CV + BIO
Ildiko Kovacs
Born 1962, Sydney, Australia
One of Australia’s most respected abstract painters, Ildiko Kovacs is renowned for images that, whilst grounded in her sense of the Australian landscape, are at the same time deeply personal meditations on her life and emotions. Alive with energy and movement, the surface of Kovacs’ works are known for their sensual flowing line played against passages of consummate mark-making. Washes of underpainting reveal themselves from beneath layers of colour, while Kovacs’ elegant and bold lines dictate the movement of our gaze across the picture plane.
Kovacs has been exhibiting since the 1980s and has been shown in a number of significant solo and group exhibitions, including the Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (2014); Crossing Paths II, Raft Art Space, Alice Springs (2013); and Fieldwork, Bathurst Regional Gallery, NSW (2011) and MCA, Sydney (2010). Kovacs’ work is in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Newcastle Regional Art Gallery, NSW; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Bathurst Regional Gallery, NSW; and various private collections.
EDUCATION
1979-80 Higher Art Certificate, National Art School, Sydney
1978 Art Certificate, St George College, Sydney
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 New Light, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
Early Works: Autumn Leaves, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
2022 Ildiko Kovacs, Maitland Regional Art Gallery Collection, Maitland
2021 Breaking Ground, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2020 Two Grounds, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Both Ways, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
The DNA of Colour, Orange Regional Gallery
The DNA of Colour, ANU, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra
2018 New Ground, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Cat’s Cradle, Raft Artspace, Alice Springs
2017 Inner Cycle, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2015 Current, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Sliding, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2014 Looking Through, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2013 Monotypes & Painting, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2012 New Works, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2011 Ildiko Kovacs, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
Ildiko Kovacs: Down the Line 1980-2010, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, Gymea, NSW 2010 Recent Works, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2009 Ildiko Kovacs - Solo Show, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2007 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
2005 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne 2004 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
2001 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney 1999 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
1998 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
1998 Mary Place Gallery, Sydney 1997 Mary Place Gallery, Sydney
1995 Selenium Gallery, Sydney
1994 Studio Exhibition, Sydney
1993 Studio Exhibition, Sydney
1991 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1989 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1988 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
Early Works: Autumn Leaves, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
2022 Ildiko Kovacs, Maitland Regional Art Gallery Collection, Maitland
2021 Breaking Ground, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2020 Two Grounds, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Both Ways, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
The DNA of Colour, Orange Regional Gallery
The DNA of Colour, ANU, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra
2018 New Ground, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Cat’s Cradle, Raft Artspace, Alice Springs
2017 Inner Cycle, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2015 Current, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
Sliding, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2014 Looking Through, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2013 Monotypes & Painting, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2012 New Works, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney
2011 Ildiko Kovacs, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
Ildiko Kovacs: Down the Line 1980-2010, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, Gymea, NSW 2010 Recent Works, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2009 Ildiko Kovacs - Solo Show, Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2007 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
2005 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne 2004 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
2001 Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney 1999 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
1998 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
1998 Mary Place Gallery, Sydney 1997 Mary Place Gallery, Sydney
1995 Selenium Gallery, Sydney
1994 Studio Exhibition, Sydney
1993 Studio Exhibition, Sydney
