Inner worlds made of crystals in the Garzon, Plaza, Business&Art and Hotel art spaces

Art in a lively, bustling space

Garzon Plaza is not a traditional gallery, but a vibrant, constantly active hotel and community space. The 71-room, four-star hotel is situated in a busy part of Győr, in the immediate vicinity of Győr Pláza and the county hospital.

The works are therefore not displayed in a closed exhibition space with restricted opening hours. Hotel guests, business travellers, local residents, art collectors and art lovers can encounter them at any time of day.

The exhibition is open every day of the week, 0–24 hours, which can be viewed free of charge.

Nóra Baka – the art of touch and material

Nóra Baka lives and works in Lenti. As a self-taught artist, she began to focus intensively in the mid-2010s on her distinctive method of image-making, in which she combines painting with natural minerals, crystals and various material-like surfaces.

According to interviews published in the media, by 2023 he had already produced more than a hundred different works. In addition to his paintings, he also creates decorative objects, lamps and jewellery using crystals, which is why his artistic vision extends beyond the boundaries of traditional panel painting.

His first solo exhibition opened in 2023 at the Göcseji Knowledge Centre in Zalaegerszeg The Face of the Worlds – Soul – Crystal Painting – The Inner Sea entitled. His works have previously been featured in the contemporary art magazine ARTsCAP, at Festetics Palace in Keszthely, in Budapest and in England.

Without a brush – a direct connection with the canvas

One of the most significant characteristics of Nóra Baka’s artistic technique is that she typically does not use a brush. She applies the paint to the canvas with the palm of her hand and her fingers, so that the movement, direction and pressure of her hand are directly reflected on the surface.

The canvas lies flat during the creative process. The artist combines acrylic paint with stone powder, mineral powder and various natural minerals. The crystals are not glued onto the finished painting afterwards: they are applied to the paint whilst it is still wet and then dry together with the layer of paint.

Creating a single piece usually takes around two days of continuous work; however, creating more complex works, consisting of several layers and a variety of materials, can take up to a week.

This direct, creative method lends the images a distinctive physical presence. In the finished works, one can perceive not only the colours and shapes, but also the gestures of the hand, the natural movement of the material and the three-dimensional surface of the crystals.

Minerals and crystals as part of the painting

In Nóra Baka’s works, minerals and crystals are not merely decorative elements. Their colour, shape, refraction and natural patterns are just as much a part of the composition as the painted forms.

According to reports, around a hundred different types of minerals and crystals have already featured in the artist’s body of work. The choice of a particular stone may be influenced by its colour, structure and origin, as well as by the personal or symbolic meaning the artist associates with it.

The crystals constantly alter the appearance of the works as the light falls upon them. Different details come to the fore in daylight, under evening lighting or when viewed up close. The paintings therefore do not offer a single, fixed view, but function as works of art that change in response to their surroundings.

Inner seas, cosmic spaces and spiritual landscapes

Recurring themes in Nóra Baka’s art include the inner world, human emotions, the search for one’s path, nature, the sea and the universe.

A Inland sea His works are linked to water, flow and spiritual depth. One of the key sources of inspiration for the series was a trip to the Adriatic, whose azure-blue colours and maritime experiences later found their way into his works.

A The Face of Worlds These works can be interpreted as impressions of various internal and imaginary spaces. They are not conventional portraits, but visual worlds constructed from emotions, colours, minerals and intuitive gestures.

The Golden Duck Gallery’s 2022 Beginnings – The Beginnings Her online exhibition, entitled [title], featured, amongst other things, the following works by Nóra Baka:

• The Birth of Fire Agate
• Red Sirius
• Inner Sea series
• Maze
• The Face of Worlds
• Wave Dance

The titles of the works also reflect the most significant aspects of the artist’s creative world: the formation of minerals, cosmic distances, the inner quest, the movement of water, and the elusive spiritual dimensions inherent in human beings.

Music, silence and intuitive creation

Nóra Baka’s paintings are not compositions planned in every detail beforehand. During the creative process, the final result is shaped equally by the artist’s momentary state of mind, her memories and feelings, the movement of the paint, and the natural forms of the minerals.

Music and sounds are an important part of the creative process. Their rhythm and mood can influence the movement of the hand and the forms that emerge from the paint. At other times, it is silence itself that creates the state of deep concentration in which the painting gradually takes shape.

In the artist’s own words, his paintings reflect his subconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences. The gestures created with the palm and fingers are therefore not merely technical solutions, but convey the personal nature of the work.

Exhibitions and art events

Nóra Baka’s works have been featured in a number of domestic and international exhibitions in recent years.

2022 – ARTsCAP contemporary art magazine
The artist’s works were featured in one of the 2022 issues of a contemporary art magazine.

2022 – Beginnings, Golden Duck Gallery, Budapest
A group exhibition featuring several of Nóra Baka’s crystal paintings and series.

2023 – The Face of the Worlds – Soul – Crystal Painting – The Inner Sea, Göcseji Knowledge Centre, Zalaegerszeg
The artist’s first solo exhibition, which featured crystal paintings, decorative objects and jewellery alike.

His works have previously been exhibited at Festetics Castle in Keszthely, in Budapest and in England. Further details of these exhibitions may be added at a later date, based on the exhibition catalogue available from the artist.

The message of the exhibition

The exhibition on display at the Garzon Plaza invites visitors not merely to view the paintings from a distance, but also to explore their layers, materials and minute details up close.

Nóra Baka’s works speak to both the visible and the inner world. Paint, mineral powder, crystal and the traces of the human hand combine to create compositions that can offer a different personal connection to every viewer.

The exhibition does not provide ready-made answers. Rather, it creates an opportunity for reflection, for remembrance, and for visitors to complement the works with their own feelings and stories.

The exhibition offers a special experience both for those who have long been interested in contemporary art and for those encountering such a direct connection between painting and natural crystals for the very first time.

Online bidding, supported by Földváry Auction House

The works on display can be viewed not only in the hotel’s communal areas, but are also featured on the Földváry Auction House’s online platform.

During the exhibition, visitors will be able to bid on the works online. This means that those interested can place a bid on the pieces that have caught their eye, either after viewing them in person or even from a distance.

Purchasing contemporary artworks With a 0% auction commission surcharge This is how it works: the successful bidder can purchase the selected artwork at the reserve price currently displayed.

Combining the physical exhibition with the online auction gives visitors the opportunity to experience the works’ size, colours, the brilliance of their crystals and the texture of their surfaces in person, before making a purchase decision in an auction environment supported by expert guidance.