ABOUT
This selection of Gábor Palotai’s artworks exhibit his open-ended body of work dedicated to different themes and topics. Spanning over four decades, his oeuvre embraces a multitude of media and motifs.
His work – where art and design merge – moves through several movements in both art and design history. Starting off in the late 1970s with conceptual photography and Fluxus, early modern collage and late modern grid-based projects, postminimalism, postmodern digital art, continuing with new media art, experimental graphic films, visual identity, environmental and multidisciplinary graphic design.
His art projects and graphic design commissions are intermixed and displayed in different ways throughout his artist’s books: Maximizing the Audience (2000), AM MU NA HI (2001), 111 Posters (2007), Odysseus – A graphic Design Novel (2007), ZOO (2017), and Cosmos (2019). His interdisciplinary visual communication is often reinforced by making joint forces out of different media. At his solo exhibition Odysseus at Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, for instance, copies of his artist’s book Odysseus: A Graphic Design Novel was arranged as a sculptural piece running along the exhibition hall, while his experimental graphic film Odysseus was displayed on the walls. This exhibition also took place at another less conventional place, a night club in Stockholm, where the film was shown as a parallel exhibition.
Inspired by Vilém Flusser’s "the swarm of pixels is indescribable", Gábor Palotai started off an immense graphic art project. What began as a visual study on the pixel and graphic fragments has by now transcended into an extensive pattern-production that lay the foundation of his expansive private archive of patterns. These different patterns have in their turn laid the ground for several of his distinct design- and artworks.
His experimental interpretation on Possible Landscapes have resulted in diverse artworks, from Unreadable Landscapes (2014), Symmetrical Landscapes (2019) and recently Monochrome Landscapes (2023). The latter consists of paintings on wood adorned with reliefs of images developed and enlarged from his pattern series.
EDUCATION
Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (Hungarian Academy of Craft and Design) in Budapest 1976–1980
The Royal Institute of Art (Stockholm, Sweden) 1981–1983
Beckmans College of Design (Stockholm, Sweden) 1983–1984
EXHIBITIONS
2023
Figuration / Non-Figuration. Olseröds Konsthall, Olseröd, Sweden. Exhibition together with Klara Östlund.
COSMOS / Book, digital prints, film / ISBN books+gallery, Budapest
2020
Code and Algorithm – Hommage á Vera Molnar. Vasarely Museum, Budapest. Group exhibition.
2019
Odysseus. &KONST – Sigtuna Museum & Art, Stockholm. Solo exhibition.
Exhibition Hommage à Bauhaus. Institut Hongrois de Paris, 92 Rue Bonaparte. Group exhibition.
Exhibition Hommage à Bauhaus. Gallery Pécs, Hungary. Group exhibition.
Bauhaus 100. Ludwig Museum, Budapest. Group exhibition.
Symmetrical Landscapes. Olseröds Konsthall, Olseröd, Sweden. Together with Lena Willhammar.
2018
ZOO – LANDSCAPES – COSMOS. Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, Budapest. Solo exhibition.
Visual Acoustics – International exhibition of contemporary arts on visual music. Fondazzjoni Kreattivita’, Malta. Group exhibition.
Found Pixels / Talált Pixelek. Ferenczy Múzeum Centrum, Szentendre, Budapest. Together with Bp.Szabó György.
ZOO. Hoffmans Antikhandel, Stockholm. Solo exhibition and book release.
2017
Works / Munkák 1976–1980. Galeria Neon, Budapest. Solo Exhibition.
Mycket mer än gångbart. Handarbetets Vänner/Friends of Handicraft, Stockholm. Group exhibition.
2016
#Bartók. Ludwig Museum, Budapest. Group Show.
2014
Unreadable Landscapes. Liget Galéria, Budapest. Solo exhibition.
AM MU NA HI. Pictures from the American Museum of Natural History. Hotel Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, 2014–2015. Solo exhibition.
Thriller. Textile design for furniture. Designgalleriet Kammakargatan, Stockholm.
2013
Unreadable Patterns. Hotel Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, 2013–2014. Solo exhibition.
Ränder, rytm, riktning. The Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet), Stockholm, 2013–2014. Group show.
Liget 30. Olof Palme Ház, Budapest. Group show.
