Szilos András és Imrei Boglárka (Bogi)

“I prepared myself to participate in the “India” exhibition of the Sterling Gallery. After making a ring of cat’s whiskers, I wanted to construct a ring of tiger’s whiskers. Bogi (his wife Boglárka) surprised me at the whiskers. She called the Zoo

They said: ‘You have great luck, had you called us yesterday, we would have said no, but just today we found two files’. It was made of the one, the other file is waiting for being inserted.”

“We live together with my parents. Ever since I can remember, my father is whittling in the basement. The outbuilding was weaving plant and metal workshop as well. When Bogi and myself received this place to use, we needed a lot of tools. The stove was bought from the flea market, a familiar master gave us this turning lathe, and hammers arrived from here and there…”

The equipment of the workshop strongly reflects their many-sided interests. Before the university, he graduated at the “Art and Crafts High School” as apprentice in metalwork (vocational certificate). This workshop was established using experience from there. Thus, for example, they have a classic Brett-Guard table saw. Using this device, it is easier to work with straight back, and collecting the metal filing.

For casting with lost-wax technique you need a wax injector. For a son of a devoted do-it-yourself family it is not a big problem to recycle a gas boiler thermostat, and producing this important tool. Bogi created her “gopher”ring using this injector.

“We learned object creative arts. During my Dutch fellowship I made this “Dino” chair. I could hardly go out to the streets being asked: “Where can we buy this?” Really: this is the question, where could I make it manufactured?

This pepper mill grinds in several grades. Not only practical, but it can become a table decoration as well. We would like to see it on our dining table!

We walking around the house, and then out to the yard. “Grandma planted not only pine-trees with passion, but gourd as well. From this, I made a rebec first (the ancient violin), then a Saxon lyra. The walnut was produced with a little sculpturing.”

In the garden there is a shed, under construction. It hides the old anvil of 100 kg around. The steel knife was made on it, using Damascus technics and youthful devotion. To produce a blade by forging layers is the grand test of the craftsmanship.

On the grass there is the model of the play-sculpture Dragon, diploma work of Bogi. “The Dragon is a frequent motif of the Gypsy tales. In a small village, Bódvalenke, we made the replica of this form, helped by the local Gypsy people. Its skeleton was made by traditional basket weaving techniques.”

The afternoon passes away, turning cool. “Do you really want to see the metal casting? “ We can hardly wait to this moment at the workshop of akchemist’s atmosphere; this is the highlight of our visit!

22/6/2011 Budapest

Read more:

www.imreiboglarka.com

www.szilosa.blogspot.com