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Unknown Insignia

Curator(s):TÓTH Boglárka
Artist(s):VARGA Ádám
Opening by:HORÁNYI Attila
Venue: Project Space
Opening:02/06/2025 18:00 (Thu)
Duration:02/07 - 02/28/2025

Opening hours

Wednesday15.00 – 18.00
Thursday15.00 – 18.00
Friday15.00 – 18.00
Saturday13.00 – 17.00

Ádám Varga’s Unknown Insignia project seeks to redefine the traditional framework of heraldry (the study and design of coat of arms) through the medium of painting while constructing an alternate, fictional dimension. The title, Unknown Insignia, alludes to the paradox that Varga’s heraldic designs seem familiar yet create uncertainty, as they fail to fulfill their primary function of clear identification. His works reflect the observation that many coats of arms in today’s visual culture are irregular, as their meanings and uses have changed over time, and most of them no longer adhere to the strict heraldic rules established during the Middle Ages. While the shield shape remains central to the concept of a coat of arms, and Varga respects this form in most of his works, however, he intentionally opposes the formal and color rules of heraldry. These pieces can be associated with imagined identities existing in a parallel dimension, drawing inspiration from the language of contemporary visual culture. Consequently, the images resemble familiar emblems, such as football team crests or brand logos, but it is important to note that they are not identical to them. The use of color and shape plays with our natural reflexes of association.

Boglárka Tóth