András Böröcz
(b. 1956)
Andras Böröcz works with his own personal iconography based on objects (the pencil, ostrich egg, glove, cactus, chimney, barrel, etc.), which appears repeatedly as he traverses a variety of themes, whether in drawing, sculpture or performance, where human conditions are coded. His personal expression is transformed to a collective experience through humor and in his choices of materials.
By playing with function and cultural symbols and by exaggerating certain formal aspects inherent to contemporary society, he makes works that can be seen as portraits of himself and also of everyman. Sometimes they appear idiosyncratic and quirky; at other times they seem typical by-products of the search for collective cultural truths and global symbols.
Böröcz finds that movement, whether actual or implied reveals an inherent awkwardness, a humor that echoes human vulnerabilities. His works appear dreamlike in which fiction and reality meet, well-known tropes merge, meanings shift, past and present fuse. Time and memory always play a key role. Often his sculptures are a summary of a performance, but just as often, the sculptures inspire one.
Böröcz's work with pencils – begun more than 23 years ago – applies a poetic and often absurd and metaphorical language with references and ideas completely integrated into the process and composition of the work. The pencil has become, in a sense, his signature material.
Andras Böröcz was born in Budapest, Hungary. His work has been exhibited extensively in Europe and the U.S.
STUDIES
1983 MFA – Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts (Budapest, H)
1977–82 BFA Painting – Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts (Budapest, H)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Crooks / New Sculptures (2021-2024), Einspach Fine Art & Photography (Budapest, H)
2019 Homage to Malevich & El Lissitzky with Pavel Zoubok Gallery (NYC, USA)
2019 Art Market (Budapest, H)
2018 Non Objective Objects, Kunsthalle (Budapest, H)
2017 Then and Now, Fordítóház (Balatonfüred, H)
2016 Profound Objects, Pavel Zoubok Gallery (NYC, USA)
2013 Playtime, Pavel Zoubok Gallery (NYC, USA)
2013 Ádám & Éva, Jewish Museum, Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives (Budapest, H)
2013 11 Grapefruit, Toilet Plungers, FUGA Budapest Center of Architecture (Budapest, H)
2012 Deák Erika Gallery (Budapest, H)
2012 Good Luck!, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2012 Barrels on Holiday, Janus Pannonius Museum (Pécs, H)
2012 Life of the Barrels, Vylyan Pincészet (Villány, H)
2011 Over the Blue Yonder, King St. Stephen Museum (Székesfehérvár, H)
2011 Wagons, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2010 Yads, At Home Gallery (Samorin, SK)
2009 Wood Books, Petőfi Literary Museum (Budapest, H)
2006 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2006 Home Sweet Home, N&n Gallery (Budapest, H)
2006 Purim, Janus Pannonius Museum (Pécs, H)
2006 St. Sebastian, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2004 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2003 Noisemakers, Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives (Budapest, H)
2002 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2002 András Böröcz – Noisemakers / Judea Museum (Philadelphia, USA)
2001 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2000 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2000 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1999 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1998 Hungarian Consulate (NYC, USA)
1998 Budapest Gallery (Budapest, H)
1998 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1998 Várfok 14 Galéria (Budapest, H)
1997 Budapest–New York, Janus Pannonius Museum (Pécs, H)
1997 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1997 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1997 Pencil Birds, Musee le Chaffaud (Perce, CA)
1996 Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1996 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1995 Africus, Johannesburg Biennale (Johannesburg, ZA)
1995 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1994 Tibor de Nagy Gallery (NYC, USA)
