Ed Narrow

Career Statement I was born 15 November 1970, in Győr, Hungary. Since childhood, I have always loved art. I have respected originality and so I call my own artwork „szükrealism” after my surname. When I was still young, Lajos Várady was my teacher. He taught me about techniques, styles and artistic trends. My idol is Salvador Dalí. His ideas and creativity fascinate me. I also greatly admire the colours and shapes in the work of Andy Warhol. Goya’s and Velázquez’s artistic genius and sensitivity overwhelm me. That is why ideas, impressions and emotions have equal value in my work. It is also greatly influenced by the affection of my loved ones, as well as the inspiration of the beautiful landscapes of Bali, where I am living at the moment. Numerous other artistic influences may also be seen in my work, from action-painting, through decorative-design elements and art nouveau to hyperrealism. My art, apart from American pop-art, is primarily influenced by Japanese pop-art, anime and manga pictures, plus the magical forms and figures of the Far East, such as the Indonesian wayang figures. My artwork can be divided into periods by idea, emotion and impression. I am proud that the pulsating colours of my pictures have been accepted by Playboy Magazine in Hungary, as well as by the world-famous electronic record company, Some Bizarre Studios in London, for whom I occasionally design CD covers. I have achieved success in the field of illustration and my own artistic universe in which I blend different trends. Apart from my own style, I also paint Japanese manga pictures where I mix European art forms with Far-Eastern images like wayang, so that my artistic style might be called international. My manga and wayang figures express emotions and passion, animated by various ideas. My heart and emotions are European, my ideas are nurtured by Spanish surrealism, my images promote the harmony of the Far-Eastern world. I always maintain a broad perspective. As well as painting, I have worked in international festival management in Hungary and abroad. I deal with graffiti, airbrush, ice, sand, giant painting and various other kinds of installations, art camps, designs, illustrations and exhibition organizing. I have created 120 minor and major art programmes and movements. From art festival management, I am personally able to gain insights into various artistic genres. Organizing and management require the same effort as artistic creation, and are equally challenging. Apart from management, in 2000 I created and established ’Era Changers’ association, an art group and movement, with the largest and most prestigious membership of artists from Hungary. It produced the most gigantic paintings in the country and wrapped buildings and public sites in giant images. We named our trend ’New Monumentalism’, which takes art into the streets, the busiest places in cities, thus making art accessible to and enjoyable by all members of society. My philosophy centres around a new kind of revolution in art that takes various branches of art out into the public eye. I was always attracted by great geniuses, like Dalí and Velázquez and great buildings like the Eiffel Tower, Egyptian pyramids, or the Great Wall of China. To us as artists, the greatest challenge is to create something monumental, authentic and new, which makes us revolutionary, groundbreaking and immortal. Ed Narrow / Norbert Szük

Biography: EXPERIENCE † EXHIBITIONS 2008 Japanese Manga & Modern Wayang Paintings, Ubud – Bali, Indonesia  exhibition of pictures made in Indonesia 2005-2006 Japanese Manga Exhibition, Győr, Hungary  UV-sensitive paintings exhibited in dark gallery spaces 2005 Art Weeks in Kalocsa, Hungary  exhibition of giant paintings on buildings by the group Era Changer 2005 European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium  Hungarian and Austrian contemporary art 2005 Chamber of Trade, Vienna, Austria  contemporary art 2004 Accesion to EU, Hungary  Giant installations in different points of the city in collaboration with other prestigious artists 2004 Fire-sculpture Installation, Hungary  performance and choreography by the Győr Ballet Institute 2004 Internation Ballet and Dance Festival  exhibition of giant paintings on the walls of the National Theatre in Győr and Nyíregyháza, by the group Era Changers 2003 Student Island and Budapest  exhibition of giant paintings on buildings by the group Era Changer 2000-2003 Giant paintings exhibition in Celldömölk, Mosonmagyaróvár, Sárospatak, Szeged, Győr, Hungary  Gigantic paintings installation on firewalls, local and county government walls by the group Era Changer 2002 Artistic paintings on public transport and walls of department stores, Hungary  by the group Era Changer 2001 Student Island and Budapest  exhibition of giant paintings on buildings by the group Era Changer Individual Art Exhibitions approx. 120 in Hungary and Europe, (Vienna, London, Paris, Madrid) Co-Exhibitions aprox. 150 (Switzerland, Salzburg, Genf, München, Frankfurt, Prague, Linz, Madrid, Paris, Mallorca) Hungarian and American Students Exhibition at the Fine Arts Academy of New York and Venice † FESTIVALS 2006 International Art Camp in Győrújbarát, Hungary 2004 International Sand Sculpture Festival, Győr, Hungary 2002-2003 Ice Sculpture Festival, Győr, Hungary 2001-2002 First and Second International Graffiti and Wallpainting Festival, Győr, Hungary † ILLUSTRATIONS 2007- Illustrator for Some Bizarre Records, London, UK 2000-2004 Art Director and Major Illustrator of Playboy Magazine, Hungary † RELIGIOUS ART AND CHURCH PAINTING 2000 Relgious paintings, Gerjen, Dunaszentgyörgy, Fadd, Csorna, Lilienfeld  frescoes and altarpieces, the church became a pilgrimage site, the paintings got the Pope’s blessings and herald, two of the artworks were accepted by the Vatican ACADEMIC STUDIES 1991-1997 Master of Fine Arts in Painting University of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary  Major in Painting 1996-1998 Teacher Training in Fine Arts University of Fine Arts, Faculty of Painting, Budapest, Hungary  Major in Art History and Drawing AWARDS 2000 Guiness Record for The Biggest Outdoor Exhibition in the World  Gigantic paintings exhibited in the city of Győr by the art group “Era Changers” 1998 Foundation for Talented Youth of Győr  Prize for the most outstanding artist by local government 1996 Foundation for Talented Youth of Győr 1988 Magazine “Ludas Matyi”  Prize-winner in caricature 1985 Statal Competition in Drawing  1st prize REFERENCES  Mitsouhiro Furuta, Interior designer, Pulse International Bali, (+62)813 37711115  István Gazdag, Music composer & producer, First Aid4Souls (Hungary), gazdi@chello.hu  Stevo Pearce, Some Bizarre Records London (UK), stevo@somebizarre.com  György Fábián, Editor in Chief at ‘Kisalföld’ daily newspaper (Hungary), (+36)30 2272326  István Ef Zámbó, most reknown artist in Hungary, efzambo@t-online.hu

Country: Hungary

E-mail: ed.narrow@gmail.com

Site: Ed Narrow's Artwork