Onda, 2015 by Ildiko Kovacs

Details

Date

2015

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on plywood

Dimensions

180.0 x 365.0 cm board

Signature & date

Signed and dated u.r. verso, black fibre-tipped pen "ILDIKO KOVACS/ .../ .../ 2015".

Credit

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Bulgari Art Award 2015

Location

Not on display

Accession number

123.2015

Copyright

Reproduction requests

Artist information

Ildiko Kovacs

Works in the collection

2

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About

Ildiko Kovacs has been exhibiting since the 1980s and is one of Australia's finest abstractionists, known for her nuanced explorations of line, colour and rhythm. Kovacs' painting process is largely instinctive. When beginning a work she describes trying "to enter a space where preconceptions fall away", relying on "intuition to bring the unseen into the seen". Unusually, Kovacs uses rollers to apply layers of paint over large surfaces, which she builds up and scrapes back over time. The residual traces of these different strata determine how the painting evolves, and create a subtle sense of movement and depth within her compositions.

In Italian the word 'onda' means wave. Kovacs' studio is close to the ocean and the constant sound of the waves inspired both the colour palette and fluid mark making in this work: the blues and greens strongly evoke marine associations, while the loose tangle of lines channels the energy of tidal ebbs and flows.

Exhibition history

Shown in 2 exhibitions

The DNA of colour: Ildiko Kovacs, Orange Regional Gallery, Orange, 18 Apr 2019–16 Jun 2019
Kandinsky-related collection display, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 28 Oct 2023–04 Feb 2024

Bibliography

Referenced in 13 publications

Robin Amadio, Wentworth Courier, 'Surprise guests for artist's dinner', pg. 27, Sydney, 29 Apr 2015, 27.
Nicholas Forrest., http://au.blouinartinfo.com, 'Ildiko Kovacs wins the 2015 Bulgari Art Award', Australia, 23 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus., detail). viewed 11.05.2015, http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1141069/ildiko-kovacs-wins-the-2015-bulgari-art-award
Andrew Hornery, Sydney Morning Herald, 'Little drizzle' not enough to dampen things', pg. 20, Sydney, 25 Apr 2015, 20.
Julie Power., smh.com.au, 'Bulagri Art Award 2015 winner Ildiko Kovacs is riding a wave to Italy', Sydney, 23 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus.). viewed 11.05.2015, http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/bulgari-art-award-2015-winner-ildiko-kovacs-is-riding-a-wave-to-italy-20150423-1mrjd1.html
Julie Power, Sydney Morning Herald, 'Bulgari Art Award winner rides a wave to Italy', pg. 13, Sydney, 24 Apr 2015, 13 (colour illus., detail).
Karishma Sarkari., dailymail.co.uk, 'Colour blocking Cate! Blanchett's silk skirt-and-top ensemble matches Bulgari Art Award's winning painting at gallery', Australia, 24 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus., detail). viewed 11.05.2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3053468/Colour-blocking-Cate-Blanchett-s-silk-skirt-ensemble-matches-Bulgari-Art-Award-s-winning-painting-gallery.html
John Saxby (Editor), Look, 'Art that made me: Ildiko Kovacs', pg. 14-15, Sydney, Apr 2016, 14.
John Saxby (Editor), Look, 'Bulgari Art Award 2015', pg. 8, Sydney, Jun 2015, 8 (colour illus., detail).
Deborah Stone (Editor), www.artshub.com.au, 'Kudos: a week bustling with talent and accolades', Australia, 20 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus., detail). viewed 11.05.2015, http://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/news/performing-arts/visual-arts-writer/kudos-a-week-busting-with-talent-and-accolades-247761
Michael Stutchbury (Editor in Chief), Australian Financial Review, 'Picture of success', pg. 9, Sydney, 24 Apr 2015, 9 (colour illus., detail).
Sophie Tedmanson., vogue.com.au, 'Ildiko Kovacs on her Bulgari Art Award win and painting without a plan', Sydney, 23 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus.). viewed 11.05.2015, http://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/ildiko+kovacs+on+her+bulgari+art+award+win+and+painting+without+a+plan,36718
Katherine Viner (Editor in Chief), theguardian.com.au, 'Australian artist Ildiko Kovacs wins $80,000 Bulgari art award', Sydney, 23 Apr 2015, n.pag. (colour illus.). viewed 11.05.2015, http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/apr/23/australian-artist-ildiko-kovacs-wins-80000-bulgari-art-award
Matthew Westwood, The Australian, 'Ildiko's riding crest of a wave, and it's sublime', pg. 3, Sydney, 24 Apr 2015, 3 (colour illus., detail).

Onda