Resources
Artist Statement
Liszi’s interests in spirituality and its existence in contemporary photography led her to research why the metaphysical can be important in our culture and everyday life.
‘To be a good photographer you have to be a scientist as well,’ says Sugimoto, who likens his Lightning Fields to early photographic experiments, as well as a cosmic events, such as ’the first meteorite hitting the Earth’. Yet science does not occlude religion. ‘People still need another way to understand the world besides logic’, comments Sugimoto, ’and we’re turning to art and spirituality to help us understand our environment and the world.’
Hiroshi Sugimoto, Book: Art + Religion in the 21th century pg.81.
Seeking the essence, the ontology, the origin of not every day perception, looking beyond the unseen, towards the magical, are daily routine for Liszi, especially because spirituality does not have a ‘specific meaning in academic analysis.’ (Lipsey, 1988, pg. 6-7) Experiencing different things by practicing yoga or meditation without any religious practice is one way to make connections with our pure nature in this modern age, where people pay attention to this ’new’ materialistic world after the 20th century. There are too many material purposes, humans can forget to take care of ‘self’ and their ambience. The unseen is there but our focus is not in the present, therefore we cannot sense those details and the essence of things. Vibrations generally are everywhere around humans, these affect us invisibly. Their influences can give more focus or subtract it. Liszi’s main purpose is working with vibration as electromagnetic waves such as light, sound and with the most common medium in humans and in the earth, water as information, vibration carriers. Her idea is based on Masaru Emoto’s book The Hidden Messages in Water and Liszi’s mantra chanting practice.
Her photograms express the nature of the elements, their connection and interplay without any physical impact by material instrument.
There is just pure light, sound, and water.
Biography
Renáta Liszi is a photographic artist born in 1981 and raised in Budapest, Hungary. Whilst studying Programming at John von Neumann Computer Speciality School she daydreamed of analogue and darkroom photography. She left algorithm writing, studied photography in School of Prater utca in Budapest and become a professional studio photographer in 2003.
Technical developments conveyed her to digital portrait and architectural images, which were published in editorial and advertising publications. However, since 2014 she has concentrated on art and research projects. These propelled her to Master of Photography Arts at the University of Westminster, London, England of which she graduated from in September 2020. Renata Liszi’s art responds to her pursuit of the spiritual within visual art. For the past five years she has been concerned with the coalescing of light beams, vibrations and secret geometrical signs. She works mostly with camera-less techniques and mixed-media.
Publications
Articles written by Liszi
Új Művészet, journal of fine arts and criticism, 2024, Budapest, HUN
Fotóművészet, journal of photo criticism, theory and photo history, 2023, Budapest, HUN
FotoVideo magazine, 2023, Budapest, HUN
Articles
OFF The Mainstream, 2021, London, UK
Membrana Magazine – no. 8 Magic, 2020, London ‘Light of the Soul’
Artist Books
Graduate Photography Online 2020, London ‘Light of the Soul
Awards
2025
MMA – Hungarian Academy of Arts, A-Year Scholarship, Budapest, HUN
2023
First Prize at the Porsche – Contemporary Dilemma Award, Budapest, HUN
NKA – National Cultural Fund of Hungary Grants, Budapest, HUN
First Prize at the ‘Solitude creating peace’ Award, MANK, Szentendre, HUN
2022
Association of Hungarian Photography Artists Award, BP-Esztergom, HUN
NKA – National Cultural Fund of Hungary Grants, Budapest, HUN
2019
W125-Awards, London, UK
Residencies
XXIV. Hegyvidéki International Artist Residency, Budapest, HUN
Memberships
MAOE Association of Hungarian Creative Artists International Kepes Society
Commissions
2023
30th Annual International Light Art Symposium – International Kepes Society / Co-Organizer Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Bp,HUN / Photogram WS leader Vasarely Museum and Kepes Institute, Budapest, HUN / Curator Juliette Binoche & Wajdi Mouawad ‘The Matter of Light’ – National Theatre of Hungary, 10th Theater Olympics, Budapest, HUN / Visual designer
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Resonance – Gallery New Pest, Budapest, HUN
2021
Light of the Soul – Mária Magdolna Torony, Budapest, HUN
I have seen an Angel – Participatory Art, Budapest, HUN
2017
7th Chakra & Turban, Budapest, HUN
2016
One Way, Budapest, HUN
Group Exhibitions and Shows
2025
LA JEUNE PHOTOGRAPHIE HONGROIS, Les Rencontres de la photographie d’Arles, Galerie LeNeuf Sinibaldi Arles, FR
Back and front, Klebelsberg Cultural Center, Budapest, HUN
2024
The Universe of Fótofalu, Gallery FUGA, Budapest, HUN
Solitude creating peace, Sapientia College of Theology of Religious Orders, Bp, HUN
In Memoriam Francis Bacon – Contemporary Gallery, Tatabánya, HUN
Kertész 130, House of Connections Gallery, Esztergom, HUN
2023
MAOE Winter Exhibition, Budapest, HUN
Solitude creating peace, St Maurice Monastery, Bakonybél, HUN
Békét teremtő magány, MANK Gallery, Szentendre, HUN
Light & Shadow, Gallery Ravasz László, Leányfalu, HUN
Geometria, Új Műhely Gallery, Szentendre, HUN
XXII. EFB, Contemporary Hungarian Gallery, Dunajská Streda, SK
2022
Winter Exhibition, Újpest Gallery, Budapest, HUN
MANU-TÍPIA, Foton Gallery, Budapest, HUN
Triptichon, Astrik Kákonyi Contemporary Gallery, Esztergom, HUN
MANU-TÍPIA – XXII. Photography Biennale, Castle Gallery, Esztergom, HUN
In memoriam Henri Matisse – Contemporary Gallery, Tatbánya, HUN
Earth, water, air, fire – Újpest Gallery, Budapest, HUN
Elmozdulás / Displacement – Hegyvidék Gallery, Budapest, HUN
Universe – MOMKult Gallery, Budapest, HUN
Fotótriptichon MAOE – ÚjMűhely Gallery, Szentendre, HUN
Inspirational Women Artists – God’s House Tower, Southampton, UK
2021
Contrasts – LoosenArts, Rome, ITA
Where water goes.. – Off the Mainstream, London, UK
The World Within – Hangar Photo Brussels Festival, Brussels, BEL
2020
Space and Other Matter, MA Photography Arts University of Westminster, London, UK – online
Art for St Marks, Healing Pictures, London, UK
2019
Photofusion Salon ’19 – Oneness, London, UK
Home Art Exhibition – Oneness, London, UK
MA Westminster Work in Progress – Oneness, London, UK
2018
Gallery West/Multimedia Fine Arts – Inner light, London, UK
Art Fairs
2023
Youngart Christmas Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
Gallery Viltin in Max Gallery Art Fair, Törörkbálint, HUN
Youngart Spirng Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
2022
Resident Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
Youngart Christmas Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
2021
Youngart Christmas Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
2020
Impressions Gallery – Photo Book Art Fair, Bradford, UK
2019
Ziggi Art Fair, Budapest, HUN
Collections
The Collection of MOM Cultural Center Ltd.
Private Collection in UK
Private Collections in Hungary
Education
2018-2020
MA Photography Arts, University of Westminster, London, UK