ISTVAN MIZERAK, by all accounts an esteemed photojournalist, was also a quality fine art photographer in Hungary in the second half of the 20th century. He could not, and did not, wish to identify with the Communist political ideology of his times, but his strong patriotism prevented him from seeking his fortune abroad. He kept his distance from the political elite, both literally and figuratively: he was not a member of any political party. As a talented photographer, he had plenty of opportunities to gain more professional recognition, but his personal integrity was more important to him than fame.
Mizerak was born in Ózd on 19 December 1942. His parents left their native highlands when their hometown was annexed to Czechosolovakia, settling in Sajóvárkony, the first town on the Hungarian border. It was here that Mizerak would get his education. As a self-taught photograper, it was clear from the start that this was his true profession.
The magical „world of light” captured him at a young age, beginning with stagelights. He was a brilliant actor, singer and dancer. Mizerak had great success acting in the local theater, where he would later also direct. After completing his military service in Lillafüred, Mizerak started working as a cultural developer, but his passion for photography was soon to take center stage in his life.
He got his first camera at the age of nine, trading his necklace for it. He took photography very seriously from the first moment onwards. He developed his films and printed his photos by himself. Mizerak’s career took off in 1966 when he participated in a photograpy contest with pseudonym „Finita” and won second place for his picture. This would be no early finale; on the contrary, it was the start of something wonderful that would become his vocation for a lifetime.
Ózd, due to its extensive iron and steel production, was a rich and vibrant city in those years. The image of the city as it is occasionally portrayed in the news today is unfortunately light years from the reality of that time. The metallurgical plant of Ózd was the beating heart of the city that provided work for a wide variety of people, including the young Istvan Mizerak, who got his first job here as a photographer. In the position of “protocol photographer” he didn’t mean to surrender to the "top dogs" parade. In his photographs from this period, the themes of power and political charge are almost absent, commonly presented only in ironic forms. On the contrary, while strolling through the steel factory’s halls, he took beautiful pictures of simple workers in the blaze of hot iron. Mizerak was able to see the beauty in the raw geometry of the surrounding industrial landscape. If we look at the body of Mizerak’s work, a substantial portion of his photos represent metallurgy and iron workers. But, even from a historical perspective, no words like "proletarian" or "building communism" come to one’s mind. Rather, emphasis was more commonly placed on imagery centering around thoughts of human dignity and the heroism of the almost unthinkable working conditions of pre-robotic industrial production and the beauty of raw iron.
In 1968, Mizerak became a correspondent for the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) which, by his own admission, meant a huge school of professional growth to him. Over the coming years, Mizerak published his photos in almost every Hungarian national newspaper. The local daily paper, “Ózdi Vasas” and regional newspaper „Észak-magyarország” would regularly publish his writings as well. He exhibited his photos on a number of occasions, in Hungary and abroad, and won numerous awards and prizes during this period. He received a number of proposals over the years, along with promises of better living and working conditions, but his dignity was always stronger than the temptation.
A love of nature accompanied him throughout his life. A passionate hunter, Mizerak spent almost every weekend in the woods, and bore a wealth of hysterical hunting anecdotes. Mizerak was also a member of the Hungarian Ornithological Society. His pictures of the National Park of Aggtelek served for many years to promote the nature reserve, which is part of UNESCO’s Patrimony of Humanity.
In the second half of the nineties, his health began to decline and his eyesight strongly deteriorated. This is a brutal slap in the face for a photographer as one cannot correct blurred vision with a camera lens. However, Mizerak never stopped taking pictures, continuing to do so until the last day of his life. This was not only his work but his vocation, up to the end.
István Mizerák's life is exemplary. He created “European standing” art in the rural Communist countryside at a time when that expression had not even been invented. The images he has left us have lost none of their authenticity.
He was a Photographer. Could not have been anything else.
Mizerak was born in Ózd on 19 December 1942. His parents left their native highlands when their hometown was annexed to Czechosolovakia, settling in Sajóvárkony, the first town on the Hungarian border. It was here that Mizerak would get his education. As a self-taught photograper, it was clear from the start that this was his true profession.
The magical „world of light” captured him at a young age, beginning with stagelights. He was a brilliant actor, singer and dancer. Mizerak had great success acting in the local theater, where he would later also direct. After completing his military service in Lillafüred, Mizerak started working as a cultural developer, but his passion for photography was soon to take center stage in his life.
