Using frottage, Gábor Koós captures personal moments and objects by applying paint directly to the surface, creating intimate, one-of-a-kind prints. Large-scale woodcuts preserve the grandeur of significant spaces, displayed alongside their matrices in immersive installations. This approach not only documents but also reflects Koós's personal affection for each subject. Explore the tactile connection and timelessness of these prints, where every piece is a unique testament to the moment and the object preserved.

Projects

don’t worry, I’m just a hop, skip, and jump away

“don’t worry, I’m just a hop, skip, and jump away” explores the seeds we discover to create stories, the mechanisms we build to nurture and explore the fruits of those seeds and the absurdity of those mechanisms used past their prime.
In Gábor Koós and Mark von Rosenstiel’s first collaboration, they created a set of machines that alter the historical bounty of their setting, limestone, as well as a set of replicas of these machines. With the whir of motors, grinding stone, and taste of ink in the air, viewers were drawn to walk among the behemoths as each services its continually changing identity through its relationship to the environment and itself.

Gazing Into Darkness

Inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki's essay "In Praise of Shadows," the site-specific installation transforms the bright Országlászló tér exhibition space. Koós engages with the 24 skylights of the space by absorbing light with surfaces treated with Musou black paint, the darkest paint available. This radical intervention alters the aura of the space, exploring the interplay of light and darkness.
The exhibit featured pen drawings of the windows, overpainted with Musou black, transforming them into "Ohaguro Paintings," inspired by the Japanese tradition of blackening teeth. These paintings, along with blackened prints, invited viewers to embrace and find beauty in shadows, offering a new perspective on darkness.

Ohaguro Paintings

Inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki's essay "In Praise of Shadows," Koós explored the beauty of darkness using Musou black paint, the darkest ?? available. His "Ohaguro Paintings," named after the Japanese custom of blackening teeth, transformed light-absorbing prints into nuanced, almost glossy silver artworks. The exhibition featured overpainted prints displayed in a black alcove, enhancing the depth and details of the paintings. By immersing viewers in shadows, Koós invited them to appreciate the subtle beauty within darkness.The exhibit challenged the Western pursuit of light, offering a unique perspective on the harmony between light and dark.

USA Diary

Gábor Koós's "USA Diary" exhibition showcased striking installations of large woodblocks and their prints, inspired by his recent road trip on the US West Coast. This innovative display reinterpreted traditional woodblock printing, presenting the woodblocks and prints as unique sculptural units, blending contemporary conceptual art with classical technique. Koós drew from two key inspirations: the vast dimensions of American landscapes and the pervasive issue of racism. The exhibition featured three rooms, each with distinct installations. Two rooms highlighted giant sequoias and Los Angeles skyscrapers, while the third room used CMYK nitro transfer prints to explore the subtle shades of brown skin, emphasizing identity. "USA Diary" continues Koós's visual diary approach from previous works like Glasgow Diary and Budapest Diary, using art to navigate and document new environments.

untitled(Chimera-Project)

Gábor Koós's site-specific installation at Chimera-Project, Klauzál tér 5, captured a pivotal moment of transition for the gallery. Reflecting on diary writing, a practice integral to his artistic journey, Koós reproduces significant personal and professional milestones. The installation featured a direct reproduction of his apartment door and a wall piece from his first exhibition at Kunsthalle Budapest, preserved as key markers in his life. As the last artist to exhibit from Chimera-Project's portfolio at this location, Koós compressed the essence of the gallery space into a stack of DINA3 sheets. The installation underscored his deep connection to his work and the space, creating a poignant reflection on change and memory.