1994 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1994 Tongue Depressors, Uitz Terem (Dunaújváros, H)
1994 The Hanged, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest (Budapest, H)
1994 Secret, Liget Gallery (with Robbin Ami Silverberg) (Budapest, H)
1993 Egg Show, Művészetek Háza Gallery (with Robbin Ami Silverberg) (Pécs, H) 1993 Tibor de Nagy Gallery (NYC, USA)
1992 Óbudai Társaskör Gallery (Budapest, H)
1992 Várfok 14 Gallery (Budapest, H)
1992 Art as Artefact, Delta Axis Contemporary Art Center (Memphis, USA)
1991 King St. Stephen Museum (Székesfehérvár, H)
1991 PS 122 Gallery (NYC, USA)
1991 Right Bank Gallery, Brooklyn (NYC, USA)
1988 Access Gallery, Ann Arbor (Michigan, USA)
1986 Madison Gallery (Toronto, CA)
1986 Aunella Gallery (Porvoo, FIN)
1986 Ariel Gallery (NYC, USA)
1985 Sluzzer Gallery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Michigan, USA)
1985 Studio Gallery (Budapest, H)
1985 Records, Városligeti Műjégpálya (Budapest, H)
1985 Helikon Gallery (Budapest, H)
1985 Hungarian Cultural Institute (Helsinki, FIN)
1984 Magyar Építőművészek Klubja (Budapest, H)
1984 Fiatal Művészek Klubja (Budapest, H)
1984 Mercer Union Gallery (Toronto, CA)
1983 Town Gallery (Porvoo, FIN)
1983 Hungarian Cultural Institute (Helsinki, FIN)
1983 Vajda Lajos Studio (Szentendre, H)
PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2011 The Best Exhibition of the Year, 2011 – award by Mozgó Világ Magazine (Budapest, H)
1995 Residency, Civitella Ranieri Center (Umbertide, Italy)
1990 AIM Program at the Bronx Museum (NYC, USA)
1989 Membership at the IKG (West Germany)
1988 Scholarship, The Banff Center of Fine Arts (Canada)
1984 Visiting Artist Grant, Canada Council
1983–86 Derkovits Grant (Budapest, H)
1983 Art Prize, Studio ‘83 Exhibition (Budapest, H)
WORKS IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Ampersand Foundation (Johannesburg, ZA)
Boston Public Library Special Collections (MA, USA)
Cerritos Library Special Collections (California, USA)
City College Public Art (commission) (NYC, USA)
King St. Stephen Museum (Székesfehérvár, H)
Janus Pannonius Museum (Pécs, H)
The Jewish Museum (NYC, USA)
Első Magyar Látványtár (Diszel, H)
Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art (Budapest, H)
Petőfi Literary Museum (Budapest, H)
MODEM – Modern Museum of Art (Debrecen, H)
Museum of Fine Arts – Hungarian National Gallery (Budapest, H)
Sächsische-Landesbibliothek Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek (Dresden, G)
Yale University Art of the Book Collection (New Haven, CT, USA)
Yale University, Beinecke Rare Book Library (New Haven, CT, USA)
Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives (Budapest, H)
Smithsonian Museum of African Arts (Washington, DC, USA)
Yale University, British Art Museum (New Haven, CT, USA)
Baylor University Library (Texas, USA)
Cerritos Library (Calif. US)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Budapest Contemporary (Budapest, H)
2019 Secret Passover, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2018 The Ten Plagues, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2017 Had Gadja, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2017 Matzah, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2016 Waldsee, Fugard Theater (Cape Town, ZA)
2015 András Böröcz, Nancy Grossman, Eric Rhein, Pavel Zoubok Gallery (NYC, USA) 2015 Budapest Art Market (Budapest, H)
2015 Sculptors ‘56, Hungarian Cultural Center New York (NYC, USA)
2014 Imre Ámos & the 20th Century (Where is Your Sibling?) a contemporary Hungarian traveling exhibition about the Shoah: – Jewish Museum Warsaw (Warsaw, PL) / – White Stork Synagogue (Wroclaw, PL) / – Emanuel Ringelbaum Jewish Historical Institute (Warsaw, PL) / – Rumbach Sebestyén Synagogue (Budapest, H) / – Contemporary Hungarian Gallery (Dunaszerdahely, SK) / – Zsolnay Cultural Center (Pécs, H) / – Collegium Hungaricum (Berlin, G) / – Művésztelepi Gallery (Szentendre, H) / – Institute Hongrois (Paris, F)
2014 Budapest Art Market (Budapest, H)
2013 Drawings on Barks, Rumbach Sebestyén Synagogue (Budapest, H)
2011 Ex Libris, Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
2011 Masters & Students, Bartók 32 Gallery (Budapest, H)
2011 ... And the Jews, Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives (Budapest, H)