1991 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1989 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1988 Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Illsley Collection: A Quarter Century of Collecting, Kelli Lundberg Art, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
2023 Celebrating 15 Years of Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
2018 ‘RAW Wedderburn’ Delmar Gallery Sydney
2017 Into Abstraction II: Interconnections, Macquarie University Art Gallery
2016 Black, White & Restive, Newcastle Art Gallery
James & Jacqui Erskine Collection, Drill Hall Gallery 2015 Wynne Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2014 Sublime Point: The Landscape In Painting, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre
2013 Crossing Paths lll, Raft Art Space, Alice Springs
Vibrant Matter, TarraWarra Museum of Art
Action/Abstraction, Wangarattan Art Gallery
2012 Roads Crossed: Contemporary directions in Australian Art, Flinders University Art Museum
2011 Shared language of Paint, Raft Artspace
Laverty 2, Newcastle Regional Art Gallery
Field Work, Bathhurst Regional Art Gallery
2010 MCA – The Gift of Ann Lewis AO
2009 'Sitting down with Jukuja & Wakartu', Raft Art Space, Darwin
2008 Paint, Raft Artspace, Darwin (Makinti Napanangka, Aida Tomescu, Eubena Nampitjin, Ildiko Kovacs)
Autumn Catalogue, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
Contemporaneous, Wangaratta Regional Art gallery
2007 Summer Exhibition, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2006 Melbourne Art Fair, Christine Abrahams Gallery Stand, Melbourne
2004 Selection of Contemporary Australian Art, Martin Browne Fine Art
2004 Depth of Field ˆ Anamorphosis, Utopia Art Sydney
Talking About Abstractions, Ivan Dougherty Gallery COFA, Sydney
U R in E.U., Sir Herman Black Gallery, University of Sydney
2003 Crossing Paths, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
2002 A Silver Lining and a New Beginning, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA, UNSW
Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
Indecorous Abstraction, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide
& QVB Sydney New Contempʼs Gallery
Southern Exposure 2, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney
University School Club Art Prize, Sydney
2001 A Century of Collecting 1901 > 2001, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
Southern Exposure 1, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney
Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
Summer Exhibition, Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney
Southern Sydney Artists, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney
We Are Australian, Touring Exhibition
Contemporary Painting, Allen Allen and Hemsley Collection, University of Technology, Sydney
1998 Australian Contemporary Art Fair 6, Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
Archibald, Wynne & Sulman, Regional Tour of Selected Works
1996 Moet & Chandon, Touring Exhibition
1995 Up, Down and Across, Campbelltown City Art Gallery, New South Wales
Wynne Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Group Exhibition, Eva Breuer Gallery, Sydney
1994 Group Exhibition, Olsen & Carr Gallery, Sydney
1993 Contemporary Australian Painting, Allen Allen & Hemsley Collection
Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne
1991 Over East, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, University Of Western
Australia, Perth
1990 Working Up to Yellow, Campbelltown City Art Gallery, New South Wales
Art Dock, D‚Art Contemporain Australien, Noumea,
New Caledonia
Australian Contemporary Art Fair 2, Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
1988 Australian Contemporary Art Fair 1, Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
1987 Group Exhibition, Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
Winter
Exhibition of Women Artists, Gary Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1986 Group Show, EMR Gallery, Sydney
1983-86 Heritage Art Prize, Blaxland Gallery, Sydney
1983 Works on Paper, Campbelltown City Art Gallery, New South Wales
SELECTED PRIZES & AWARDS
2024 Mosman Art Prize, New South Wales
Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2021 Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2019 Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2016 Fleurieu Art Prize, Samstag Museum, University of South Australia
2015 WINNER The Bulgari Art Award, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
Fishers Ghost Art Prize, Campbelltown Arts Centre
2014 Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2006 Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2002 Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
2001 Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1999 Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1998 Sir John Sulman Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1995 Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1994 Wynne Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1989 Sir William Dobell Foundation Art Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2018 ‘A Painted Landscape’- Amber Creswell Bell. Thames & Hudson
‘RAW Wedderburn’ - Sioux Garside. Delmar gallery
2017 ‘Intro Abstraction II: Interconnections’ - Leonard Janiszewski. Curator, Macquarie University Art Gallery 2017 'Choreographer of colour' - Gina Fairley. Art Collector Magazine Issue #81
2016 ‘MCA Collection Handbook’ – Megan Robson