Vaii Morilor

Gábor Koós's work, "Văii Morilor," explores the striking contrast between modern urban life and traditional practices in Aleșd, a small Romanian city. In this project, Koós examined the city's unique landscape, characterized by massive piles of logs dispersed throughout neighborhoods, particularly around housing blocks. These archaic woodpiles starkly contrast with the modernist architecture, revealing a community reliant on wood for heating due to the absence of a gas connection. Inspired by "Valea Morii," a nearby forest supplying the wood, Koós's installation captures the juxtaposition of old and new, highlighting the adaptation of urban living to local realities. "Văii Morilor" invited viewers to reflect on how modernity and tradition coexist, shaping the everyday lives of Aleșd's residents.

untitled (Mountaineering)

"untitled (Mountaineering) 2018" is a large-scale woodcut installation that was created and featured at the Bruseum, Universalmuseum Joanneum in Graz, Austria. Measuring 2x300x350 cm, this artwork exemplifies Koós's mastery of the woodcut technique and his ability to transform traditional methods into contemporary art forms. The installation captures the essence of mountaineering, evoking the grandeur and challenge of ascending peaks. Koós's intricate details and bold composition invite viewers to experience the physical and emotional journey of climbing. This piece not only highlights the artist's technical prowess but also reflects his deep connection to nature and the drive of the human spirit to conquer the sublime.

untitled (Lollipop Factory)

The installation at LLPlatform offers a profound meditation on objects frozen in time. By recreating everyday items like a shirt or an underappreciated wall, Koós invites viewers to explore the intricate details often overlooked. These black-and-white reproductions, meticulously capturing the creases of fabric and the dents and scratches of walls, reveal the hidden stories embedded in mundane objects. This installation transforms the familiar into something newly visible, akin to suddenly noticing your surroundings in vivid detail after encountering a friend on the street. Koós's work at LLPlatform provided an unparalleled clarity, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the subtleties that define our everyday environments.

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In Marcel Zaes and Gábor Koós's unique collaborative exhibition at Elnök utca, Budapest, which opened on July 7, 2017, Gábor Koós presented a striking site-specific installation featuring numerous frottage prints on paper, with an impressive size of 440×440×250 cm. His work invites viewers to explore the intricate textures captured through frottage technique, bringing a tactile dimension to visual art.

Complementing Koós's visual installation, Marcel Zaes delivered an endless sound installation utilizing two loudspeakers, digital sine wave tones, and a drum sampler. This loop with variations created a continuously evolving auditory experience that enhanced the immersive quality of the exhibition.

Together, Koós and Zaes's work created a harmonious blend of sight and sound, transforming the space into a multi-sensory exploration.

Unfolded Territories

Gábor Koós's exhibition "Unfolded Territories" at Chimera-Project Gallery introduces a significant evolution in his artistic exploration. Moving beyond a personal narrative, Koós now delves into the appropriation and transformation of space through the concept of diffeomorphism. This mathematical term describes his process of morphing a found, empty factory into the gallery environment using the frottage technique, meticulously mapping and replicating each element.

This immersive installation challenged traditional notions of originality and reproduction, inviting viewers to contemplate the new qualities and perspectives that emerge when familiar spaces are recreated within a gallery setting. Koós's innovative approach promises a fresh understanding of spatial dynamics and the relationship between the original and its reproduction.

20-Year-Old Forest

Through monochrome graphic landscapes created from genuine imprints of trees, Koós transforms his intimate experiences of the passage of time and personal memories into poignant artworks. This installation not only memorializes moments spent with his father in the South Slovakian nature but also serves as a reflection on personal history and emotional landscapes.

Combining his expertise in imprints and monumental woodcuts, Koós's "20-Year-Old Forest" installation brought the essence of his familiar surroundings into the gallery space. While it may not replicate the fragrance of leaves and needles, the artwork preserves the essence of emotions and recollections tied to a specific place.

Trauma Space Therapy

Gábor Koós's site-specific artwork for the anniversary of the WWII Jewish ghetto in Pest, commissioned by the City of Budapest, resonates deeply with historical memory and collective trauma. Using large-scale frottage from clothes symbolizing human bodies, Koós confronted visitors with the solemnity of Klauzál Square, a former Jewish cemetery. Positioned strategically at the exit of the exhibition space, the artwork compelled viewers to tread over a white area, symbolically acknowledging and confronting the square's traumatic past.

Curated under the theme "TRAUMA – SPACE – THERAPY," the exhibition explored how contemporary artists, including Koós, interpret and respond to Klauzál Square's complex historical and present significance. These artworks served as profound reflections on memory, oblivion, and the enduring impact of the Holocaust, inviting viewers to engage with the layered narratives of the past and contemplate its implications for the future.

