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Javier Mayoral aka PULPBROTHER in Hungary!

Javier Mayoral aka PULPBROTHER in Budapest, Hungary

Contemporary Pop Art Exhibition at Start Gallery

Pop art never goes out of style. With this exhibition, Start Gallery brings one of the genre’s international figures, Javier Mayoral—also known as PULPBROTHER—to Budapest, Hungary, highlighting how bold, ironic, and often provocative humor remains one of the most universal visual languages today.

While many exciting voices in contemporary art remain under the radar, PULPBROTHER has reached a global audience far beyond traditional art circles. His works—spanning acrylic paintings on wood, prints, and canvas—are recognized by audiences who may not typically engage with contemporary visual art.

Through platforms like Instagram, Mayoral has built a following of over 300,000, gaining visibility well beyond the Miami art scene. Today, his work is sought after by designers, photographers, publishers, and music labels, and has been exhibited at major events such as Art Basel Miami Beach.

Humor, Irony, and Intimacy in Contemporary Artwork

At the core of PULPBROTHER’s success lies a distinctive tone: humorous, often dark, unapologetically sarcastic, sometimes provocative—yet always infused with a subtle sense of vitality and life-affirmation.

His works create an intimate connection with the viewer while maintaining a critical distance through irony. Themes of nightlife, pleasure, and human desire appear frequently, yet without moral judgment or the trope of artistic self-destruction.

The female body often serves as a recurring muse, but even in explicitly sensual compositions, humor and layered meaning emerge. Mayoral is a master of petites perceptions—those subtle, almost unnoticed details that quietly expand the narrative depth of each piece.

A Shared Visual Language

It is no coincidence that gallery founder Angelika Fekete (Analóg Angelika) invited him to Budapest. Their shared interest in absurd humor, visual storytelling, and playful irony creates a natural connection.

Since its founding, Start Gallery has positioned itself as a space for independent contemporary artists, where serious ideas can be explored through lightness, humor, and freedom—far from didactic approaches.

From Advertising to Contemporary Art

Born in Spain, Mayoral worked in advertising until his thirties before moving to the United States—living in New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and eventually Miami. Alongside his creative career, he also worked as a private chef.

What began as a hobby—painting and drawing—gradually evolved into a full-time artistic practice, significantly supported by his growing online presence. His works have since been exhibited internationally, including in Spain, France, and Austria.

About Start Gallery

Start Gallery, founded by Analóg Angelika in 2021, is part of the revitalizing Margit Quarter in Budapest, Hungary. The gallery focuses on curated, unique works at accessible prices, built on the idea that art is not a luxury.

Exhibition Details

Title: I Forgot the Pizza I Was Supposed to Deliver
Dates: November 29 – December 19
Location: Start Gallery, 15–17 Margit Boulevard, Budapest, Hungary

Opening: November 29, 7:00 PM
Opening remarks by: László Szily

Opening music: DJ Shuriken & Splatter – Küss Mich

Finissage: December 19, 7:00 PM

Opening Hours

  • Tuesday, Thursday: 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM
  • Friday, Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Artist Talk Events (with the artist present)

  • November 30 – 6:30 PM
  • December 1 – 6:30 PM
  • December 2 – 4:00 PM

This exhibition presents a bold and accessible entry point into contemporary pop-inspired artwork, bringing an internationally recognized independent artist to the heart of Budapest.

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Marko Rodics: Political Portraits

Marko Rodics: Political Portraits

November 7 – November 23, 2024 | Contemporary Art Exhibition in Budapest, Hungary

In this contemporary artwork exhibition, independent artist Marko Rodics explores a central hypothesis: that Hungary has yet to fully confront and process its past—despite the clear necessity to do so.

Graduating from the Intermedia program, Rodics presents a series of 30 works that guide the viewer through the complex relationship between past and present. Through these pieces, the exhibition invites reflection—encouraging visitors to confront not only broader historical questions, but also their own uncertainties and gaps in understanding.

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March 2025 News

It would be nice to open a textbook on how to communicate an experimental, community-driven commercial gallery as a neurospicy user…

But until then—here are the news:

Coming Up

April (for sure):
City vs. Wilderness – Szofink clash!!!
A bold contemporary artwork encounter between urban and natural narratives.

April (if all goes well):
A touch of Kassák-inspired experimental spirit 👀

May 15:
Pezsgő Margit returns 🍾
We celebrate with the presentation of Goran Dimić’s amazing community-based sculpture project—a unique example of participatory contemporary art in Budapest, Hungary.

June:
NICE TO SEE YOU
Finally showcasing Bence’s abstract imprints—an independent artist’s personal visual language.

Ongoing – March Theme: Flow

For a while now, the three of us at the gallery have been playing a kind of “image chess” on the walls. This constantly shifting selection—its instability, its ungraspable nature—is the core of our March theme: Flow (working title).

It’s about the process: how we continuously reshape the space day by day, hour by hour, by moving the works of the gallery’s artists.

Unexpected harmonies, visual rhythms, and playful dialogues emerge between the pieces—opening up entirely new interpretations through simple repositioning. It’s a living, breathing contemporary exhibition format.

Weekly Program

Random Sketchclub – every Friday, 5:00–8:00 PM
An open, independent art session in Budapest, Hungary.

In case of force majeure, cancellation will be announced by 3:00 PM on the gallery’s Facebook page.

👉 Come join us—drawing is fun! 🙂

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Pulpbrother special!!

Two Hungaria Champagne Paintings Have Arrived!
New contemporary artwork available in Budapest, Hungary

Two fresh contemporary paintings inspired by Hungaria pezsgő have just arrived at Start Gallery — unique pieces by an independent artist, now available for collectors.

