István Gaál

István Gaál at Origo Galéria. "...'I value my photographs just as pages from a scrapbook as they have no more purpose than a note taken or a mere record to remind.' This consice, summarizing statement comes from István Gaál about his activity as a photographer. These words give a perfect starting point for the researcher to evaluate his work as the researcher can keenly disagree with the author's description of the importance of his work. When I started to pile the achievements of his whole creative work (and let my word be creditworthy enough for the time being for his being as a substantial, high profile photographer as he is known for his being a film director) to make a book summarizing his activity as a photographer I had to realize that my first task would be to convince the creator of the pictures that the photographs taken lightly, notelike, sort of a record, supplementarily have started a new, independent life way beyond the purpose the photographer had intended. It is well worth the effort to process this part of his work too to come to valid conclusions. István Gaál has had photo exhibitions, his pictures have appeared illustrating biographical articles and books before. His slightly apologetic modesty made them appear inferior in achivement for he considered himself more at home in motion picture. The current exhibition was born with my intention to prove that my photohistorian attitude makes me see somewhat differently these pages from the scrapbook."