox Martin, György Román). Fall Exhibition 2000, Janos Gat Gallery, 1100 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10028 [exhibition catalogue]; Hajdu István: “Könnye kovászba hull...” - Gedő Ilka munkái 1946-1949 (“...Her tears drop into the dough...” –Works of Ilka Gedő, 1946-1949) Balkon, March 2002; Hajdu-Bíró: Gedő Ilka művészete, oeuvre katalógus és dokumentumok, Budapest, Gondolat, 2003; Hajdu–Bíró: The Art of Ilka Gedő, Oeuvre Catalogue and Documents, Budapest, Gondolat, 2003.
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A comprehensive documentation on the artist is accessible at the Institute of Art History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, at the Fine Art Documentation Centre at the Center For Culture & Communication in Budapest as well in the Library of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
