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Artist's Statement I investigate the overlaps of various identities and their ambiguities -- cultural, personal, language, gender, image. And our identities play against the natural environment in the context of our global era. Everything is in more flux than ever due to our volatile global culture with its instant communication and mobility.



My images grab a moment in time, yielding glimpses of a perceived state of culture and identity. My motivation to explore identity is the fact that I have lived in two opposing cultures (Hungary and the USA). As an artist and dancer, I live in a well-connected international world.



I am exploring cultural, racial and class identity in the context of globalization using internal (inner) realities and through external images. It reflects my background as an artist and dancer exploring other cultures, but at the same time well grounded in my own Hungarian culture. I marry the universal and the culturally specific both of which are equally important in our era.







"What we need to explain are not objects but experiences."

--Erazim Kohák Czech philosopher and writer







I first met Ildikó Kalapács while she was a student at Eastern Washington University over a decade ago. I was immediately impressed with her passion not only for the visual arts, but also for the traditional folk dance forms of her native Hungary. Over the years, Ildikó has been an energetic presence in the Spokane art scene. Not only does she work as an individual artist in her studio, she has variously participated on local art commissions, museum committees. The sculptures and paintings she makes seem to flow effortlessly from her love of dance. They consistently explore the body in motion and are a perfect accompaniment to her activities as a performer. I suspect Ildikó does not privilege one over the other, but sees her dance, sculpture, painting and community activities as parts that when put together make a much larger whole.

Amikor Kalapács Ildikót megismertem, diák volt az Eastern Washington University-nél, több mint egy évtizede. Azonnal nagy benyomást keltett bennem a lelkesedése, nemcsak a vizuális művészetért, hanem a hagyományos néptáncokért Magyarországon, a szülőhazájában. Az éveken keresztül Ildikó nagyon aktív volt a spokane-i művészeti világban. Nemcsak a saját műhelyében dolgozik mint képzőművész, de részt vett különböző helyi művészeti bizottságokban és múzeumi csoportokban, mint önkéntes. A szobrai és a festményei a tánc szeretetéből születnek, teljes könnyedséggel. Munkái következetesen kutatják a test mozgását és ez tökéletesen tükrözi a munkásságát mint táncos előadóművész. Az az érzésem, hogy Ildikó nem tartja egyiket fontosabbnak a másiknál, hanem úgy látja, hogy a tánc, a szobrászat, a festészet és a közösségi munkája együtt egy egészet alkotnak.

--Lanny DeVuono, artist and art critic







On The Bearing Project: in 2014

The Bearing shows is as it is, the burden of war being carried by the peaceful and the innocent. In these days of international conflict and domestic violence, there cannot be enough reminders of the cost we humans pay for our aggression. -- Gabor Maté M.D. On the “Refugee Madonna” sculpture: in 2020

"Refugee Madonna: A beautiful, poignant and absolutely timely work of art from Gabor’s friend, the sculptor Ildikó Kalapács, Spokane, WA." “E munkád, mint mindig, gyönyörü és mélyen megható." -- Gabor Maté M.D.