2008
AM MU NA HI. Hungarian House of Photography in Mai Manó House, Budapest. Solo exhibition.
2007
Odysseus. Röhsska Museum of Applied Art & Design. Solo exhibition.
Odysseus. C3, Center for Culture & Communication, Budapest. Solo exhibition.
2005
Moscow Biennale. Group show.
Swedish by Design. NYC. Group show.
2004
Designed in Sweden. Museum of London, Los Angeles, NYC. Group show.
2003
European Design Biennale. London Design Museum. Group show.
Dissonanzia. Milano. Group show.
Scandinavian Design Beyond the Myth. Berlin, Milano, Gent, Prag, Budapest, Copenhagen,
2003–2006. Group Show.
2002
Vision Image and Perception. Műcsarnok / Kunsthalle Budapest. Group Exhibition.
1993
Gábor Palotai: Carpets and Photographs. Röhsska Museum of Applied Art & Design.
Solo exhibition.
1990
Swedish Steel. Liget Galéria, Budapest. Solo exhibition together with Miklós Peternák.
1987
Wunderbaum. Liget Galéria, Budapest. Solo exhibition together with Miklós Peternák.
1986
Den svenska tristessen, Group Exhibition, Galleri Gauss, Stockholm,.
Gábor Palotai Fotografier. Galleri Linjen, Västervik. Solo exhibition.
Gábor Palotai Fotografier. Fotohuset, Gothenburg. Solo exhibition.
Gábor Palotai Fotografier. Scandinavian Photography. Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf (now
Museum Kunstpalast). Group Show.
Hellas. Liget Galéria, Budapest. Solo exhibition together with Miklós Peternák.
1985
Dark Light, White Shadows. Gauss Fotografiskt Galleri. Solo exhibition.
Gábor Palotai & Miklós Peternák. Atelier des Maitres, Paris. Solo exhibition.
1984
Gábor Palotai. Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, solo exhibition.
1983
The store-room silverprints. Galleri Gauss, Stockholm. Solo exhibition.
1981
Gábor Palotai. Actuell Art Gallery, Stockholm. Solo exhibition.
BOOKS
COSMOS by Gabor Palotai. Gabor Palotai Publisher (2019)
ZOO by Gabor Palotai. Gabor Palotai Publisher (2017)
Odysseys. A graphic Design Novel by Gábor Palotai. Gabor Palotai Publisher (2007)
111 Posters. Gestalten Verlag (2007)
The Models (Co-written with Claesson Koivisto Rune. Gabor Palotai Publisher (2005)
AM MU NA HI. American Museum of Natural History. Gabor Palotai Publisher (2005)
Maximazing the Audience (The Animated Book). Gabor Palotai Publisher (2000)
Maximazing the Audience (The Book). Ginko Press (2000)
AWARDS
Red Dot Design Award Best of the Best 2020. Poster design. Skap – Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers & Authors.
Red Dot Design Award 2020. Poster design. Restaurant Videgård.
Swedish Book Art Award 2019. Vera von Toth – A beauty surgeon’s monologue by Linda Rampell.
Swedish Design Prize 2019. Designer of the Year. Svenska Designpriset 2019.
Red Dot Design Award 2019. Illustrations. Gabor Palotai – Cosmos.
German Design Award 2019 Nominee. Poster design. Livsdal of Sweden.
German Design Award 2019 Nominee. Poster design. Neon Art Gallery.
Hungarian Design Award 2018. Visual Identity. Livsdal of Sweden.
Red Dot Design Award 2018. Poster design. Neon Art Gallery.
Red Dot Design Award 2018. Poster design. Livsdal of Sweden.
Red Dot Design Award 2018. Poster design. Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
German Design Award 2019. Special Mention. Poster design. Gabor Palotai – Zoo
German Design Award 2019. Winner. Poster design. Contempo Art Auctions
The Golden Egg Award / Guldägget 2018. Diplom. Visual Identity. Livsdal of Sweden.
Red Dot Design Award 2018. Poster design. Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
German Design Award 2019. Special Mention. Poster design. Gabor Palotai – Zoo
German Design Award 2019. Winner. Poster design. Contempo Art Auctions
The Golden Egg Award / Guldägget 2018. Diplom. Visual Identity. Livsdal of Sweden.
