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Szilvia Ponyiczki

Gratham
I explore the personal and collective unconscious through art, linking individual psyches to ancestral symbolism. Fascinated by mythology, creation stories, and fairy tales, my work highlights common threads in cultures and history.

My artistic journey has been a deep exploration of the collective unconscious, a realm that connects the individual's psyche to the shared symbolism of our ancestors. I am fascinated by the common threads that run through cultures and histories, revealing our shared humanity. This initial journey into the depths of the psyche led me to delve further into the historical visual representations of the unconscious, primarily found in alchemical manuscripts and the creation stories of mankind. This expedition confirmed Jung’s theory: the symbolic language through which our unconscious communicates is universal, a language rooted in the experiences of our ancestors. In response to this revelation, I created a unique visual language - a library of biomorphic hieroglyphs. These shapes are predominantly hybrids, born from the fusion of elements of my personal dreamscapes and of ancient symbols from artifacts and archaic manuscripts. They represent a visual narrative that not only reflects the rich tapestry of human history, but also serves as a bridge between the inner world of the individual and the collective reservoir of human experience. My work is a testament to the interplay between the conscious and unconscious, the personal and the universal. It is an artistic endeavour that seeks to unravel the mysteries of our shared heritage, giving voice to the silent echoes of our ancestors and fostering the profound connection between past, present, and future. Through these biomorphic hieroglyphs, I invite viewers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and exploration of the timeless secrets of the human psyche.

 

EDUCATION

 

MFA (Fine Art) - Nottingham Trent University, UK. 2016 - 2020

Catharsis Complex Art Therapy, LEA, Budapest, Hungary. 2019-ongoing

MBA, Human Management - Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary. 2004 - 2008

MSc (Arch) - Budapest University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Hungary. 1992 - 1997

 

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

2024 – Claire Peasnall Memorial Painting Award, St Hugh’s Foundation (UK)

2022 - Develop Your Creative Practice Grant, Arts Council England (UK) 

2021 - Leicester Print Workshop Residency, lead artist: George Sfougaras (UK)

2020 - Irene Fund Grant, Champernowne Trust (UK)

2018 - MMA (Hungarian Academy of Arts) special professional award, winner of the X. National Exhibition of Grotesque Fine and Applied Arts (Hungary)

2018 - NTU MA Mastered Exhibition marketing campaign MFA winner (UK)

2018 - ExperiMentor residency 'Orbit' programme, New Art Exchange (UK)

2017 - Lichfield Prize, finalist (UK)

2017 - NTU MA Mastered Exhibition marketing campaign MFA winner (UK)

2016 - NTU Postgraduate Scholarship (UK)

 

RECENT EXHIBITIONS

2024      

solo exhibition ‘Symbolic Journeys: Traversing the Landscape of Ancient Motifs’ Beeston Library, Nottingham 

solo exhibition ‘Beyond Boundaries: Journeys Through Mythic Realms’ St Martins Gallery, Lincoln 

solo exhibition ‘Time Immemorial’, Newark Town Hall Museum & Gallery

LAS group exhibition, Doddington Hall

MFT group show, Szigetszentmiklós, Hungary

MFT artist residency exhibition, Uzsa, Hungary

upcoming 

'Transition’ group show, Surface Gallery, Nottingham

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