Artist Highlight - Eniko Czigany

1. The Fading Memories series begins with lace imprints pressed into handmade paper. What interests you about translating textile craft into this delicate paper-based process?

I was searching for a technique to create these works that would both highlight the delicate, almost invisible details of handicrafts and allow me to reinterpret through my own artistic concept. Previously, I had made monochrome paper prints for other projects, which inspired me to consider this method as the most suitable medium for this series. However, my initial attempts to press lace into paper did not produce the desired results. During a papermaking workshop I realized - through experiencing the raw pulp - that such fine textures can only truly come to life within the papermaking process itself.

2. The works combine blind embossing with diluted ink washes. How do these two visual languages interact to reveal the underlying geometric structures?

When I first held these handmade works, I was captivated by their repetitive geometric structures and the tangible, almost magical world of algorithms within them. While painting the geometric elements, I did not follow a preplanned composition or fixed system; instead, I observed the work’s internal forms and let the rhythm of the lace guide my hand. I surrendered to memory, recalling how my grandmothers worked instinctively with fine cotton threads. In this way, the two methods - intuitive and carefully shaped - merge, forming a unified whole in these images.

3. Crocheted lace is often dismissed as decorative or nostalgic. How does your work attempt to reframe these patterns as complex systems of geometry and knowledge?

My main intention with this series is to free my grandmothers’ handicrafts from clichés that label them as outdated or unnecessary. To me, they embody diligence, craftsmanship, and an irrepressible creative spirit, while also preserving ancient traditions. The series approaches them from a personal perspective, lifting them from their decorative function and merging them into another material. It highlights and reinterprets the transformation of traditional motifs into geometric forms, revealing the embedded knowledge that has been passed down and evolved across generations.

4. You describe these works as both remembrance and transformation. How does the process of imprinting and painting allow past and present gestures to coexist within the image?

In these works, two motifs, two techniques, and two generations meet. The blind emboss preserves memory while transforming it through the process. It creates a kind of mirror image: pressing lace into fresh pulp reverses its texture, producing an inverse imprint that reveals subtle details, as the soft paper fills the lace’s open spaces. This inversion becomes my starting point. Along these once-invisible negative patterns, I develop a painterly concept that extends the work, transforming memory into a contemporary image.

5. The lace impressions are often placed asymmetrically in the paper pulp. What role does this intentional disruption play in the final composition?

From the preparation and composition of the embossing, I knew this was the beginning of a creative process, though I did not yet know how it would continue. I designed many compositions with intentional shifts - displacing lace or pressing multiple pieces into one sheet - to create asymmetry and a sense of absence that could guide further development and balance. Thus, two techniques and artistic intentions intertwine: the blind embossing and the painted elements complement each other, completing the composition.

6. The surfaces appear quiet and minimal, yet they hold layered histories of labour and handwork. How do you approach revealing these hidden gestures without overwhelming the image?

I contemplated the finished white monochrome prints for a long time, initially imagining them completed with undiluted black ink. However, I soon realized that the strong contrast would overpower the embossing’s delicacy and distract from the intricate details I aimed to highlight. I began experimenting with diluted ink, arriving at a very light grey tone that feels as airy as the original lace. It complements rather than dominates the image, reflecting the material’s transparency as well. The painted elements also emphasize the geometric forms that first captured my attention, opening space for further associations.

7. Within The Invisible Made Visible, your works uncover overlooked forms of domestic craft. What do you hope viewers recognise when they encounter these subtle imprints of handwork?

I truly hope that the theme of my work - the contemporary reinterpretation and visibility of traditional craftsmanship - resonates with many people. I believe it is something others can relate to, as most families have forgotten objects stored away, which have lost their original function yet are kept out of love and respect. It would mean a great deal to me if these images inspired others to view the heritage of the past from an entirely new perspective.