From Fairy Tales to Sculpture: Meditations on Form, Nature, and Subjectivity

Organized by The Bridge Arts Foundation, the "Urban Pulse" Open Call Exhibition is now on view at The Scholart Selection Gallery in San Gabriel, California, running through February 22, 2025.

As part of the exhibition, The Bridge Arts Foundation’s Art Director, Tia Xu, sat down with several participating artists to discuss their creative process and artistic vision. In this interview, we are delighted to feature a conversation with artist Judit Csotsits.

—— Q&A ——

Tia Xu: Could you please share your background and what inspired you to pursue a career in art?

Judit Csotsits: I have been drawing and painting since childhood. As a shy child, art became my sanctuary—a space where my imagination could bring characters and worlds to life. Through it, I infused my creations with emotions, complexities, and desires, crafting a realm rich in nuance and depth. This creative journey has continued into adulthood, and I can't imagine ever stopping. Art remains my way of exploring both the inner and outer worlds.

This natural tendency led me to attend LA County High School for the Arts, then UCLA and Otis to obtain my BA and MFA in fine art. Since then, I have been employed as a professional designer and an art educator.

Judy Csotsits, *Bliss*, 2024, Ceramic, 8 x 8 x 7 in. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Tia Xu: What does "Urban Pulse" mean to you, and how does your artwork explore this theme? Can you tell us the story behind your artwork from the exhibition?

Judit Csotsits: I have lived in the LA area since 1982 and have always sought out places within the city to connect with nature, such as Griffith Park and the hiking trails of the Santa Monica Mountains. Though I navigate LA’s bustling freeways daily, these natural sanctuaries offer a sense of reconnection amidst the urban landscape. My artwork has always explored a deeper relationship with the natural world. Recently, I moved to a ranch immersed in nature, which has further influenced my creative process. Since then, I have begun crafting sculptures, including the one presented in the Urban Pulse show. I see my sculpture as embodying a being that represents our intrinsic bond with nature—a hybrid creature blending elements of animal, human, and plant life. With her eyes closed, she exists in a meditative state, delving into her own deep subjectivity.

Tia Xu: What emotions or ideas do you hope viewers will take away from experiencing your artwork?

Judit Csotsits: I hope viewers appreciate the intricate details of the work, reflected in the surface treatment and forms. More than that, I hope it evokes a sense of reconnection to their own being and a renewed appreciation for the natural world. I also wish for them to sense the internal subjectivity of the character embodied in the sculpture—allowing them, in turn, to consciously grasp their own inner essence.

Tia Xu: Are there any other series that you are currently working on? Would you mind sharing them with us?

Judit Csotsits: Yes, I am continuing to create sculptures and vessels. I am developing a series of works that embrace a hybrid perspective on life, dissolving the boundaries between different life forms to explore their shared essence. Alongside the sculptures, I will also be creating digital art prints as part of the series.

Tia Xu: How does your cultural background influence your art?

Judit Csotsits: I was born in Debrecen, Hungary, and as a child, I fell in love with the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. The nuanced and deeply emotional lives of his characters, particularly in The Little Mermaid, captivated me. I believe my fascination with creating female hybrid beings may have begun there. Since then, I have continually explored and expressed this feminine hybrid nature through my sculptural work. In addition to sculptures, I have also created figurative watercolors and abstract drawings that serve as extensions of this same artistic exploration.

The Bridge Arts Foundation's "Urban Pulse" Open Call Exhibition Installation View, Photo: ©The Bridge Arts Foundation / Luna Hao

ABOUT OPEN CALL EXHIBITION PROGRAM

Bridge Arts Foundation's Open Call Exhibition Program is committed to supporting emerging artists by providing them with opportunities to showcase their work. "Urban Pulse" features 16 outstanding artists selected from over 100 submissions through a rigorous jury process involving art professionals. This exhibition runs from January 20th to February 22nd, 2025, at The Scholart Selection Gallery, offering a dynamic exploration of the energy, complexity, and human connections within urban spaces.

ABOUT ARTIST

My artwork encompasses a diverse range of mediums from drawing to painting to sculpture. The underlying approach to my practice delves into the realm of intuition, probing the depths of the subconscious which is intertwined with my personal history and collective ancestry. I was born in Debrecen, Hungary and emigrated to the United States in 1982. During my formative years, my innate inclination for drawing and painting served to externalize my emotions and thoughts amidst an emotionally turbulent upbringing.

Consequently, my artistic journey has consistently centered on using material forms to connect with the intuitive mind and my emotional core. Upon reflecting on my body of work, I’ve identified recurring themes which thread through my explorations across diverse mediums. One such recurring theme revolves around a hybridized perspective on life forms. Inspired by the pioneering work of Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist, naturalist, and artist, I'm captivated by the intricate structures of organisms, which he meticulously illustrated. My abstract drawings on mylar aim to encapsulate the layers of complexity spanning from micro- organisms to macro galaxies. Embodying the principles of fractals- geometric shapes which exhibit consistent patterns across all scales- my drawings merge this notion with that of the evolutionary history of organisms on the planet. My drawings dissolve the boundaries between distinct life forms, echoing the infinite intricacy inherent in fractals. This deliberate design choice ensures that the ornamental complexity remains visually consistent across scales, mirroring the self-similarity found in natural forms.

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