We warmly invite everyone to join curatorial assistant Edward Kovács for an English-language guided tour of the exhibition Szipál 101 – Light – Life – Legacy on September 30 at 5 p.m. at MODEM, Debrecen.
About the exhibition
This year marks the 101st anniversary of the birth of Márton Szipál – internationally known as MARTIN – who became one of the most celebrated portrait photographers of his era.
Born into a dynasty of photographers in Debrecen, Szipál first opened his own studio in 1946. His father, Károly Márton Szipál, had been an imperial and royal court photographer and passed on both his knowledge and passion for the craft to his son. Even as a child, Szipál was taught the foundations of anatomy, proportions, and film lighting, lessons that would later shape his artistic vision.
After moving to Budapest in 1953, he quickly rose to prominence, earning international recognition with awards from Munich and Rio de Janeiro in 1956. That same year, he emigrated to the United States, where his career reached its peak. On Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, his Martin Studio became a hub for Hollywood celebrities. John Wayne, Tommy Lee Jones, Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Margaux Hemingway, and even Henry Miller all sat in front of his camera.
Known for his technical mastery and keen intuition, Szipál captured not just appearances but the essence of his subjects. His photographs, combined with the legendary stories behind them, remain a defining legacy of 20th-century portrait photography.
Curators
- Virág Lajti (Szipál Márton Archive)
- Gabriella Csizek (Capa Center)
Location: MODEM Modern and Contemporary Arts Centre, Hunyadi János u. 1–3., Debrecen, Hungary, 4026
Tickets: Available here
Please note that by attending, visitors consent to audio and video recordings being made during the event, which may be used for promotional purposes on MODEM’s platforms. The program is subject to change.