He got his first camera at the age of nine, trading his necklace for it. He took photography very seriously from the first moment onwards. He developed his films and printed his photos by himself. Mizerak’s career took off in 1966 when he participated in a photograpy contest with pseudonym „Finita” and won second place for his picture. This would be no early finale; on the contrary, it was the start of something wonderful that would become his vocation for a lifetime.
Ózd, due to its extensive iron and steel production, was a rich and vibrant city in those years. The image of the city as it is occasionally portrayed in the news today is unfortunately light years from the reality of that time. The metallurgical plant of Ózd was the beating heart of the city that provided work for a wide variety of people, including the young Istvan Mizerak, who got his first job here as a photographer. In the position of “protocol photographer” he didn’t mean to surrender to the "top dogs" parade. In his photographs from this period, the themes of power and political charge are almost absent, commonly presented only in ironic forms. On the contrary, while strolling through the steel factory’s halls, he took beautiful pictures of simple workers in the blaze of hot iron. Mizerak was able to see the beauty in the raw geometry of the surrounding industrial landscape. If we look at the body of Mizerak’s work, a substantial portion of his photos represent metallurgy and iron workers. But, even from a historical perspective, no words like "proletarian" or "building communism" come to one’s mind. Rather, emphasis was more commonly placed on imagery centering around thoughts of human dignity and the heroism of the almost unthinkable working conditions of pre-robotic industrial production and the beauty of raw iron.
In 1968, Mizerak became a correspondent for the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) which, by his own admission, meant a huge school of professional growth to him. Over the coming years, Mizerak published his photos in almost every Hungarian national newspaper. The local daily paper, “Ózdi Vasas” and regional newspaper „Észak-magyarország” would regularly publish his writings as well. He exhibited his photos on a number of occasions, in Hungary and abroad, and won numerous awards and prizes during this period. He received a number of proposals over the years, along with promises of better living and working conditions, but his dignity was always stronger than the temptation.
A love of nature accompanied him throughout his life. A passionate hunter, Mizerak spent almost every weekend in the woods, and bore a wealth of hysterical hunting anecdotes. Mizerak was also a member of the Hungarian Ornithological Society. His pictures of the National Park of Aggtelek served for many years to promote the nature reserve, which is part of UNESCO’s Patrimony of Humanity.
In the second half of the nineties, his health began to decline and his eyesight strongly deteriorated. This is a brutal slap in the face for a photographer as one cannot correct blurred vision with a camera lens. However, Mizerak never stopped taking pictures, continuing to do so until the last day of his life. This was not only his work but his vocation, up to the end.
István Mizerák's life is exemplary. He created “European standing” art in the rural Communist countryside at a time when that expression had not even been invented. The images he has left us have lost none of their authenticity.
He was a Photographer. Could not have been anything else.
ISTVAN MIZERAK
1942 - Born in Ózd
1963 - Starts working as cultural developer at Endre Ady Cultural Center and from 1965 at Franz Liszt Cultural Center, Ózd
1967 - Photographer at Metallurgical Enterprises of Ózd
1967 - Starts longtime collaboration as freelance photojournalist with local newspaper Ózdi Vasas and regional newspapers Észak- Magyarország and Déli Hírlap
1968 - Becomes regional correspondent for Hungarian News Agency (MTI) and member of the Association of Hungarian Journalists (MúOSZ)
1985 - Official photographer of Aggtelek National Park
1989 – Shareholder, fotoreporter and journalist of Ózdi Vasas
1998 - Dies in Ózd
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 - Digitalis Eromu, Ozd, Hungary
2015 - Milan Image Fair, Milan, Italy
2014 - Nest Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
2013 – Olvasó, Ózd, Hungary, permanent exhibition of selected works at the Istvan Mizerak Room
2012 - Olvasó, Ózd, Hungary (Hungarian Month of Photography Festival)
2011 - Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary
1986 - History Museum, Ózd, Hungary
1980 - History Museum, Ózd, Hungary
1975 - Riesa Steel and Tube Industries Exhibition Hall, Riesa , Germany (DDR)
1975 - Binz, Germany (DDR)
1975 - Tokaj Cultural Center, Tokaj, Hungary
1970 - Polish Cultural Institute, Budapest, Hungary
1968 - Franz Liszt Cultural Center, Ózd, Hungary
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
1982 - Vítkovice Photosalon International Photo Contest exhibition, Vítkovice, Chech Republic
1982 - II. Environmental Photo Contest, Szolnok Hungary
1980 - Aladár Székely Memorial Exhibition, Tokaj, Hungary
1980 - Environmental Hazards, Environmental Photo Contest, Szolnok Hungary
1970 - Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition
1970 - Northern Hungarian photo exhibition
1969 - MUNKA Magazine's Photocontest exhibition
AWARDS
2013 - Istvan Mizerak Hall, a permanent exhibition space is dedicated to the memory of Istvan Mizerak at Olvasó cultural center in Ózd, displaying a selection of his most iconic photographs.
