Departing from our usual theme of film locations or shooting movies and TV series in Hungary, we took refuge from a cold snap in January 2024 and headed to The Red Door. It’s a gallery in the thick of the now decidedly hip and cool 8th district of downtown Budapest.

Suffice to say, things got a bit hot under the collar.        

If film and TV are siblings born of a dynamic medium, art is their very bohemian first cousin. Paintings are static, sure, but they also have the potential to deliver a hefty impact by conveying messages and meaning. Just like film, they do this through visual language. Form, colour and composition combine to create an image that grabs our attention and sends our imagination on a journey of discovery.

Not sure what to expect from this exhibition of new works from Hungarian artist Noemi Devil, I took one of my more cultured friends, Kinga, who’s in the know regarding contemporary art in Central Europe. She also just so happens to be a big fan of Devil.

Noemi Devil: Melding the Past and the Present

Noemi Devil is a Hungarian artist who studied Fine Arts, Graphic Art and Architecture at various universities in Vienna. This would have crushed a lessor individual, but Devil’s approach and work ethic have clearly been positively influenced by the experience. The three disciplines, as well as her own artistic practice, form the four pillars that underpin her work.

Dividing her time between Vienna and Budapest, Devil creates her art within thematic cycles that range from 12 to 20 pictures. Her work explores modern issues such as pollution, genetic engineering, our ageing society, and excessive consumption.

Devil’s also dabbled in time travel.

In past paintings, she’s juxtaposed period subjects with modern elements to create work that feels dynamic and cinematic. Look at the narrative hooks Devil’s incorporated into the piece below:

This particular exhibition at The Red Door was dominated by a series of vibrant paintings portraying still life of luscious flowers and fanciful fruits. These pictures were like a hallucinogen, evoking an intricate, fantastical world of erotic looking produce.

The overall effect was hypnotic; Alice in Wonderland meets a debauched Garden of Eden.

 What a trip.

Check out more of Noemi’s work here: www.noemidevil.com

Flatpack Films has years of experience servicing international brands, agencies, and production companies. Filming in Hungary is easy when relying on their knowledge of the market and ability to solve complex needs. They bring the best that Hungary has to offer in terms of unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top-of-the-line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more.

Get in touch and learn more about Budapest film locations, Hungarian film incentives, film tax credits in Hungary and how Flatpack Films can bring your project to life through a highly bespoke approach.