A Hungarian artist and diplomat returns to Mumbai’s art landscape six years after she bid the city an emotional goodbye
Levitation, mixed media; (right) Crises, mixed media. PICS COURTESY/IlDIKO MOROVSZKI
Naturally, I felt some fear. I think it’s only human when moving to a completely unfamiliar country. But I remember clearly that on the very first day, I felt like I had arrived in a place I wouldn’t want to leave,” admits artist Ildiko Morovszki. The Hungarian artist first set foot in India with her family in 2014, and spent five years travelling its expanses and “capturing every remarkable experience” on her canvas. Six years after her dream of never leaving was cut short in 2019, Morovszki returns to a Mumbai gallery, this time in a courteous, diplomatic avatar as a head of secretary at the Consulate General of Hungary Mumbai. Her new evocative artworks speak for themselves.
“As an artist, I felt like I had entered paradise. I was captivated by the colours, the vibrant streets, the smiling people and the incredible historical heritage. I also happen to love spicy Indian food, so that was a joy in itself,” Morovszki chuckles as she recalls her first impressions of the city. At her farewell exhibition at a BKC venue in 2019, the artist presented portraits inspired by fellow Hungarian-born 20th Century art icon, Amrita Sher Gil. Among 75 art works on display were scenes from Varanasi, Haridwar, Madurai, and as a parting gift to Mumbai — a silhouette of the Carter Road promenade.
Ildiko Morovszki at the gallery
In 2019-2020, the 52-year-old reeled under a double whammy when her family had to pack bags and move back to Hungary. The daunting, uncertain beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic followed like clockwork. “Leaving India was difficult enough, but the pandemic hit me particularly hard. From a lively, colourful, and dynamic world, I suddenly found myself in isolation and stillness. It was a very hard time. I felt like a fallen leaf,” she admits.
If art truly imitates life, Morovszki will have a story and a half to tell when you meet her at her new exhibition The Painted Self at the Gandhi Film Foundation Art Gallery. “From finding my muse in people around me, I turned inward. Whether it’s desperation, joy, contentment, mystery, exhaustion, hope, confusion, or melancholy, the new pieces are open to interpretation and connection,” she reveals.
Now residing in Mumbai because of her diplomatic role, Morovszki’s canvas finds inspiration in her original guide Amrita from time to time. “She had a profound impact on me. Her courage, vision, and voice are still exemplary to me today. Her influence has remained, though now it manifests differently,” the artist says.
Mumbai has undergone facelifts by the dozen since Morovszki’s last stint in the city, but she still recognises this old friend alright. She explains, “The situation is different, but my feelings haven’t changed. Mumbai has become my second home. Here, I learnt to be patient, to enjoy the present moment, and to live in the now. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, which turned out to be a surprisingly liberating experience. If I had to sum up what Mumbai taught me in one word, it would be: tolerance.” Are you taking notes?
TILL August 14; 10 am to 5 pm (Monday to Friday)
AT Gandhi Film Foundation Art Gallery, behind Mani Bhavan, Gamdevi.
FREE
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