IN THE STUDIO WITH PETER FULOP
- Victoria Hood, Founder
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
On the Forced Suppression of Individual Perception
Peter Fulop's exhibition Reverie Realms at Standard Space is one-of-a-kind at the very least. Abundance of materials are paired with bold glazing, shapes are rather suggestive, and throughout it all there is a childlike curiosity and exploration. Works Altered I, II, and III make me think of mushroom cyborgs. Peter himself is his own character - I imagine he once roamed the Gemenc Forest in Hungary as a wild animal letting his presence be known without hurting a fly. While Fulop's work addresses the paradox of self-love and shame, the pieces themselves bring a wonderful enjoyment to the independent gallery on Main Street. His personal journey as an artist is just as agreeable.
Where did you grow up and what is your first impactful memory of art?
I grew up in a small historical town in northern Hungary. One of my earliest impactful experiences with art was finding a book about Max Ernst in the local library. At the same time, the filmmaker Béla Tarr was shooting The Outsider in my hometown, collaborating with the local community. My friends and I would hang out and watch them film scenes—it was fascinating and deeply inspiring. That convergence of surrealist imagery and raw, poetic cinema left a lasting mark on me.
When did you know you wanted to pursue your career in art? What path did you take to become an artist?
In high school, I formed a punk band called The Garbage Patrols with friends who, like me, dreamed of becoming filmmakers, writers, or visual artists. The underground scene in Hungary was vibrant at the time, and we immersed ourselves in it—spending time with alternative artists, musicians, and poets. Instead of attending art school, which we felt might stifle our independent thinking, we worked part-time jobs and spent our time experimenting with household paints, found objects, and collage.
Then one day, I saw an advertisement for a ceramics school in an art magazine. The scene around me was beginning to change, and I felt ready to take a new step. I applied and was accepted. My first mentor there was Száva Nagy Mátyás, a teacher who taught me the deep, patient love of clay—something that has stayed with me ever since. That decision opened a whole new path and eventually took me around the world.
When did you move to Pine Plains, NY and why?
I moved to Pine Plains in 2017 when my partner was offered a position to run ChaNorth, an artist residency program in the Hudson Valley. The move felt like a natural extension of our shared commitment to supporting artists and building community.
How does it feel to have your first solo show at Standard Space?
It’s a meaningful milestone to present my first show with Standard Space—especially after following their diverse and thoughtful programming over the years. I’m honored to work with the gallery for the first time and to share this body of work locally with my peers, friends, the artistic community, and neighbors, which brings a special sense of intimacy.
My current work explores archetypes embedded deep within our collective consciousness—those inherited unconscious predispositions, behavioral traits, and tendencies. I’m interested in the paradox of self-love and shame, shaped and conditioned over time by religious, social, and political expectations. My work reflects on the forced suppression of individual perception—how we relate to our own bodies, minds, and the complex inner network of desire, attraction, and repulsion.
Tell us about your choice to use different mediums?
I use mixed media because it provides an expansive way to explore contrasts and express the push and pull I feel both in my subconscious and in the materiality of the work. I use materials like ceramic, metal, wood, synthetic hair, and plastic—with metallic glazes against vivid colors, and matte surfaces contrasting with shine—to delve deeper into the invisible tensions and complexities at play. Using this variety of mediums enriches the layers of meaning in my artistic exploration.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
My favorite piece in the show is the floor installation in conversation with the wall-mounted wood panel relief painting. I love how the two works interact—the installation grounds the space physically and emotionally, while the relief adds a sense of tension and elevation. Together, they create a layered dialogue between material, form, and subconscious narrative. This pairing feels central to the show—it holds the emotional weight of the themes I’m exploring around vulnerability, repression, and desire.
What do you have next on the horizon?
Next on the horizon, with our band Skull Tower 4E alongside John O'Donnell, we’re super excited to be the opening act for Eric Wong at ArtSpace Hartford. Eric is a Berlin-based musician and sound artist whose work explores auditory perception and human relationships with sonic environments.
On the art front, I’m planning to take time for a residency program to fully focus on developing a new body of work for Kapow Gallery in the city.
Any last words of advice to aspiring artists?
Stick with your vision—don’t alter your work to fit current trends or fashions. Believe deeply in what you're doing, and give yourself time and space to explore it fully. If life forces you to take a break, take it. That pause can be a powerful time for reflection, restoration, and even unexpected growth. Trust that your path doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
Peter Fulop
Reverie Realms
July 12th - August 17th
Standard Space
147 Main Street, Sharon, CT 06069
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