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KOKAS, Ignác Painter (Vál 4th March 1926 - )  1952: College of Finer Arts, Budapest; masters: János Kmetty and Aurél Bernáth. Kokas is a member of the Society of Hungarian Fine and Applied Artists, and the Hungarian Academy of Arts. 1956 and 1966: Munkácsy Award. 1964: Egry Award; 1965: Award of the Summer Open Exhibition of Szeged; 1968: Grand Award of the Aquarelle Biennial of Eger; 1971: Meritorious Artist Award; 1977: Grand Award of the Spring Open Exhibition of Salgotarján; 1978: Outstanding Artist Award; Grand Award of the Summer Open Exhibition of Debrecen; 1983: Kossuth Award; 1997: MAOE Creative Award. Between 1973 and 1983 Kokas was a lecturer at the College of Fine Arts, in Budapest. He has been a member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts since 1992, and an exhibiting artist since 1952. He is usually categorized as one of the reforming Avant-Garde artists of 1960's Hungary. He does not however consider himself an Avante-Garde artist. The pictorial, artistic communicative eagerness of the end of the 1960's is typical of his works. His paintings are strongly expressive, uniquely toned works. He is a "rag-painter" as opposed to the "cube-painters" of his era, which means that he composed his paintings from blurs, not from constructivist regularities and rules. His art was the most powerful during the course of the 1960's and 1970's, however his unique individual works are significant to the present day. Kokas also played an important role in the public artistic of Hungary. He was born in the countryside and finished his elementary and high school studies through his own financing. He originally studied to be a carpenter. He moved to Budapest in 1947, and enrolled at the People's Dormitory of Dési Huber, where he found a number of intellectual partners, amongst them László Nagy. His previous arts teacher drew his attention to the possibility of studying at the College of Fine Arts. He entered the enrolment exam without any significant preparation. At the college he became the pupil of János Kmetty and Aurél Bernáth. His diploma work entitled Az asztalos /The Carpenter/ attracted large attention, and gained him instant success. The Hungarian Arts Gallery of Budapest purchased the painting. Since Kokas enjoyed painting, he often worked in open-air surroundings, often using aquarelles. It was in open-air that he prepared another famous work of his entitled Bányász /Miner/, in 1956. During the end of the 1950's and the beginning of the 1960's, as a finishing Derkovis Scholarship holder he received a number of commissions for the preparation of mural pieces. He prepared the Sgraffito of Oroszlányi and that of Székesfehérvár during this period, which meant a great challenge for the artists, who had till then been used to painting "rag-paintings" on canvas, without restrictions pertaining to either form or coloring. Even though he worked for two entire years on the wall montage in Gyõr, he finally returned the commission. His oeuvre and artistic development was filled with constant skepticism. Real change came during the course of the 1960's, when he began painting his so-called "green" paintings. This period lasted for three years, between 1965 and 1968. The period did not yield true public fame, however helped in the fruition and maturing of his personality. Kokas felt he had found his place in the world. The most important creative period in his career began in 1969 with his "Gizna-Period". Ginzapuszta was a deserted estate near Alcsút, where the artist moved for a number of months each year, during the course of the years to come. His unique works of strong composition and coloring, on the boundaries between figural and non-figural painting were produced during these trips. His most successful exhibition was also held during the course of this period, in 1969, where his "green" paintings also gained their due acknowledgement. The works of Csontvary had the greatest influence upon his works. His wish was always the providing of independent life to his formed, painted figures, and the production of a harmonic state between body, spirit, and surroundings. He wished to produce universal painting, which was capable of spanning boarders and constituting a true international role. His participations at the Biennial of Venice were also very successful. The popular trends of present day art have slightly displaced Kokas, his work however still has a significant role and place in today's changing world.