2010 It’s Wonderful 10th, Sideshow Gallery Brooklyn (NYC, USA)
2009 Random Utterness, Hungarian Cultural Center (NYC, USA)
2008 Your Documents, Please, Itami Museum (Itami, J)
2008 2nd Generation, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2009 The history of Hungarian performance art, Ferenczi István Museum (Szentendre, H)
2007 Baudelaire, Petőfi Literary Museum (Budapest, H)
2006 Sculptors / Stalin, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2006 Waldsee–1944, Collegium Hungaricum Berlin (Berlin, G)
2006 Schwabische Muzeum (Ulm, G)
2006 Hebrew Union College Museum (NYC, USA)
2005 Waldsee –1944, 2B Gallery (Budapest, H)
2004 We Love our Customers, Consulate General of Hungary in New York (NYC, USA) 2003 What’s Cooking? Abrons Art Center (NYC, USA)
2001 International Triennale of Small Sculpture, Galerija Murska Sobota (Muraszombat, SLO)
2000 FIAC Paris (Paris, F)
2000 Basel Art Fair (Basel, CH)
1999 Works on Paper (NYC, USA)
1999 FIAC Paris (Paris, F)
1998 ARCO Art Fair (Madrid, S)
1998 Dobbin Books, Harpercollins Exhibition Space (NYC, USA)
1998 Spring Group show, Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1998 Art Exchange Show (NYC, USA)
1998 Works on Paper (NYC, USA)
1998 The Armory show (NYC, USA)
1996 The nineties, King St. Stephen Museum (Székesfehérvár, H)
1996 Art of the Matter, The Cooper Union (NYC, USA)
1996 Artists for Habitat, Kenneth Winslow Gallery (NYC, USA)
1996 Chicago Art Fair (Chicago, USA)
1995 One World, Many Vision (exhibition for the UN)
1995 Silvermine Guild Art Center (Connecticut, USA)
1995 Oppose (all) Authority, Janus Avivson Gallery (London, GB)
1995 Selections, Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1995 Dobbin Books, Prieto Gallery, Mills College (Oakland, USA)
1994 Dobbin Books: First 3 Years, Harper Collins Exhibition Space (NYC, USA)
1994 Wood Works, Adam Baumgold Gallery (NYC, USA)
1994 Little Things, Art In General Gallery (NYC, USA)
1994 2nd Hungarian Epigon Show, Kampnagel Gallery (Hamburg, G)
1994 The 80's, Ernst Museum (Budapest, H)
1993 Little Things – Randolph Street Gallery (Chicago, USA) / – Fészek Klub (Budapest, H) / – Delta Axis (Memphis, USA)
1993 International Print Exhibition, Machida City Museum (Tokyo, J)
1993 International Small Sculpture Biennal, Pécsi Gallery (Pécs, H)
1993 International Artist Book Exhibition, National Széchenyi Library (Budapest, H) 1992 Egg Art, Byrd Hassman Group (NYC, USA)
1992 First Hungarian epigone exhibition, Liget Gallery (Budapest, H)
1992 Summer Pleasures, Tibor de Nagy Gallery (NYC, USA)
1991 Outdoor Sculpture 1991, Penn State, Berks Campus (Pennsylvania, USA)
1991 Selection from the AIM Program, Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden, Pepsico Headquarters, Purchase (NYC, USA)
1991 Commission a Portrait, PS 122 Gallery (NYC, USA)
1990 Drawings, Knoll Gallery (Budapest, H)
1990 4 Musketeers – Photo, Liget Gallery (Budapest, H)
1990 AIM Program, Bronx Museum (NYC, USA)
1990 In Anfuhrrungszeichen, Haus der Ungarischen Kultur (East-Berlin, G)
1990 Fete de I’lmage (Lille, F)
1990 Digit Art – Computer Art, Ernst Museum (Budapest, H)
1990 I Wanna Know What Love is, Other Space (NYC, USA)
1989 No Relief, 124 Ridge Street Gallery (NYC, USA)
1989 Zeitgenossine Kunst aus Ungarn, Kunstlerhaus (Dortmund, G) Techonog / Technika, Graff Centre (Montreal, CA)
1988 Armature, Walter Phillips Gallery (Banff, CA)
1988 4 Muskateers, RAM Gallery (Vienna, A)
1987 Seven Artist, Ernst Museum (Budapest, H)
1987 Six Hungarian Artists, Sherover Theater (Jerusalem, IL)
1986 New Hungarian Sculptures (Toronto, Banff, & Montreal, CA)
1986 In quotation marks, Csók István Museum (Székesfehérvár, H)
1986 Aspekte Ungarischer Malerei der Gegenwart, Leverkusen (Münster & Hagen, G) 1986 Digit Art, Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest, H)
1985 4th Biennial of Europien Graphic Art (Baden-Baden, G)
1985 18 Artists from Hungary, Third Eye Centre (Glasgow, GB)
1984 Drawing, Pécs Municipal Gallery (Pécs, H)
1983 New Hungarian graphics, Hungarian National Museum (Budapest, H)
1983 Studio ’83, Ernst Museum (Budapest, H)
1983–1978 Böröcz participated in sixteen art exhibitions with the Indigo Group (Budapest, H)
