Dávid-Lehel Miholcsa is an emerging visual artist whose works are distinguished by a profound discourse, articulated around existential themes. After graduating from the Art High School in Târgu Mureș, he continued his studies at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, specializing in graphics, and during his studies, he also explored the international art scene, spending a semester at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. In his artistic practice, he explores several media – from graphics and 2D animation to land art. In this interview, Dávid-Lehel talks to us about his beginnings, the challenges he has taken on, his aesthetic searches, but also about how he visualizes his artistic journey.

Angela Izvercian: After graduating from the Art High School in Târgu Mureș (2015-2019), you continued your studies at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca (2019-2024), specializing in graphics. So, your interest in art emerged relatively early in your case. What inspired you to become a visual artist? Please tell us about your first artistic manifestations.

Dávid-Lehel Miholcsa: I was surrounded by art at home. The numerous paintings on the walls and the time spent in my father’s studio probably planted the idea of dealing with art in me. As a child, I drew a lot. Although I took a 3 to 4-year break before high school, I still chose to go to art high school, because it seemed natural to me.

A.I.: During college, you studied for a semester in Italy at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera. How different were the two academic experiences?

D.L.M.: The differences between them were not significant, and the way they approach education is similar in many aspects. Maybe there is a slightly greater emphasis on encouraging everyone to find their own creative style, but it is possible that I see it that way just because I did not know what the trends were at that university. However, both offered freedom. At Brera, I experimented a little with the medium of video and animation, but I mainly continued to work on what I would have created at home.

A.I.: Did your university studies guide your artistic evolution and the development of your own style; did they prepare you for what came next?

D.L.M.: Already since my second year, I have quite clearly outlined the means and style that suit me. During my years spent in Cluj, I gathered information from various sources about the opportunities we have as artists, so, for the most part, I know what to expect.

A.I.: You are a young artist, yet your artistic discourse is built around complex, profound themes. The vicious circle of human existence is a subject that predominates in your art. What led you to choose this theme, and what does it mean to you? Is it a purely theoretical exploration, or is it determined by certain personal experiences/motivations/research?

D.L.M.: A director friend told me that the source of art is always a frustration of some kind. I feel that I do not have any negative personal experience that could form the basis for my art. As I have approached some of the more common and particular themes over the years, I felt that I would like to explore something more universal, eternal, and deeper.

The question of the meaning and purpose of human existence has been preoccupying me for a long time. I have read many books by existentialist and postmodern philosophers, Zen Buddhist thinkers, anthropologists and theoretical physicists to explore this topic. In parallel, I have integrated these thoughts into my art. I am not so much interested in plastic questions, the past or specific cultural phenomena, but rather what lies beyond them.

A.I.: How would you describe your artistic practice?

D.L.M.: I do not consider my art an act of self-expression, but rather an objective investigation, which tries to capture the defining features of human existence through simple and comprehensive motifs. I represent the feeling of absence and the emptiness that lies behind our desires and goals. Their realization, the effort to fill this void, represents the mechanism that has always shaped the life and evolution of our society, urging man to endless actions and attempts.

A.I.: What message do you want to convey through your art, and how does it respond to the anxieties that humanity faces? Do you think art can offer us a way out of the vicious circle?

D.L.M.: The silent and dark landscapes, the tools lying in the empty spaces, the nets and wires reflect the tension between the human vision of the world and reality itself, emphasizing the mismatch, the fact that our approaches and beliefs about life probably do not often coincide with reality. We assume that our intelligence is sufficient to put into words, explore and categorize something as complex as our existence and its elements. We are convinced that our life must have a purpose and a meaning, although we can observe that living and inanimate things do not concern themselves with such matters.

We can have many wrong beliefs that exist and have been consolidated because they are deeply rooted in social conventions and the very language through which we think, a language that imposes a narrow and limiting framework on our thinking. Within the confines of our consciousness, there is an instinctive desire to act, an impulse to change, to progress – and this is the factor that underlies all human conflicts, thus making them impossible to avoid.
Of course, art does not offer a solution for these either, it can only distract us from them, just like many other phenomena invented or put into practice by man to make our lives more pleasant, regardless of how we define them.

A.I.: Horizon, Silence, Void, and Nets are some of the titles of the series of works developed so far. Formulated mostly in a single word, they manage to encompass the essence of the series. How do you choose your titles? Is there a working title from the beginning that sets a direction until the end, or do changes occur as the series takes shape?

D.L.M.: I always try to choose a title that is as simple, appropriate and expressive as possible for my works. I don’t like to be mysterious with them, so that the viewer has to look for their meaning; the mystery must be present in the creations themselves.
Usually, drawings only receive a title after they are completed. This is usually the main reason for the work. However, I have a few good titles for which I am going to create a drawing or a series.

A.I.: How would you like the viewer to interact with your works? Do you want them to feel/see something in a particular way?

D.L.M.: I believe that art should not be a coded message or a phenomenon that conveys concrete thoughts, but rather something that catalyzes the thoughts of the viewer, who experiences the artwork through the prism of his or her own experiences and feelings. Of course, I am happy if the viewer comes up with similar ideas to those that come to mind, but this is not an expectation at all.

A.I.: Very often, when entering a contemporary art gallery, the public is faced with the famous question: Is this art? Why do you think contemporary art continues to be a challenge for the general public?

D.L.M.: In general perception, far fewer things are considered art than those actually part of this field. Contemporary art often deviates from this norm, so it will be considered art much later among the general public.

A.I.: What is/was your biggest challenge as an artist?

D.L.M.: The biggest challenge is to create a living from my work. This will probably require a few more years of work, and then I will just have to focus on maintaining it. The creative process itself is a natural and enjoyable one for me.

A.I.: You work with various media, from graphics to 2D animation and land art. What do these techniques have in common? What is the priority when choosing the technique?

D.L.M.: First of all, I consider myself a visual artist: I draw and occasionally do land art. My animation activity is completely separate from these. In addition to drawing, I have always worked on other projects, where I could use different sides of my creativity, where I do not create gloomy and dark images, but work on projects with a lighter tone, collaborating with others. I have also worked on creating visual identities and web design, but making animated films and music videos is what I want to continue doing in the future.

A.I.: Is there anything you would like to experiment with (new themes, other techniques, collaborations, etc.), but the right context has not yet appeared?

D.L.M.: The subjects for my drawings have already been planned for a while, and are closely related to the projects I am currently developing. However, I would like to create installations and sculptures in the future. I have already given up on a few ideas because they would not work in drawing. I would like to rethink them and realize them in the form of installations, when I have the opportunity.

A.I.: How do you see your artistic path in the coming years?

D.L.M.: I hope that over the years, my works will reach as many people as possible, both in the country and internationally, and that the theme and the visual universe that I try to delve into will leave an impression on them. Next year I want to have a personal exhibition, with completely new material, if everything goes well.