Microtomy
The Budapest Gallery’s international exhibition Microtomy takes its title from a scientific method of slicing ultra-thin material layers for microscopic study. Similarly, the featured painters dissect the medium of painting itself—deconstructing the stretcher, canvas, and pigment to expose its raw material nature. They cut, stitch, press, and scrape, turning technique into both subject and surface.
Background
Microtomy, a group exhibition at Budapest Gallery curated by Dalma Eszter Kollár, explored materiality and abstraction in contemporary painting. Taking its name from a scientific method of slicing ultra-thin layers for microscopic examination, the show dissected painting as a medium through the works of Attila Bagi, Dániel Bernáth, Dejan Dukic and Rita Koszorús. The challenge was to create a unified visual identity for four distinct artistic practices and generations, while making the exhibition’s complex theoretical framework accessible to a broader audience. The goal was to position Budapest Gallery as a progressive platform for critical discourse in painting and to attract a wider contemporary art audience.
Outcome
The identity visualised the exhibition’s core idea: the invisible, layered structure of the material world, through a kinetic, abstract surface language and a custom typographic system. Rather than illustrating the artists’ works directly, the design reflected on the curatorial concept itself, transforming microscopic materiality into digital light and form. The visual system extended from posters and signage to catalogues, social media and outdoor applications, maintaining coherence across print and screen. The result is a distinct, modern, and tech-inflected identity that amplifies the exhibition’s critical voice and strengthens the gallery’s contemporary presence.
Credits
Date:
2021
Client:
Budapest History Museum - Budapest Gallery
Curator:
Dalma Eszter Kollár
Photo:
Marcell Kazsik
Headline font:
Parabole by Dávid Molnár