Little Ballett Dancer

Ferenc Farkas: Little Ballett Dancer

(2015, Handshake Europe Sculpture Park)

“My series titled Finale has been enlarged for years and it reminds us of the world of dance, showmen, and the characters of the circus. Intentionally, not always the unclouded, jolly side of this world did I want to show, but I intended to highlight the fallibility, its temporary loneliness, the lability of its cast by showing their movements and attributes. The statue of the “Little Ballerina” exhibited in the Statue Park belongs to this group and has one of the biggest size of the group.”

It is worth spending some time in front of this statue of lyric tone. This very topic has often emerged within the European Art, especially in France during the beginning of the previous century. Men keep raising the question over and over again of what secrets of the past, future and our existence are borne by women? We all are familiar with the ballerinas of Edgar Degas similarly to the women characters of Delacroix, Ingres, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso and Modigliani. Are they really the possessors of the knowledge inexpressible by words?

Let’s have a look at the ballerina by Ferenc Farkas. The nature of movement and the body language reveals a lot. At first sight we perceive a stepping movement. In fact, the transverse left foot receives a little weight from the right one. This way, a sensitive balance is created between the feet, and the upper and the lower parts of the trunk.

The arms crossed in front of the body mirror an individual confinement. The right palm touching the face refers to an introverted gesture. Her eyes are sad looking in front of herself. Fine features are a bit tired. Her forward leaning head softly and the right foot slightly diagonal direction are parallel similarly to the forward stepping left foot. The contrapossto of the ankles, knees, the hipbone, the elbows and the shoulders come into existence to present a gossamer-fine, organic construction.

Is it possible, that the efforts of the body to bring about a physical balance are the symbols of inner happenings and the creation of equilibrium for the soul?

Endre Sipos, arts philosopher

The artist

Ferenc Farkas

He was born on February 15, 1958 in Zalaegerszeg. In 1976 he graduated from the ceramics department of the Pécs Secondary School of Art. He graduated at the Hungarian College of Fine Arts in 1986 with a degree in sculpture, and his master was sculptor József Somogyi. Until 1987, he was a master’s student at the institution. He has been a member of the Arts Foundation (MAOE) since 1986, the Studio of Young Artists from 1986-87, and the Zala’Art Association from 1987-92. Since 1994 he has been a teacher at the Ady Endre Art Primary School and Grammar School in Zalaegerszeg. Since 2006 he has been a member of the Showcase Association of Fine and Applied Arts.

“Throughout my career, the defining inspiration motif, the main theme is man, I often cite great figures in art history, or different life situations and relationships. These sculptural, spatial, mass propositions inspire newer and newer solutions, and in a figurative sense they expand into series that are not strictly construed.”

“An important element of the creative process is that I can carry out my work in my own workshop, cast in bronze. The preparations and technology of the wax-loss bronze casting process become another source and opportunity in the realization of the sculptures.”