‘Black White & Restive’ - Una Rey. Newcastle Art Gallery
2012 ‘MAF preview’, Owen Craven, Artists Profile #19. ‘Ildiko Kovacs: Down the Line 1980-2010’ Gina Fairley + Tony Twigg, Eyeline #75. ‘Down the Line 1980-2010’ Gina Fairley, Art Monthly #251 June
2011 ‘Seeker after truth’ John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald - Review, May 19th
2010 MAF’ Jane O’Sullivan, Art Collector Magazine #53
2009 ‘Paint the Language, Una Rey, Art Monthly #221. 'Kimberley In Harmony' The Australian - Nicolas Rothwell. 'Collaborations Wakartu Cory Surprise And Ildiko Kovacs' Australian Aboriginal Art magazine - Louise Martin. 'Paint' Artworld Magazine - Susan McCulloch
2008 Art World ʻPaintʼ Susan McColloch, June 2008
2007 SMH Jeff makin September
Vogue Living, August 2007
2005 Inside Out, November 2005
2002 azmina Cininas, Review, Art & Australia, Autumn, Vol.40, No.3
Roy Jackson, Exhibition Catalogue Essay, August 2001
John Peart, Exhibition Catalogue Essay, September Sebastian Smee, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January
2000 Andrew Frost, Australian Art Collector, January-March Issue
1998 Sebastian Smee, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 December
1997 John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 December
Deborah Tarrant, Australian Art Collector, October Issue
1996 Terence Maloon, Art & Australia, Autumn Issue
1995 John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 02 September
Felicity Fenner, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May
Felicity Fenner, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 April 1994
Elwyn Lynne, The Australian, 11 April
Felicity Fenner, The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 March
1993 Robert Rooney, The Australian, September 1991
David Bromfield, The West Australian, 09 February
Charlie Shead, Agenda Art Magazine, January
1988 Christopher Allen, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 April
‘RAW Wedderburn’ - Sioux Garside. Delmar gallery
2017 ‘Intro Abstraction II: Interconnections’ - Leonard Janiszewski. Curator, Macquarie University Art Gallery 2017 'Choreographer of colour' - Gina Fairley. Art Collector Magazine Issue #81
2016 ‘MCA Collection Handbook’ – Megan Robson
‘Black White & Restive’ - Una Rey. Newcastle Art Gallery
2012 ‘MAF preview’, Owen Craven, Artists Profile #19. ‘Ildiko Kovacs: Down the Line 1980-2010’ Gina Fairley + Tony Twigg, Eyeline #75. ‘Down the Line 1980-2010’ Gina Fairley, Art Monthly #251 June
2011 ‘Seeker after truth’ John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald - Review, May 19th
2010 MAF’ Jane O’Sullivan, Art Collector Magazine #53
2009 ‘Paint the Language, Una Rey, Art Monthly #221. 'Kimberley In Harmony' The Australian - Nicolas Rothwell. 'Collaborations Wakartu Cory Surprise And Ildiko Kovacs' Australian Aboriginal Art magazine - Louise Martin. 'Paint' Artworld Magazine - Susan McCulloch
2008 Art World ʻPaintʼ Susan McColloch, June 2008
2007 SMH Jeff makin September
Vogue Living, August 2007
2005 Inside Out, November 2005
2002 azmina Cininas, Review, Art & Australia, Autumn, Vol.40, No.3
Roy Jackson, Exhibition Catalogue Essay, August 2001
John Peart, Exhibition Catalogue Essay, September Sebastian Smee, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January
2000 Andrew Frost, Australian Art Collector, January-March Issue
1998 Sebastian Smee, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 December
1997 John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 December
Deborah Tarrant, Australian Art Collector, October Issue
1996 Terence Maloon, Art & Australia, Autumn Issue
1995 John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 02 September
Felicity Fenner, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May
Felicity Fenner, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 April 1994
Elwyn Lynne, The Australian, 11 April
Felicity Fenner, The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 March
1993 Robert Rooney, The Australian, September 1991
David Bromfield, The West Australian, 09 February
Charlie Shead, Agenda Art Magazine, January
1988 Christopher Allen, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 April
COLLECTIONS
Allen Arthur Robinson Collection
Artbank
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Campbelltown Arts Centre
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Campbelltown City Art Gallery
Gold Coast City Art Gallery
Hamilton Art Gallery, Victoria
James & Jacqui Erskine Collection
Macquarie Bank
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Newcastle Art Gallery
Visy Corp, Melbourne
World Bank, Washington DC, USA
UBS Art Collection
USA Visy Corp Melbourne
Victoria Maquarie Bank
World Bank Washington DC
Private Collections in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, France and Italy
Artbank
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Campbelltown Arts Centre
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Campbelltown City Art Gallery
Gold Coast City Art Gallery
Hamilton Art Gallery, Victoria
James & Jacqui Erskine Collection
Macquarie Bank
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Newcastle Art Gallery
Visy Corp, Melbourne
World Bank, Washington DC, USA
UBS Art Collection
USA Visy Corp Melbourne
Victoria Maquarie Bank
World Bank Washington DC
Private Collections in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, France and Italy