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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
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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
2025
– ANIMA MUNDI – FOTOFESTIWAL International Photo Festival / Łódź
-The Dice Man | curator: Gabriella Csizek – F8 Gallery – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
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
– JUST TO BE by TOBE – Hungarian Cultural Institute / Sofia
– PHOTO / ARTIST / BOOK curated by Bea Istvánkó & Máté Lukács ISBN+ – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
– 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 – Eight Weeks. Hungarian photographers during the pandemic | Curated by Judit Gellér – Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center / Budapest
2020
– CURE – Eight Weeks. Hungarian photographers during the pandemic | Curated by Judit Gellér – 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
2025
Art & Antique – TOBE Gallery / Budapest
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
2025
– Anima Mundi – Shortlisted for Lensculture New Visions award
– Kontakt – shortlisted for FE+SK Book Award
– Anima Mundi – Shortlisted for the Hungarian Book Design Award
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 – Published by The Eriskay Connection | Texts by Emese Mucsi and Paul Dijstelberge | Design by Carel Fransen | Printed by Wilco Art Books (NL) | ISBN 978-94-93363-08-3
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 FEstival Les Boutographies, Montpellier
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
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Anima Mundi 21 | 107 x 100 cm | Ed. 1/1
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Anima Mundi 61 | 70 x 65 cm | Ed. 1/1
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Anima Mundi 49 | 70 x 65 cm | Ed. 1/1
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Anima Mundi 09 | 70 x 65 cm | Ed. 1/1
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Anima Mundi 63 | 70 x 65 cm | Ed. 1/1
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Anima Mundi 42 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 62 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 64 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 29 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 36 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 38 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 60 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi 58 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 2/3
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Anima Mundi C3 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
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Anima Mundi C4 | 43 x 40 cm | Ed. 1/3
KONTAKT
Archival pigment ink prints from analogue negatives
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KONTAKT I | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT IV | 70 x 52 cm | Ed. 2/5
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KONTAKT XII | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XXVIII | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XXXV | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XXXVII | 70 x 52 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XLVIII | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XLIX | 70 x 52 cm | Ed. 2/5
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KONTAKT L | 70 x 52 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT XLIII | 70 x 52 cm | Ed. 3/5
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KONTAKT XLII | 100 x 74 cm | Ed. 1/5
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KONTAKT edition box | 55 x 42 cm | Ed. 1/9
