"I create scenes with oil or acrylic paint on canvas as my main medium.
I spin a tale: I intersperse, manipulate realistic representations with abstracted layers into metamorphic compositions: facts with veils of expectations and (valid or incorrect) explanations,
not so unlike real life.
To be impulsive when working blurs and obscures some details, emphasises others. I confuse the scene: objects become impressions, almost undecipherable, expressing more of an emotional state than the reality of the reference, offering new interpretations, another point of view."
[ bio ]
A Hungarian born British artist, Orsi's formal education includes a diploma in professional photography, a degree in graphic arts then a master's degree in screen printing (MKE Budapest, 2000).
She spent 10 years living in Romania, Greece and Switzerland, spending time in Egypt - working at an excavation -, before settling down in the UK in 2010: being involved in family-life has played an important part in her decisions.
Orsi has been active in creating art since she left university, developing a compelling collection of works over the past 25 years.
She is still inspired by the visual legacy of the Avantgarde: works heavily laden with symbolism, irony and drama. Orsi’s analytic paintings with dream-like figuralism and shifted dimensions are directing the attention to different interpretations of the mundane. During her university years she turned away from a monochromatic practice, later choosing painting as her preferred medium. As she has never been able to abandon her earlier interest in the more graphical approach, line drawing still has an important role in her work. However, if the theme demands it, she does not shy away from using different media.
Orsi's works can be found in public collections in Hungary, and in private collections in Germany, Hungary, Hong Kong/China, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK.
Her paintings are available in the £1000 - £4000 price range. Enquiries for specific prices and/or a catalogue are welcome.
affiliation | education
2017-2023 Member of the Fountain Gallery Artist cooperative, East Molesey
2015-2019 Society of Women Artists' Council member
2015-2024 Full membership of the Society of Women Artists (SWA)
2014-2015 Associate member of SWA
1999-2019 Member of the Association of Hungarian Creative Artists (MAOE)
1998-2000 University of Fine Arts (MKE), Budapest – Hu | MA
(specialized in screen-printing)
1993-1998 University of Fine Arts, Budapest – Hu | BA (degree in Graphic Arts)
1992-1993 Photography School, Budapest – Hungary
1991-1993 Student of Benedek György sculptor (Merited Artist of Hungary)
awards I scholarships
2018 The Columbia Threadneedle Prize selected exhibitor | Mall Galleries, L'don
2013 ‘Body of Work’ Award | 152nd Annual Exhibition of SWA, Mall Galleries
1999 First prize of the National Screen-Prints Competition | Ministry of Public Education of Hungary and University of Fine Arts
1998 Scholarship in Rome, at the Hungarian Institute in Rome, Italy
1996 Art Course in Delphi, Greece - University of Fine Arts, Athens
[ exhibitions catalogue ]
solo exhibitions
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2022 7-19 June | Homo Homini Lupus @ the Fountain Gallery, East Molesey
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2021 2-14 Feb | Orsi: Works on Paper @ the Fountain Gallery (lockdown)
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2020 9-21 June | Correlation (guest exhibitor: Sándor Pellet painter, Hungary) @ the Fountain Gallery (lockdown)
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2019 14-26 May | Solo Show @ the Fountain Gallery
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2018 12-24 June | Shared (guest exhibitor: Hazel Reeves, sculptor) @ the Fountain Gallery
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2017 27 June-9 July | 'Reminiscence' solo exhibition @ the Fountain Gallery
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2015 7-17 Dec | 'A Conjured Up World' solo exhibition @ the Fountain Gallery, East Molesey
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2015 23 Feb - 15 Jan | 'Interlude' Featured Artist's Show @ Skylark Galleries
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2014 30 Aug - 22 Nov | 'From the Other Side' @ Riverside Gallery, Richmond (London)
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2014 12 March - 11 April | "Albion Saluted" solo exhibition at the Hungarian Cultural Centre - Balassi Institute, London
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2009 | Orsi Cowell-Lehoczky solo @ Doris Neukomm Galerie, Rehalp - Zurich, Switzerland
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2009 | Cowell-Lehoczky and Pellet @ Gallery “Testvérmúzsák” - Pomáz, Hungary
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2008 | a solo show @ "1. Schweizer Ungarnhausfest" Gemeinschaftszentrum Buchegg, Zurich, Switzerland
