ARMIN CSIZMADIA

My work explores the expressionism of aesthetics, 
stories, and atmospheres that inspire me. I specialize in printmaking, often blending digital planning in Photoshop with traditional mediums like charcoal, graphite, and paint. I’m particularly drawn to the unexpected outcomes of printmaking, which align with my expressive style.

I am passionate about the intersection of science and art, particularly the fusion of psychology and neuroscience with creative practice. Recently, I’ve begun creating multisensory pieces that combine visuals with scent, a direction I aim to pursue further.




Documentation

semester 1 (S1)
- PROJECT RAZZMATAZZ, 

- WOODWORK SOUND INSTALLATION

- THOUGHTS AS CLOUDS, CLOUDS AS THOUGHTS 

- THOUGHTS AS CLOUDS, CLOUDS AS THOUGHTS AV

- OH YOUR POOR EAR 


Semester 2 (S2)
- SHAMANS RESEARCH

- SHAMANS EXHIBITION WORK

S1 Research

S1 Assessment

















Thoughts as clouds, clouds as thoughts- final project

‘Thoughts as clouds, and clouds as thoughts’Inspired by a journey to Barcelona I cannot define in a single concept, nor represent in a single object. These concepts can be viewed as one, 4 and more. Like clouds.  
Four silver, helium-filled balloons adorned with colourful prints that reflect upon one another. This work, primarily explores principles of conceptualism and abstraction, focusing on the materialization of ideas, perception, and inspiration. The images and mono prints on the balloons were selected intuitively, and hold a personal meaning, resonating with the spirit of abstract expressionism.
Through this piece, I delve into the emotional and inspirational aspects of thoughts and perception. My goal is to highlight the significance of inspiration and the exploration of our own ideas.
The concept of "clouds" metaphorically captures the nature of thoughts—broad, fluid, and often dreamlike. Like clouds, thoughts can appear visible yet undefinable. Similarly, my reflections on inspiring moments in Barcelona resist being confined to a single concept. I represent this through numerous prints and patterns, intuitively edited to echo my experiences.
The silver foil and vivid colours of the balloons reflect off one another, symbolizing fluidity and interconnectedness.
Inspired by Warhol's Silver Clouds, I invite viewers to interact with my work, whether visually or through touch. The balloons' movements create dynamic interactions, with their reflections and colours shifting constantly. This interaction offers a new perception with each encounter, emphasizing the ever-evolving nature of inspiration and ideas.

Forming the ideas, and making the balloons
After finishing my prints with the green and red ones which I designed in photoshop, and printing them on a paper bag out of experimentation I was unsure in where to continue with the project.
After evaluation, and comparision with my other induction projects, I decided to carry on with this project for the final piece. I was unsure on my next steps, as I couldnt figure out any ideas further than the paper bag to reflect the urbanised feeling and look for arts, the theme I mainly explored in my paper bag idea. Paper bags felt great because they are part of the everiday for young people in takeaway, and are also part of the everiday street view as disposed items.
At this point I was sure that I wanted to continue with a paper bag, and print on the paper bags. This way I would have incorporated the theme of urbanisation and democratisation of arts, youth, and aestheic of Barcelona. However I was stuck on whether I exhibit multiple, paperbags, and wether I extend the work with other ready made elements. In the final work, I definitely wanted an artwork that is a conceptualist work in the sense that it materialises the experience, making it accessible to the audience to experience it too. With this however I had the problem of choosing the elements and factors I want to incorporate, explore and comment on. Since it was a lot, I didnt know whether the piece would be about the aesthetic, the youth, or the urban arts. I found it dificult to put everything I wanted into a paper bag, and I was unsure on how I wanted it to look, because the memories and experiences were so monumental and inspiring to me that I did not want to reduce it into a single object.

After this, I consulted with one of my teachers who suggested that I have too much factors and things within my work, therefore I should either not incorporate all of them, or I should just let go of the desire to classify everything, and leave room for intuition and ambigouity, leaving the project more open to interpretation.
At this point an interesting coincidence has happened. I was showing my teacher a contemporary arts magazine, and one of the pictures were Andy Warhol’s “Silver Clouds”, which was a room full of big silver balloons that were flying around freely. I at the meantime said that my thoughts are like clouds. You can see them and they are pretty but inspiring, but they are changing forms and you can not touch, or grasp at them. At this point I realised that I could create a room full of paper bags with colourful prints on them, that fly around like clouds. I wasnt sure how it would relate to my work, but it was the level of ‘inspiring’ and ‘monumental’ that I was looking for. I got the advice that I should care less about what I am trying to say, and just make work that relates to my ideas, so then I will develop ideas upon reflecting on them. This helped me to refine my ideas, and explore a new, more effective way of working.

plans for paper bags, ink on paper, A3 15/11/2024



My next step was to start testing with floating paper bags, therefore I ordered a tank of helium. I started stuffing printed paper bags with helium balloons, however paperbags seemed to be too heavy for balloons to lift, even with thin paper like newsprint paper.
I started to experiment with another material which was an emergency thermal blanket. It was light yet quite durable therefore it was perfect, and I really liked how the screenprinting worked on the reflective surface. It was no different in opacity of the colour, but the reflections gave it a unique aesthetic that offered a “daydreamy” theme to it.

