There is nothing after strenuousness
Exceprt from the speech by mayor Géza Cseri’s obituary, at the funeral of Imre Égerházi
Imre Égerházi, painter, died on November 14, 2001, in tragic circumstances, as a result of a road accident, at the age of 76.
This is the official, shockingly short news reported by the media and the official obituary. A black flag flies in the flagpole of the town hall.
One of the winners of the “Award for Hortobágy” just died.
When creating the award, the municipality determined that the awardee could be a person or group who did a lot for the village. What did Imre Égerházi do for Hortobágy?
The artist, born in Hajdúhadház in 1925, considered Hortobágy to be his second birthplace. Not only did he paint its sheer beauty and spread the reputation of Hortobágy as a painter, but he was a founding member and leader of the Hortobágy Creative Camp, held for the 22nd time in 2001, until his death. Artists (painters, graphic artists, sculptors) from all over the world (from America, Japan, Europe and Hungary) each year, in the period from February 15 to March 15, looked to him as a partner, an organizer, a HUMAN BEING. With his death, an irreplaceable space was created in the life of the international camp.
From primary school children to the staff of the college that provides accommodation for the artists, the teachers of the school and the staff of the mayor’s office, we will all miss Uncle Imre.
Let me quote from a letter from two Hungarian artists of the creative camp, József Mátyás and Éva Sütő:
“A great arc, a long and brilliant artistic life, an invaluable oeuvre is over. This is an immeasurable loss for famous artists visiting Hortobágy from the village, the region, Hungary and all over the world.
We’ll miss Imre Égerházi’s collegial, kind smile, his zeal for art, his unbreakable will to work, his unique style of painting that is now gone. We are shocked and weep for him. He will remain eternal for all of us.”
At the funeral on November 30, 2001, we only say goodbye to the body. Looking at the paintings of the Égerházi spirituality, visiting the permanent exhibition of the Millennium and Millecentennials – he will stay in Hortobágy forever.
Géza Cseri
mayor
