Sam Havadtoy
Encyclopedia
Sam Havadtoy is a British born Hungarian-American interior designer, contemporary painter and owner of Gallery 56. He is well known for being part of the artist circle of New York including – among others - Keith Haring
, Andy Warhol
, Yoko Ono
and Jasper Johns
.
Eventually in 1971 he fled Hungary
, through former Yugoslavia, back to the United Kingdom, where he met the antique dealer, interior designer Stuart Greet. To Greet's invitation, Havadtoy moved to New York where he resided with gaps - e.g. he lived four years in Genf, Switzerland - from there on until 2000.
, Donald Baechler
and Yoko Ono
with whom Havadtoy began a relationship, being her companion for over twenty years until 2001. Havadtoy inspired and contributed to many of Keith Haring's late works, for example in the making of the Triptych.
Havadtoy started painting at a young age, just after moving to New York, but acquired his unmistakable style during the 80s'. He mainly uses oil, acrylic and mixed techniques for his paintings. Havadtoy's works reflect subtle blends of different cultures, mostly Middle European and American pop culture
.
, Havadtoy travelled increasingly to Hungary. In 1992 he founded Gallery 56, which became significant in the Hungarian contemporary art scene, among others, by exposing important artists who were considered rarities at the time. The gallery focused mainly on displaying American artists, for example Haring, Warhol, Agnes Martin
, Cindy Sherman
, Kiki Smith
, Robert Mapplethorpe
, Ross Bleckner
, Donald Sultan
, Donald Baechler
. Some of the artists also participated personally on the vernissages. Living classics of Hungarian contemporary art were also represented and giant talents such as, László Moholy-Nagy
.
The name of the gallery comes from Yoko Ono, who alluded to the approaching revolution in the artworld.
Since 2000, Havadtoy relocated to Europe and is currently living in Hungary and Liguria
, Italy
.
Keith Haring
Keith Haring was an artist and social activist whose work responded to the New York City street culture of the 1980s.-Early life:...
, Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
and Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns, Jr. is an American contemporary artist who works primarily in painting and printmaking.-Life:Born in Augusta, Georgia, Jasper Johns spent his early life in Allendale, South Carolina with his paternal grandparents after his parents' marriage failed...
.
Early life
Havadtoy was born in London to Hungarian parents. The family returned to their homeland in the spring of 1956, just before the Hungarian Revolution broke out. After the Revolution it became increasingly difficult for the family to go back to the Western Block. It took 14 years for Havadtoy to acquire his British citizenship.Eventually in 1971 he fled Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, through former Yugoslavia, back to the United Kingdom, where he met the antique dealer, interior designer Stuart Greet. To Greet's invitation, Havadtoy moved to New York where he resided with gaps - e.g. he lived four years in Genf, Switzerland - from there on until 2000.
New York
In 1978 he founded Samuel Havadtoy Gallery, an interior designer gallery, where he himself worked as an interior designer until 1981. Havadtoy designed the homes of notable artists such as John Lennon's and he also was the interior designer of Keith Haring's last home. In 1981 Havadtoy turned to New York's artistic scene, where he became close friends with notable artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, George CondoGeorge Condo
George Condo is an American contemporary visual artist.-Life and career:Condo works in the medium of painting and sculpture...
, Donald Baechler
Donald Baechler
Donald Baechler is an American artist. He attended the Maryland Institute College of Art from 1974–77, and Cooper Union from 1977-78. Dissatisfied with New York City, he proceeded to the Staatliche Hochschule fuer Bildende Künste Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main, Germany."At Cooper Union I met...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
with whom Havadtoy began a relationship, being her companion for over twenty years until 2001. Havadtoy inspired and contributed to many of Keith Haring's late works, for example in the making of the Triptych.
Havadtoy started painting at a young age, just after moving to New York, but acquired his unmistakable style during the 80s'. He mainly uses oil, acrylic and mixed techniques for his paintings. Havadtoy's works reflect subtle blends of different cultures, mostly Middle European and American pop culture
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
.
Gallery 56
In the second half of the 80s', due to the gradually dissolving Eastern blockEastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
, Havadtoy travelled increasingly to Hungary. In 1992 he founded Gallery 56, which became significant in the Hungarian contemporary art scene, among others, by exposing important artists who were considered rarities at the time. The gallery focused mainly on displaying American artists, for example Haring, Warhol, Agnes Martin
Agnes Martin
Agnes Bernice Martin was an American abstract painter, often referred to as a minimalist; Martin considered herself an abstract expressionist.She won a National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1998....
, Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits. Sherman currently lives and works in New York City. In 1995, she was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. She is represented by Sprüth Magers Berlin London in and Metro Pictures gallery in...
, Kiki Smith
Kiki Smith
Kiki Smith is an American artist classified as a feminist artist, a movement with beginnings in the twentieth century...
, Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
, Ross Bleckner
Ross Bleckner
-Life and work:"'I always absolutely thought there was a difference between being a young artist and an important young artist,' said Mr. Bleckner, who grew up in Hewlett, L.I., graduated in 1971 from New York University and earned an M.F.A...
, Donald Sultan
Donald Sultan
Donald Sultan is an American artist, known for large-scale still life paintings executed with bold contrasts of bright color and deep black forms, tight, nearly abstract compositions, and unorthodox media....
, Donald Baechler
Donald Baechler
Donald Baechler is an American artist. He attended the Maryland Institute College of Art from 1974–77, and Cooper Union from 1977-78. Dissatisfied with New York City, he proceeded to the Staatliche Hochschule fuer Bildende Künste Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main, Germany."At Cooper Union I met...
. Some of the artists also participated personally on the vernissages. Living classics of Hungarian contemporary art were also represented and giant talents such as, László Moholy-Nagy
László Moholy-Nagy
László Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian painter and photographer as well as professor in the Bauhaus school. He was highly influenced by constructivism and a strong advocate of the integration of technology and industry into the arts.-Early life:...
.
The name of the gallery comes from Yoko Ono, who alluded to the approaching revolution in the artworld.
Since 2000, Havadtoy relocated to Europe and is currently living in Hungary and Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
External links
- official webpage
- The New York Times by William L. Hamilton
- The Budapest Times
- Antropos - online cultural magazine – in Hungarian
Exhibitions
- Palazzo Bianco in Genoa - in Italian
- Palazzo Lomellino in Genoa - in Italian
- Tel Aviv Museum of Art
- Hungarian National Theatre - in Hungarian
- Ermanno Tedeschi Gallery in Rome - in Italian
- Memoart Gallery
- B55 Gallery
- Fondazione Mudima in Milan – in Italian