Bela DOKA
Bela DOKA
Béla DÓKA (1969)
Bela Doka is one of the heirs of the great past of Hungarian photography. He combines applied photography with artistic work and the result is a homogeneous oeuvre of socially sensitive topics with an easily identifiable attitude. Different applied work attracted different themes to his lens. His series of photographs shot in Cuba, Moldova, Romania, Burma and Russia all give visual reference and evidence of the atmosphere of an ongoing transition and present
groups of clearly distinguishable character. All his images show deep understanding and a certain attachment to the models thus giving a subjective and intimate feel to all his images. He quests for the human factor, he wants to demonstrate with his work the innermost hopes and fears of a human being. His most intimate series -The Sundays of Life -uses the same insider approach, as in Doka wants us to believe that all the photographs in the series are snapshots. PUTIN FC follows this path. Similarly to his previous series, PUTIN FC, apart from depicting an existing social phenomenon goes well beyond documentarism. These staged photographs all have a unique atmosphere. It is a series of portraits depicting students in the suburbs of Moscow. What is special
in them is that they are all members of a fan club with an average age of
18 years devoted to Putin. They idolise their president as a saviour of their
country. His private life provides a role-model for these young boys and girls,
he embodies the ideal politician, the strong sportsman, the perfect husband
and exquisite father-figure for them. Amidst posters and other devotional items for Putin, the admirers just pop out of the vivid mixture of colours, textures and objects. In a whirl of cultural references and traces of past and present Putin stands as the only solid item onecan relate or stick to. Christ combined with the framed picture of Putin, the Sleeping Beauty-like girl with the Newsweek on her chest act like a big melting pot of our times. The photographs
have an emotional or sometimes even romantic overtone where Putin acts in the quotidian setting as the Almighty ruler of and above their lives. The composition of these pictures follows that of the romantic paintings of the
19th century, with the same expression of the nonchalant melancholy
on the faces of these young girls. Doka’s aim was to present the phenomenon
of fanatism as detachedly as possible. It raised questions in him that he wanted to share and pass over. Questions that might be more relevant nowadays than ever Someone might find this kind of devotion banal or funny. It might be frightening for others. One thing is sure: we can not pass by this phenomenon without noticing it. Doka’s aim was to present the features of fanaticism as detachedly as possible. It raised questions in him that he wanted to share and pass over. Questions that might be more relevant nowadays than ever.
Doka is represented by Faur Zsófi Gallery Budapest. This Hungarian gallery has a special focus on contemporary photography and is also the publisher
of a series about Hungarian contemporary photographers. This autumn
he will be exhibited at Noorderlicht Festival in Groningen and with Faur
Zsófi Gallery at Fotofever in Brussels.
ART FAIRS:
Fotofever - Brussels 2012
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2011 FotoArt Festival , Bielsko Biala , Poland "God is Everywhere"
2010 K.A.S. Gallery , Budapest , "The Sundays of Life"
2010 The 10Th. International Photo Exhibition ,Sanghai,China,
"Documentary Photographers of the New Century" , "Cuba"
2006 Anzenberger Gallery ,Vienna "Cuba"
2002 Guttmann Gallery, Budapest "Cuban Essays"
2001 Corinne Vercel , Paris "Traces de Cuba"
1996 Kennedy Gallery , Nassau , Bahamas "Cuba"
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2010 Lodz Art Center ,Poland, "The Sundays of Life"
2009 Forum 2000,Prague , "Laughter and Forgetting"
2008 Paris Photo ,Galerie du Jour Agnes b ,"que des européen!"
2006 PhotoEspana, Madrid -Descubrimientos , "Cuba Beyond Paradise"
2003 Milleneum Center, Budapest "1 day in the life of Budapest"
2002 William Whipple Art Gallery , Marshall, MN "International Photo Exhibition" (group exhibition)
2000 La Maison de Radio France , Paris " Eclats D`enfance" (group exhibition)
1998 ENSCI , Paris , "Cuba Provisoire" (solo exhibition)
PUBLICATIONS (Editorial):
New York Times,New Yorker,Newsweek,Miami Herald,Village Voice,(Usa)
Le Monde,Paris Match,Cosmopolitan,Marie Claire,Photo,VSD,Liberation,Max(France)
Stern,Neon,Max,FAZ,Die Zeit,Focus,Der Spiegel,Brigitte(Germany)
Grazia,Amica,IO Donna,Fox Uomo, Gioia (Italy)
Independent ,Telegraph,Newstateman (UK)
GQ,Esquire,,Foto&Video,Newsweek, Afisha Mir,Glamour,Marie Claire(Russia)
Yo Donna, El Pais (Spain
REVIEWS:
Eyemazing (Netherlands)
Pictorial (Germany)
Vision (China)
Private (Italy)
Fotomuveszet
Fotoriporter (Hungary)
Foto&Video (Russia)
AWARDS:
2011 London Street Photography Awards , Finalist
2009 Sony World Photography Awards , Finalist , Fine Art Portrait Category
2005 Hungarian Press Photo Award,First Prize , Contemporary Issues
2004 Hungarian Press Photo Award,First Prize , Contemporary Issues
2003 Hungarian Press Photo Award,First Prize , Sport Series
BOOK PUBLICATIONS:
2010 The Sundays of Life
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS:
Collection Agnes b , Paris , France
Museo De Las Americas , Denver , USA
Queensborough Community College Art Gallery , New York
William Whipple Art Gallery , Marshall ,USA
Hungarian Museum of Photography , Kecskemet ,Hungary