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Máté Bartha

1987, Budapest - Hungary
Lives and works in Budapest
Represented by TOBE Gallery since 2018
  • Máté Bartha obtained his master’s degrees at the Moholy-Nagy University of Arts and Design and at the University of Theater and Film Arts, both in Budapest. After receiving the National Scholarship of Hungary for photographers, he self-published his first book, entitled Common Nature (2014). With his project called KONTAKT, he received the Capa Grand Prize Fellowship (2017), the Robert Capa Grand Prize Hungary (2018), and the Luis Rederer Discovery Award – Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles (2019).

     

    Ambiguity is a core element of Máté Bartha’s works. He uses still, or motion picture as a medium, with a sensitivity for socially relevant topics. The visual approach originates from a documentaristic point of view, but rather than trying to create the illusion of objectivity, Bartha tries to create ambivalence in the interpretation of each image, each story. By addressing issues on contemporary human environment, or on certain under-represented groups, his works leave the viewer with the possibility of revising seemingly self-evident notions.

     

     

    IG Máté Bartha

Academic studies

2023-          – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), Budapest / DLA Studies
2016-2018 – University of Theatre and Film Arts (SzFE), Budapest / Directing documentaries MA
2006-2011 – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), Budapest / Photography MA

 

Solo and duo exhibitions

2024

ANIMA MUNDI – Les Boutographies – Rencontres Photographiques de Montpellier – Pavillon Populaire / Montpellier
2023

– ANIMA MUNDI – Liszt Institute Hungarian Cultural Center  / Sofia
– ANIMA MUNDI – International Meetings of Photography  | curator: Emese Mucsi – Babalova House / Plovdiv

ANIMA MUNDI – Night of the Year screening – Papeteries Etienne & Croiserie at Les Rencontres de la Photographie / Arles

2022

ANIMA MUNDI | curator: Emese Mucsi – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

2020

KONTAKT – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

– KONTAKT – FOTOFESTIWAL International Photo Festival / Łódź

2019

– KONTAKT – Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival / Xiamen

– KONTAKT – Louis Roederer Discovery Award – Les Rencontres de la Photographie / Arles

2016

– Merging Realities – Szatyor Art Space / Budapest

– Swing | Hinta / joint show with Michal Grochowiak – Platán Gallery – Polish Cultural Institute / Budapest
2015

– Disappearing Rural Villages – Telep Galéria, Off Biennale / Budapest

2012

– 680 km – Kunstraum Visual Kontakt / Ulm

2009

– Contemplate – Lumen Galéria / Budapest

 

Selected group exhibitions

2025

– FCKN LOVE III. – TOBE Gallery / Budapest
2024
– KONTAKT – Heile Welt, curated by Martin Baasch – Schaumbad Freies Atelierhaus / Graz

2023

– TO BE continued – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

– Like You And Me / Young Hungarian Photography, curated by Zita Sárvári – Mai Manó House-The Hungarian House of Photographers / Budapest

2022

– Group show – CineEast Film Festival / Luxembourg

2021

– KONTAKT – IDEOLOGIES RAY Fotografieprojekte – Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation / Frankfurt

– NFT SUX – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

– CURE – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest

2020

– CURE – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest- Eight Weeks. Hungarian photographers during the pandemic – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
– SO[u]LIDARITÉ online – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

2019

– Thirtythree – Grote Kerk / Breda
– LIGHT – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

2018

– Thirtythree – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
– Hello from the other side – curated by Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
– City vs Nature – D17 Galéria / Budapest

2016

– Pécsi 25 – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest

2015

– Budapest Balaton – Hungarian Cultural Institute / Istambul

2014

– Home Away, Hungarians in NY – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
– derkó.pécsi.2014 – Budapest Hall of Art – Kunsthalle / Budapest
– Enter/ing – FKSE Galéria / Budapest

2013

– Indíték Tématéka – Labor Gallery / Budapest

2011

– FormElles – Hungarian Cultural Institute / Paris
– Keresetlen Csúf – University of Fine Arts / Budapest
– The I Country – Demo Galéria / Budapest

2009

– Photobienalle of Dunaújváros – Institute of Contemporary Art / Dunaújváros
– Image Error – Artbázis Galéria / Budapest
– The Rain Before It Falls – Karton Galéria / Budapest
– Metropolis – Nessim Galéria / Budapest

 

Presence in Art Fairs

2023

– MIA Milan Image Art Fair – TOBE Gallery / Milan

– Art & Antique – TOBE Gallery / Budapest

2022

– UNSEEN – TOBE Gallery / Amsterdam

– Photo Basel – TOBE Gallery / Basel

2021

– UNSEEN – TOBE Gallery / Amsterdam

2019

– Paris Photo | Main sector – TOBE Gallery / Paris

 

Awards, scholarships

2024

– Prix du Jury at Les Boutographies – Rencontres Photographiques de Montpellier / Montpellier

– Main Prize, Honourable Mention: Anima Mundi at PHMuseum Grant / Bologna

2023

– Budapest Photography Scholarship at Robert Capa Photography Center / Budapest

2022

– Artis-in-residence at the Cité Des Arts by Budapest Gallery / Paris

– Pécsi József Scholarship / Budapest

– Art Foto Mode – One Year Programme / Athens, Berlin, Budapest

2021

– Pécsi József Scholarship / Budapest

2019

– Szél viszi | Downstream – Best Student/Debut Film Award, XVI. VERZIÓ International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival / Budapest
– PHMuseum 2019 Photography Grant – Honorable Mention
– Louis Roederer Discovery Award – Les Rencontres de la Photographie / Arles

2018

– Robert Capa Photography Grand Prize Hungary / Budapest
– Bajnok – Champion – Special mention, Shorts, BIDF 2018 / Budapest

2017

– Robert Capa Photography Fellowship awardee, Capa Center / Budapest

2014

– Fieldwork in New York, FFS, Hungarian Initiatives Foundation / New York
– Participant of PLAT(T)FORM 2014 / Winterthur

– Pécsi József Scholarship / Budapest

2013

– Fotóporta portfolio review, 3rd place / Budapest

2012

– Fotóporta portfolio review, special mention / Budapest
– Artist in residence – Visual Kontakt / Ulm

 

Publications

2024

– Anima Mundi – The Eriskay Connection. Texts by Emese Mucsi and Paul Dijstelberge. Design by Carel Fransen

2014

– Common Nature – Self-published with the support of the National Scholarship of Hungary for photographers / Budapest

 

Works in collections

Hungarian Museum of Photography, Kecskemét
La Collection des Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles

 

Selected PRESS

2020

– Vigyázz! Pihenj!, Margl Ferenc / Újművészet
– A szépség labirintus, Tóth Judit Nikoletta / ArtNews

2019

– Bartha Máté: KONTAKT, Mucsi Emese / Artmagazin
– Hungary’s military summer youth camps, Sean O’Hagan / The Guardian UK
– Hungary’s military-themed summer camps, Sarah Roberts / 1854 BJP UK

2018

– Pécsről indult Bartha Máté, Mészáros B. András / BAMA

2017

– Összekovácsolja a fiatalokat a Tisza-menti „dzsungel”, Vékony Zsolt / Magyar Nemzet

 

 

available artworks

ANIMA MUNDI

Archival pigment ink prints from analogue negatives

 

KONTAKT

Archival pigment ink prints from analogue negatives

 

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