Summary

Textile wall piece 'Soft Wall - Homage to Bartok' by Klára Donáth-Patay, circa 1991. In 1987 Hungarian born artist Klára was awarded a grant by the Australia Council to work as an artist in residence in the Melbourne Hungarian community for eight months to create two large mixed media wall installations for the Hungarian Community Centre in Wantirna. The two works are designed to express the pride, dignity, romanticism and poetry at the heart of the Hungarian character.

The project, which took four years to complete, resulted in the creation of two complementary artworks. 'Soft Wall - Homage to Bartok' is a textile work based on traditional Hungarian folk embroidery motifs and stitches. It is made of many small pieces crafted by individual craft workers. These pieces have then been stitched into large panels and made into 'wings' which wave out from the surface of the work. Donáth-Patay sees this work with its emphasis on tactility, texture and softness as feminine.

Klára studied art and painting at university in Hungary, before she was expelled for her political views. After escaping Hungary in 1956 and immigrating to Australia, Klára worked in a variety of jobs to support her family. Klára has continued to create work in her chosen medium of textile art. Much of Klára's work draws upon her Hungarian cultural origins and Bartok's music is a constant source of inspiration for her.

Physical Description

Textile wall piece consisting of a large, rectangular wooden panel covered in black fabric and 3-dimensional forms which are made from multi-coloured textiles, foam padding, braid and beads. The forms have been secured to the wooden panel by copper wire.

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