Selfish

Gábor Koós's poignant site-specific artwork for the anniversary of the WWII Jewish ghetto in Pest, commissioned by the City of Budapest, resonates deeply with historical memory and collective trauma. Using large-scale frottage from clothes symbolizing human bodies, Koós confronts visitors with the solemnity of Klauzál Square, a former Jewish cemetery. Positioned strategically at the exit of the exhibition space, the artwork compels viewers to tread over a white area, symbolically acknowledging and confronting the square's traumatic past.

Curated under the theme "TRAUMA – SPACE – THERAPY," the exhibition explores how contemporary artists, including Koós, interpret and respond to Klauzál Square's complex historical and present significance. These artworks serve as profound reflections on memory, oblivion, and the enduring impact of the Holocaust, inviting viewers to engage with the layered narratives of the past and contemplate its implications for the future. Visit the exhibition to witness Koós's powerful statement against forgetting and the exploration of urban landscapes imbued with historical resonance.

The Souvenir Series

In his Souvenir series, Koós explores the intersection of printmaking and 3D technology to preserve personal memories and spaces. Koós's debut in 3D print installation captures the essence of his art studio's goods lift and armchair, significant to his creative process and personal history. These prints serve as poignant souvenirs as he prepares to leave his studio behind.

Continuing the series, Koós commemorates familial connections and childhood memories by printing objects from his ancestral home, such as his grandfather's balcony fence and his uncle's saw. Each artwork is a tribute and a protest against forgetting, reflecting Koós's journey of coping with loss and preserving the legacy of loved ones.

Koós's heartfelt exploration of memory and mourning through the Souvenir series created artworks that resonate with personal and universal significance.

The Budapest Diary Series

Gábor Koós's Budapest Diary series immortalizes his everyday surroundings through meticulous woodcut and frottage print techniques. Winner of prestigious awards including "The Graphic of the Year" and the XXVI Miskolc Graphic Triennial prize, Koós's artworks encapsulate the essence of his autonomous life in Budapest.

Using woodcut, Koós documents streets, courtyards, and metro cars, presenting both the print and its matrix in innovative installations that merge art and real-space experience. This approach challenges traditional printmaking norms by treating each matrix and print as unique entities, emphasizing the complex interplay between copy and original.

Through frottage prints, Koós captures the nuanced emotions tied to independence and personal growth, symbolizing everyday objects like meters and walls with profound significance. In the Budapest Diary series, each artwork is a testament to memory, identity, and the artist's journey in the realm of contemporary printmaking.

Towers

Gábor Koós's diploma work explores the monumental towers of Glasgow through large-scale woodcut technique. These artworks not only capture the towering presence of Glasgow’s architecture but also reflect Koós's unique approach to printmaking.

By exhibiting both the woodcut print and its corresponding matrix together in installations, Koós creates a captivating interplay of light and shadow that emphasizes the monumental scale of the towers. This method challenges conventional printmaking norms by treating each matrix and print as singular and original, highlighting the complex dynamics of copy and originality in art.

Koós's dedication to producing only one print per matrix underscores his commitment to authenticity and artistic integrity. Each artwork preserves a distinct moment and perspective in the urban landscape.

Glasgow Diary

Gábor Koós's approach to preserving personal memories through printmaking ismotivated by a desire to capture and reflect personal connections to everyday objects and environments. For t his, Koós developed two unconventional methods deeply rooted in printmaking tradition but with a transformative twist.

Using the frottage technique, Koós directly applies paint to objects, transforming them into matrices that capture intricate details like the texture of grass in a park or the surface of a stone. These impressions are then transferred onto paper, creating unique prints that compile his intimate experiences into an artist book. This approach not only preserves tangible memories but also challenges traditional notions of printmaking by emphasizing spontaneity and personal connection.

Woodcuts

The standalone woodcuts, where each piece explores random themes with a distinct approach to printmaking, Koós meticulously crafts each artwork as a unique print, ensuring that no two pieces are alike. This commitment to creating singular prints challenges conventional methods of reproduction in printmaking, highlighting Koós's dedication to preserving the authenticity and individuality of each composition. Through his woodcut technique, Koós captures diverse subjects with intricate detail and expressive depth, inviting viewers to delve into narratives that span from the personal to the universal.