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| Szechenyi Fűrdő |
Somewhere between the animation aesthetic of Robert Crumb and Chuck Jones lies the art of Marcus Goldson. His work depicts with absurd glee the people, lives, and loves of Budapest.
So much of the appeal lies not necessarily in the skill of his work, although Goldson's skill is more than ample. This artist has a keen eye for detail, the kind of detail that sets the quirks of this city apart from any other European capitol. And while this city is thoroughly European, it is also distinctly Hungarian,
naturally, and Goldson, while sketching out these peculiarities with an obvious adoration of Budapest, holds nothing back in his depictions. Consider the picture above.... not only is this man much too massive for his tiny banana hammock, but he has also made sure that he will not run out of that ubiquitous Hungarian brew, Dreher. The spirit of this piece rings absolutely true to a certain slice of Budapest culture, and it is depicted with such perfect, loving humor.
Anyone who frequently patronizes public transportation in BP has definitely seen a version or two of the three grande dames depicted above. There is a sort of over the top elegance that many of the communist generation possess. One sees these ladies and suddenly realizes where Zsa Zsa Gabor comes from! These three remind me of a vivid, aged version of the Three Fates.
So much is going on in the picture above...obviously. But this pic is chock full of commentary as well. Beginning with the bottom left hand corner....this piece is apparently supposed to be presented from the view of the guy lighting up. Smoking is a given in Budapest. Better get used to it. Some public places offer separate smoking sections and even fewer forbid it altogether, but, smoking is seemingly a national past time. I think the people, in general, are so intense they need a cig every now and then just to calm their minds down, to be able to focus.
The smoker has on his table the ever present blackberryish device which says in the window SZIA..."szia" is a casual way of saying either hello or goodbye to friends. It is used when cooing at cute animals as well. Cosmo hears it all the time.
Dogs (kutyak) are ever present in Budapest...there are about 400,000 of them in a city of a million and a half. Many of them seem to be incredibly street wise, particularly those who cruise the streets of Pest off-leash. The kutya in this pic is on a leash and happily wagging his/her tail as he/she cruises along with the human, elegantly dressed in boots, of course, and a clever hat.
Hungarians are not subtle...they speak their minds in words and actions, as this older lady, clutching a bag printed with the essential faux animal skin, is demonstrating. Her wine bottle, headed for the drunk who has been marinating in Dreher and has not yet completed the process, barely misses it's mark but sends a painfully clear message....don't fuck with me, sonny. Her dog appears to be floating like a balloon above a Turkish shopkeeper as the couple in the balcony glare at the action below.
Flesh is out and proud in BP, regardless of physical shape or condition. I like that...and the woman shopkeeper in the picture is letting it all hang out. Got boobs? Flaunt them, by god, even if your back has boobs too!
Check out the irreverent art of Marcus Goldson at his website...his talents are not limited to BP alone. He creates wonderful city scapes and pictorals from all over the world. Szia! x http://www.marcusgoldson.co.uk/