German Design Award 2018 Winner. Poster design for the book "The Shopmodern Condition" by Linda Rampell.
German Design Award 2018 Special Mention. Poster design. Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
Golden Drawing Pin / Aranyrajzszög díj 2017. Lifetime Achievement Award.
Red Dot Design Award Best of the Best 2017. Poster design. Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
Red Dot Design Award Best of the Best 2017. Gabor Palotai – Zoo Illustrations.
Red Dot Design Award Best of the Best 2017. Poster design. Gabor Palotai – Zoo
Red Dot Design Award 2017. Poster design. Contempo Art Auctions
Red Dot Design Award 2016. Poster design Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
Red Dot Design Award 2016. Poster design for the book "The Shopmodern Condition" by Linda Rampell.
Swedish Book Art Award 2016. Facing Heaven by Erik Videgård. Natur & Kultur.
Red Dot Design Award 2016. Product design. Thriller (collaboration with Anna Kraitz).
Swedish Design Prize 2015, Gold medal. Svenska Designpriset 2015. Book Design. Facing Heaven by Erik Videgård. Natur & Kultur.
Cultural Award of Stockholm City. 2015.
German Design Award 2015 Nominee. Poster design. Violin and cello concerto at Berwaldhallen.
German Design Award 2015 Nominee. Record sleeve. Oddjob – Live in Bremen.
German Design Award 2015 Nominee. Corporate and Brand Design. The Mobile Exhibition Lab.
Red Dot Design Award 2014. Poster design. Violin and cello concerto at Berwaldhallen.
Red Dot Design Award 2014. Record sleeve. Oddjob – Live in Bremen.
German Design Award 2014 Nominee. Poster Design. Reflex Architects.
European Design Awards (Silver) 2013. Poster Reflex. Reflex Architects.
Red Dot Design Award 2013. Corporate design of the Mobile Exhibition Lab. Swedish Travelling Exhibition. Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
Red Dot Design Award 2012. Poster design Reflex. Reflex Architects.
Red Dot Design Award 2012. Book design Claesson Koivisto Rune, On Yellow. Skandium, London.
German Design Award 2012 Nominee. Corporate Design. Swedish Travelling Exhibition.
German Design Award 2012 Nominee. Swedish Travelling Exhibition, Annual Report.
German Design Award 2012 Nominee. Book Design. Linda Rampell: Freud med Skalpell. GPP.
German Design Award 2012 Nominee. Record Sleeve. Leucocyte. Esbjörn Svensson Trio. The ACT Company.
German Design Award 2012 Nominee. Corporate Design. Sollentuna Shopping Centre. Steen & Ström.
Red Dot Design Award 2010. Record sleeve Leucocyte. Esbjörn Svensson Trio. The ACT Company.
Red Dot Design Award 2010. Book design Freud med Skalpell av Linda Rampell. GPP.
Red Dot Design Award 2010. Annual Report of the Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
Red Dot Design Award 2010. Corporate design of the Sollentuna Shopping Centre in Stockholm. Steen & Ström.
Red Dot Design Award 2010. Corporate design of the Swedish Exhibition Agency (Riksutställningar).
German Design Award 2009 Nominee. Book Design. Function Rules. Ergonomi Design.
German Design Award 2009 Nominee. Book Design. Gábor Palotai Odysseus a Graphic Design Novel. GPP.
Red Dot Design Award 2007. Book design Gábor Palotai Odysseus a Graphic Design Novel. GPP.
Red Dot Design Award 2007. Book design Function Rules. Veryday (former Ergonomi Design).
Red Dot Design Award 2005. Poster design Made in Sweden. Svensk Form.
Red Dot Design Award 2003. OP Vodka. V&S Group.
Red Dot Design Award 2003. Book design Gábor Palotai AM MU NA HI. GPP.
Red Dot Design Award 2003. Book design and DVD Gábor Palotai Maximizing The Audience. GPP.
The Golden Egg Award (Guldägget) 2006 (Swedish Communication Agencies) for the exhibition poster Estonia.
Kolla (Design Award) between 2000 and 2009 approx. 6 different.
Swedish Book Art Award between 1990 and 2013 approx. 20 different.
Core International Design Award 2002 for the design of the OP Vodka. V&S Group.