Screenprinted paper bag, H40cm x W35cm x D20, 15/11/2024




video demonstration of the first flying bag. Emergency thermal blanket and ink. H60cm x W70cm x D20cm. 20/11/2024



After finishing the first silver cloud, I was amazed with it’s look. I was sure that I wanted to continue with the silver balloons therefore I was ready to create more. Ideally I wanted at least 4 to be present on the exhibition.
At the meantime I perfected the exact size I have to make from the silver bags so 4 balloons can exactly fit and lift the bag.

At this stage an interesting coincidence has developed the project further, as I realised that other colours reflect on the silver bags. This lead me to form the idea that I could do an edited photo on one side of the clouds, and on the other I could use intuitively selected colours to mono screenprint abstract shapes. This effect connects all of the balloons when they are close to each other by reflecting on the surfaces of each other. This at the meantime connoted transformation depending on viewpoints, and fluidity, which are both relevant to thoughts.


Then I started producing the foil bags. For the first one I used the ‘Razzmatazz’ photo that I started the project with, and I used shades of blue in abstract shapes for the back of it. This was an intuitive choice both in terms of pattern and colour selection, in the sense that it  was makesense in my mind to make it that colour.  On the other hand, I chose the pictures on the  front side of the bags to be  relevant to Barcelona, which I did by selecting images that were of the most inspiring memories in Barcelona. These images were of themes such as youth, arts, music, creativity, however the  intuitive use of colours and the effect of reflection made it open for interpretation, and I aimed to be less critical in defining and classifying each of the factors, and just work intuitively, so I even put in the parts that I didnt classify, but were factors I wanted to consider.
The work at the making stage  started to become more and more abstract, but at the meantime it started to reflect my ideas more and more. This at the end made it easier to  relfect on what actually inspired me in Barcelona, while it also offered new viwpoints to me.
To screenprint these, I selected photos from my camera roll and I posterised them in photoshop, then printed them on top of the bags.



After I finished all of my bags. I started to prepare for the exhibition.
I had to decide between putting the clouds infront of the wall, or putting them in the middle of the space and letting them flouat freely. I decided not to put it infront of the wall, as this would restrain them in a way to a certain space, which did not allign with my theme of inspiring ideas and experiences.
For this reason I chose to exhibit them in the middle of the gallery space where I designated a 2x2m box where I placed the inflated bags.

Preparation for exhibition, emergency thermal blanket and ink,  H60cm x W70cm x D20cm. 09/12/2024


Generally when I make art, especially installations I have the interest of makign the piece multisensory by finding the music of the visual work, and often it’s smell too.
In this case I found sound to be important therefore I developed the idea of creating a playlist, and leaving headphones in the space so people can listen to the music.
The music was meant to immerse the viewer into the artwork. At the meantime the songs were similar but also a little bit different in ways, perhaps offering different perspectives to viewing the work in it’s emotional aspect. The music was also selected to be relevant to memories and inspiration, some of these were made clear by the lyrics while other songs were an intuitive selection.
A factor I considered is that the song has to have an uplifting or interesting tone, that guides the viewer into exploring the work more.
An important song to point out is a remix “All tomorrow’s parties”, which was originally made by the velvet underground, that was creative directed by Andy Warhol at the time of making the song. This is important as a great inspiration for this piece was Andy Warhol’s “Silver Clouds”. This way I related my work back to Warhol in the context of inspiration, as I used his work to develop my ideas ideas further into its uriznown category. I belive with this level of reference to Warhol’s work, I made it clear that my work is inspired by him to a degree, however it is a distinct work of art, and is to be viewed separately from his. I did not develop his idea furher, but used his idea to develop my own ideas further.


During the initial exhibition, I inflated all of the balloons. I ended up doing only 4 because I was not sure on whether I have enough helium.
I wanted all of my balloons to fly around equally, however I faced the problem that the helium was not enough in the tank, and the spare balloons I got were slightly deflated, therefore most of the clouds stayed on the floor. However Luckily one of them levitated perfectly. With this, that cloud started going around on its own, becoming an interactive part of the whole space as it flew infront of other people’s works. This was magnificent as everyone including artists and viewers welcomed this. They looked it, and moved it around in space if it was n their sight. It was not intrusive but rather a new way of presenting art for me.

exhibition photo of “Thoughts as clouds, clouds as thoughts”. Emergency thermal blanket and ink,  H60cm x W70cm x D20cm 10/12/2024
exhibition video of “Thoughts as clouds, clouds as thoughts”. Emergency thermal blanket and ink,  H60cm x W70cm x D20cm 10/12/2024
exhibition photo of “Thoughts as clouds, clouds as thoughts”. Emergency thermal blanket and ink,  H60cm x W70cm x D20cm 10/12/2024
exhibition photo of “Thoughts as clouds, clouds as thoughts”. Emergency thermal blanket and ink,  H60cm x W70cm x D20cm 10/12/2024