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1997 | ‘BUSZE’: Yearly Medical Conference in Budapest - Hungary (invitational solo)
group exhibitions curated by the artist
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2021 14-26 Sept | Adaptation - group show with Suzy Abrahams, Wilf Frost,
Dani Humberstone, Vivien Phelan, Heather Tobias, and Ann Marie Whaley @ the Lightbox Gallery, Woking -
2020 Dec - May '21 | Fountain at 20 - group show, Orleans House Galleries, The Stables, Twickenham (London)
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2019 25 Nov-8 Dec | Group Show @ the Fountain Gallery
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2018 5 June – 1 July | group exhibition at the Lightbox, Woking
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2018 25 Jan - 8 April | Water Water... @ The Stables Gallery, Twickenham
group exhibitions | art fairs | open-call shows
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2023 | Society of Women Artists’ 162th Annual @ Mall Galleries, London
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2022 | SWA 161th Annual Exhibition @ Mall Galleries, London
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2021 May - July | Hampton Court Palace Golf Club
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2019 23-29 Sept | SWA 158th Annual Exhibition @ Mall Galleries, London ( co-curated)
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2018 25-30 Sept | SWA 157th Annual Exhibition @ Mall Galleries, London (co-curated)
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2018 14-16 Sept | ‘Spot the Artist' September Festival St Ives @ Porthmeor Studios, St Ives, UK
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2018 31 Jan - 17 Feb | The Columbia Threadneedle Prize @ Mall Galleries, London
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2017 | ‘Spot the Artist' September Festival, St Ives @ Porthmeor Studios, St Ives, UK
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2017 19 July - 13 Aug | Elmbridge, Moving Art Exhibition @ Riverhouse Barn Art Centre, Walton-on-Thames
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2017 4-9 July | Society of Women Artists' 156th Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London (co-curated)
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2016 28 July - 7 Aug | Society of Women Artists' 155th Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London (also co-curated)
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2015 20 Jan - 20 Feb | 'Kiss' @ Gallery Different, London
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2014 Dec- 2015 Jan | 'Christmas Collective' @ Gallery Different, London
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2014 23-26 Oct | Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London
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2014 5-20 Sept | 'The Society of Women Artists' Curator's Pick' @ Gallery Different, London
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2014 26 June - 5 July | Society of Women Artists' 153rd Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London
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2013-2015 | Permanent display at the Skylark Galleries, Oxo Tower, London
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2013 27 June - 6 July | SWA 152nd Annual Exhibition @ the Mall Galleries, London (Winner of the 'for body of work' award)
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2013 March | Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London
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2012 December | 'Eastern Chics' Go Figurative, London
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2012 November - March 2013 | 'Outlands' The Architect's Gallery, London
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2009 | Art Show Zurich, Switzerland
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2001 | ’Electrographic’ Biennale (International open call) by Ágnes Haász @ Gallery Vigadó | Budapest, Hungary
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2000 | ’Miskolci Grafikai Biennálé’ Graphic Biennale of Miskolc city, Hungary
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1998 | Hotel Aquincum Gallery | Budapest, Hungary
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1998 | ’46. Vásárhelyi Őszi Tárlat’ 46th (National) Autumn exhibition Vásárhely, Hungary
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1997 | Budafok Culture Centre | Budapest, Hungary
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1996 | Tető Gallery | Budapest, Hungary
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1993 | Young Talents: Students of György Benedek @ Budafok Culture Centre
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1993 @ The Culture Centre of the Capital, to honour György Benedek (Merited Artist of Hungary) as Master, Budapest - Hungary