The exhibition showcases highlights from illustrator István Bányai’s oeuvre, revealing how his drawings became enmeshed in design culture in tangible forms—such as record covers, books, and magazines—in 1970s Hungary and later during what is considered the golden age of print media in the United States and worldwide.
IST-ONE: István Bányai
22. 11. – 06. 12. 2024, MOME Ground, Budapest
CURATOR: Noémi VISKI
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Mónika KOVÁCS
INSTALLATION DESIGN: Dóra KATONA
PROJECT LEAD: Balázs VARGHA
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Katalin TIHANYI
PROOFREADER: Judit HELFRICH
TRANSLATION: Dóra DARVAS
IMPLEMENTATION: Dessin Design, Foxon Design
COMMUNICATION: MOME Brand Office
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Katalin BAKOS, Katalin BÁNYAI, Simon BÁNYAI, Sára BÁRDI, Eszter FÖLDI, László HERBSZT,
Ilona JOBBÁGY, György KARA, Tibor KÁRPÁTI, Attila LŐRINCZ, Tamás MARCELL, Gyula MOLNÁR, László NAGY,
István OROSZ, Attila SIMON, Zsolt ZIMMERMANN, László ZSÓTÉR, Hungarian National Gallery, NFI
EXHIBITION DOCUMENTATION PHOTOS: Máté LAKOS (MOME)
István Bányai, an honorary university professor at MOME, was a leading figure of the 1970s graphic design generation and one of the most internationally acclaimed illustrators to graduate from MOME’s predecessor, the College of Applied Arts. After completing his studies, he worked in Hungary designing film posters, album covers, and book illustrations, before emigrating to the United States in the 1980s, where he continued his creative work until his death.
He had a philosophical disposition and refused to conform to any system, qualities that were reflected in his works. As an outsider, he offered sharp, critical insights into American public life through his illustrations, which were featured for many years in publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, New York Magazine, and Playboy, among others. His meticulous drawing skills, coupled with playfulness, intelligence, and humour, gave him a unique talent for distilling complex associations into a single image. His 1995 book Zoom, a landmark in the ‘silent book’ genre, earned him international acclaim.
István Bányai, an honorary university professor at MOME, was a leading figure of the 1970s graphic design generation and one of the most internationally acclaimed illustrators to graduate from MOME’s predecessor, the College of Applied Arts. After completing his studies, he worked in Hungary designing film posters, album covers, and book illustrations, before emigrating to the United States in the 1980s, where he continued his creative work until his death.
He had a philosophical disposition and refused to conform to any system, qualities that were reflected in his works. As an outsider, he offered sharp, critical insights into American public life through his illustrations, which were featured for many years in publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, New York Magazine, and Playboy, among others. His meticulous drawing skills, coupled with playfulness, intelligence, and humour, gave him a unique talent for distilling complex associations into a single image. His 1995 book Zoom, a landmark in the ‘silent book’ genre, earned him international acclaim.
SET IN STONE, 10. 13. 2008. THE NEW YORKER
SET IN STONE, 10. 13. 2008. THE NEW YORKER
SET IN STONE, 10. 13. 2008. THE NEW YORKER
Bányai, who passed away at the end of 2022, would have turned 75 this year. To mark the occasion, his alma mater is hosting a retrospective exhibition of his oeuvre, organised around questions that resonate with both current students and professionals, offering a contemporary lens through which to explore István Bányai's works and life events. How do other artists and educators influence a designer's style? What is it like to work abroad as a Hungarian? How can drawing shape public opinion and society? The exhibition also illustrates how these “grimaces captured on paper” became enmeshed in design culture in tangible forms – such as record covers, books, or magazines – in 1970s Hungary, and later during what was thought to be the golden age of print media in the United States and around the world.
At the exhibition, we’ve hidden a few illustrations by István Bányai as "Easter eggs" in various spots throughout the space. These serve a dual purpose: to help connect the main exhibition with the video room and to engage visitors arriving from different entrances to the exhibition space. Instead of producing traditional museum pedestals, we created installation elements from honeycomb cardboard. While being a more sustainable choice, they also blend more seamlessly with the illustrator's quickly made, paper-based drawings.
Bányai, who passed away at the end of 2022, would have turned 75 this year. To mark the occasion, his alma mater is hosting a retrospective exhibition of his oeuvre, organised around questions that resonate with both current students and professionals, offering a contemporary lens through which to explore István Bányai's works and life events. How do other artists and educators influence a designer's style? What is it like to work abroad as a Hungarian? How can drawing shape public opinion and society? The exhibition also illustrates how these “grimaces captured on paper” became enmeshed in design culture in tangible forms – such as record covers, books, or magazines – in 1970s Hungary, and later during what was thought to be the golden age of print media in the United States and around the world.
At the exhibition, we’ve hidden a few illustrations by István Bányai as "Easter eggs" in various spots throughout the space. These serve a dual purpose: to help connect the main exhibition with the video room and to engage visitors arriving from different entrances to the exhibition space. Instead of producing traditional museum pedestals, we created installation elements from honeycomb cardboard. While being a more sustainable choice, they also blend more seamlessly with the illustrator's quickly made, paper-based drawings.
Bányai, who passed away at the end of 2022, would have turned 75 this year. To mark the occasion, his alma mater is hosting a retrospective exhibition of his oeuvre, organised around questions that resonate with both current students and professionals, offering a contemporary lens through which to explore István Bányai's works and life events. How do other artists and educators influence a designer's style? What is it like to work abroad as a Hungarian? How can drawing shape public opinion and society? The exhibition also illustrates how these “grimaces captured on paper” became enmeshed in design culture in tangible forms – such as record covers, books, or magazines – in 1970s Hungary, and later during what was thought to be the golden age of print media in the United States and around the world.
At the exhibition, we’ve hidden a few illustrations by István Bányai as "Easter eggs" in various spots throughout the space. These serve a dual purpose: to help connect the main exhibition with the video room and to engage visitors arriving from different entrances to the exhibition space. Instead of producing traditional museum pedestals, we created installation elements from honeycomb cardboard. While being a more sustainable choice, they also blend more seamlessly with the illustrator's quickly made, paper-based drawings.