1990 - Awarded by Hungarian Red Cross and City of Ózd for his work during the 1989 revolution in Transylvania, Romania.
1986 - Award of Excellence for Outstandig Achievements at Metallurgical Enterprizes of Ózd
1982 - First prize at Vítkovice Photosalon International Photo Contest, Vítkovice, Chech Republic
1980 - Award at "Water in our lives" photo contest
1977 - UNESCO Award for "The cradle of Humanity"
1977 - Silver grade award for activities for the community 1979 - International Year of Children Photocontest prize
1970 - Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition prize for "125 years of ÓKÜ"
1970 - Special Award by Workers Labor Union for "Bridge builders" and "Before the grand moment" at Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition
1969 - Second price at MUNKA Magazine's Photocontest for "Casters"
1966 - Second price at local photo contest
1942 - Born in Ózd
1963 - Starts working as cultural developer at Endre Ady Cultural Center and from 1965 at Franz Liszt Cultural Center, Ózd
1967 - Photographer at Metallurgical Enterprises of Ózd
1967 - Starts longtime collaboration as freelance photojournalist with local newspaper Ózdi Vasas and regional newspapers Észak- Magyarország and Déli Hírlap
1968 - Becomes regional correspondent for Hungarian News Agency (MTI) and member of the Association of Hungarian Journalists (MúOSZ)
1985 - Official photographer of Aggtelek National Park
1989 – Shareholder, fotoreporter and journalist of Ózdi Vasas
1998 - Dies in Ózd
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 - Digitalis Eromu, Ozd, Hungary
2015 - Milan Image Fair, Milan, Italy
2014 - Nest Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
2013 – Olvasó, Ózd, Hungary, permanent exhibition of selected works at the Istvan Mizerak Room
2012 - Olvasó, Ózd, Hungary (Hungarian Month of Photography Festival)
2011 - Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary
1986 - History Museum, Ózd, Hungary
1980 - History Museum, Ózd, Hungary
1975 - Riesa Steel and Tube Industries Exhibition Hall, Riesa , Germany (DDR)
1975 - Binz, Germany (DDR)
1975 - Tokaj Cultural Center, Tokaj, Hungary
1970 - Polish Cultural Institute, Budapest, Hungary
1968 - Franz Liszt Cultural Center, Ózd, Hungary
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
1982 - Vítkovice Photosalon International Photo Contest exhibition, Vítkovice, Chech Republic
1982 - II. Environmental Photo Contest, Szolnok Hungary
1980 - Aladár Székely Memorial Exhibition, Tokaj, Hungary
1980 - Environmental Hazards, Environmental Photo Contest, Szolnok Hungary
1970 - Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition
1970 - Northern Hungarian photo exhibition
1969 - MUNKA Magazine's Photocontest exhibition
AWARDS
2013 - Istvan Mizerak Hall, a permanent exhibition space is dedicated to the memory of Istvan Mizerak at Olvasó cultural center in Ózd, displaying a selection of his most iconic photographs.
1990 - Awarded by Hungarian Red Cross and City of Ózd for his work during the 1989 revolution in Transylvania, Romania.
1986 - Award of Excellence for Outstandig Achievements at Metallurgical Enterprizes of Ózd
1982 - First prize at Vítkovice Photosalon International Photo Contest, Vítkovice, Chech Republic
1980 - Award at "Water in our lives" photo contest
1977 - UNESCO Award for "The cradle of Humanity"
1977 - Silver grade award for activities for the community 1979 - International Year of Children Photocontest prize
1970 - Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition prize for "125 years of ÓKÜ"
1970 - Special Award by Workers Labor Union for "Bridge builders" and "Before the grand moment" at Northern Hungarian Photo Exhibition
1969 - Second price at MUNKA Magazine's Photocontest for "Casters"
1966 - Second price at local photo contest