Barnabás Neogrády-Kiss | Stone, paper, socks

solo exhibition

"Most of my pictures of children were taken in SOS Children's Villages, in their substitute homes. The images portray a closed society that is difficult to enter, where the rules are tough to learn. However, after the project ended, I noticed that the images seemed to break free from the often heavy and tragic web of fates, words, and stories and began to take on a life of their own. I had to revisit them and continue the work by creating new images. But in doing so, different contexts and rhymes emerged. Everything became a sign: a twig, a board, a bag, a lock of hair, a gesture, a facial expression, a style of running, and all the signs combined into a symbology. I'm not sure if I'm sharing the children's story or if I'm writing my own. The meaning of all this is a mystery because it is still a picture, not a self-explanatory text. It is as mysterious as the children who turn away from us while showing their backs or have their eyes closed or their heads bowed. We don't know if tears or laughter will follow. It's like solving a puzzle, examining our surroundings and inner workings. You must step back into adolescence to know how the future will unfold. Rock, paper..., socks?"