The Golden Egg Award (Guldägget). Silver. 1987. Christmas packaging design for Hennes & Mauritz (H&M).
Excellent Swedish Design Prize between 1985 and 2002 approx. 25 different.
KW Guller Stipendium, 1985.
Kycklingstipendiet. 1985.
2nd. Graphic Design Biennal in Hungary, Békéscsaba. 1980. Special Prize.
REFERENCES
AGI.
Graphic Design for the 21st Century. 100 of the World's Best Graphic Designers. Charlotte and Peter Fiell. Taschen 2003. Pages 230–235 ISBN 3-8228-1605-1.
European Design Awards 2013 Celebrating Creative Brilliance (participating) ISBN 978-960-98284-5-1.
Contemporary Graphic Design. Charlotte and Peter Fiell. Taschen 2007. Pages 396–399 ISBN 9783822852699.
Grids. Gavin Ambrose and Paul Harris. AVA publishing, 2008. Pages 3, 86–89, 148–151, 160–161 ISBN 978-2-940411-92-4.
Who's Who in Design. The Leading Designers of the World, ed. Peter Zec, Red Dot Edition, Vol 1, Vol 2 (2003). Pages 276–277, Vol 3 (2007) pages 262–263.
Novum, World of Graphic Design, München 07/12. Pages 50–51.
Novum, World of Graphic Design, München 06/07. Pages. 62–65.
Novum, World of Graphic Design, Gabor Palotai.
TipoGráfica, Buenos Aires, June/July 2/2, 005. Pages 16–23.
Eva Atle Bjarnestam De formade 1900–talet, 2005. Page 173 ISBN 91-27-10778-7.
Octogon. Architecture & Design, Budapest, 2005/2
Étapes: design et culture visuelle, Paris 07/2004, parade en noir et blanc. Page 53.
Print. May/June 2007. Page 143.
BLUEPRINT, June 2005. Page 82-84.
Kobra / SVT, Interview with Gábor Palotai in His Studio by Malik Bendjelloul, 2004.
Poster Design. Big Size Visuals, selected by Marc Gimenez, Instituto Monsa de Ediciones, Barcelona 2011. Pages 64–71 ISBN 978-8415223030.
Los Logos, ed. Robert Klanten and Nicolas Bourquin, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2004. Pages 58, 91, 133, 134 ISBN 978-3-89955-055-9.
It's A Matter of Packaging edited by Victionary 2005 (participating).
Romantik, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2003 (participating).
Bo Bergström, Effektiv visuell kommunikation, Carlssons Bokförlag 2012. Pages 133, 270, 274 ISBN 978-91-7331-507-4.
Pictogram and Icon Graphics, ed. Ami Miyazaki, PIE Book, Tokyo, 2002 (participating) ISBN 4-89444-214-0.
2013 International Poster Exhibition, Korea, 2014. Page 183.
Nordic Graphic Designers. Arvinius Förlag, 2011. Pages 128–135 ISBN 978-9185689224.
Peternák Miklós, Gabor Palotai, Maximizing the Audience
Gabor Palotai Design, Red Dot.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2013/2014 Red Dot Edition. Pages 150,151.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2012/2013 Red Dot Edition. Pages 207, 363.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2010/2011 Red Dot Edition. Pages 150, 153, 204, 367, 453 ISBN 978-3-89939-117-6.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2007/2008 Red Dot Edition. Pages 340, 351.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2005/2006 Red Dot Edition. Page 257.
International Yearbook Communikation Design. 2003/2004 Red Dot Edition. Pages 158, 216, 217 ISBN 3-929638-81-9.
Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany 2009. German Design Council. Pages 481, 485 ISBN 978-3-89939-117-6.
Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany 2007. German Design Council. Page 361.
Lotta Lewenhaupt, "Text eller snarare Betraktelse, Gabor Palotai's utställning, Unreadable Patterns".
Gábor Palotai, 111 Posters (2007) ISBN 978-91-976557-0-5.
Margareta Artsman, "Grafisk bortom alla ord", SvD 7/12 2007.
Maria Papaefstathiu,"Gabor Palotai Design", Graphic Art News 9/5 2009.
Lászlo Beke, "A Progresszív magyar fotó", Imago Winter No. 3.1996/97.