Interested? Get in touch via email:
📩 angelika@startgaleria.hu

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Goran Dimić: Everyday Sculpture Garden

Goran Dimić: Everyday Sculpture Garden

A contemporary artwork project in Budapest, Hungary

“Stories, well told” — the slogan of National Public Radio (NPR), the American nonprofit media organization — resonates strongly with Goran Dimić’s artistic practice. During one of his most creative periods, Dimić worked within the framework of the advertising industry, a background that may explain his strong inclination toward constructing narratives through visual means.

His artistic language spans multiple media: drawing, comics, painting, sculpture, small-scale objects, video, culinary creations, and, as seen in this exhibition, participatory multimedia works—even the art of seduction itself.

Dimić studied graphic design at the University of Arts in Belgrade. Early in his career, he gained recognition designing album covers for iconic Yugoslav bands such as Partibrejkers, Električni Orgazam, and Ekatarina Velika (EKV), as well as for magazines including Omladinske, Non, Student, and Pop-Lava. Between 1985 and 1988, he exhibited multiple times at the Student Cultural Center (SKC) in Belgrade under the patronage of Biljana Tomić. In 1991, together with Aleksandar Denić, he created the exhibition From the Life of Squirrels at Happy Gallery.

In 1992, he moved to Budapest, Hungary, where he worked as an art director at Saatchi & Saatchi. He has been a regular participant in the ARC poster exhibitions, winning first prize in 2000 with Cable TV. Since the 2000s, he has continuously returned to his independent contemporary art practice.

Context and References

As a precursor to the present exhibition, it is worth recalling the 2003 exhibition Bad Bones at Műcsarnok, curated by Csaba Uglár with co-curator Júlia Fabényi. Dimić was among the exhibiting artists.

At that time, his work explored symbols such as wheat, bread, and labor. One installation featured sculptural bread placed against a painted blue sky with white clouds—ironically symbolizing prosperity and a “happy future,” reflecting on Hungary’s anticipated EU accession in 2004.

Two decades later, while Hungary’s integration into NATO and the European Union is often framed as a success story, many experienced it as a complex and uneven transition. The present work, Everyday Sculpture Garden, can be seen as both a continuation and transformation of these earlier ideas.

Art Historical Dialogue

This environmental, participatory sculpture cannot be separated from art historical precedents such as Agnes Denes’s Wheatfield – A Confrontation (1982) and Joseph Beuys’s 7000 Oaks, both landmark works in land art and ecological thinking.

Denes’s project created a powerful paradox by planting wheat in a highly valuable urban area, symbolizing food, economy, and ecological imbalance. Beuys, meanwhile, envisioned art as a form of social regeneration, a concept central to his idea of “social sculpture.”

Everyday Aesthetics and Social Sculpture

Dimić’s current work aligns with the idea of everyday art practice—a form of contemporary artwork that blurs the boundaries between art and life. It embraces the notion that everyday creativity is authentic, democratic, and shaped by people interacting with their environment.

In this project, found stones—seemingly insignificant objects—are transformed into a living, communal sculpture through the interaction of passersby, residents, and the artist acting as a subtle director. The process itself becomes the artwork, positioning the project within the framework of relational aesthetics.

One particularly touching moment involved a father and his young son rearranging the stones together—highlighting the emotional and human dimension of the work. These small compositions can carry symbolic meaning, from Christian references (such as the twelve apostles) to Zen-inspired interpretations.

Dedication and Meaning

The exhibition also serves as a tribute to Dimić’s chosen Hungarian mentor, the late sculptor Pál Kő. In his case, the name itself (“Kő,” meaning stone) became inseparable from his artistic identity and medium.

Ultimately, Everyday Sculpture Garden is both a poetic and critical reflection: a contemporary, participatory artwork in Budapest, Hungary that explores memory, community, labor, and hope. It suggests that even within precarious, transactional, and increasingly dehumanized socio-economic systems, art still has the power to create meaning, connection, and belief in a more humane future.

Vító Vojnits-Purcsár
Budapest, May 15, 2025

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How to Start Collecting Contemporary Art in Budapest, Hungary – A Beginner’s Guide for New Collectors

How to Start Collecting Contemporary Art in Budapest, Hungary – A Beginner’s Guide

Collecting contemporary artwork is no longer reserved for museums or seasoned curators. More and more people are discovering that art offers not only aesthetic value, but also long-term significance—both financially and emotionally. But where should you begin?

1. Discover Local Contemporary Artists

Budapest’s dynamic art scene features a wide range of emerging independent artists, including Marko Rodics, Tibor Legát, and Krisztina Pisák. Visiting galleries, exhibitions, and art fairs is one of the best ways to experience their work in person and connect with the local scene in Budapest, Hungary.

→ 👉 Explore the artists of Start Gallery here.

2. Trust Your Instincts

Art collecting is not just an investment—it’s a personal journey. If a piece resonates with you or evokes an emotional response, that already gives it value. Contemporary art creates a direct, personal connection.

3. Start with Smaller Works

You don’t need to begin with large-scale paintings. Unique graphics, photography, or smaller paintings—often in a more travel-size or intimate format—can be excellent entry points. They are more accessible while still offering strong artistic quality.

4. Ask for Expert Guidance

One of the key roles of a gallery is to act as a guide and advisor. At Start Gallery in Budapest, Hungary, we’re happy to recommend artworks tailored to your collecting goals—whether you’re building a collection or making your very first purchase.

→ 📩 Feel free to contact us: angelika@startgaleria.hu

5. Think Long-Term

Building an art collection takes time, attention, and curiosity. Don’t just buy a single piece—build a narrative, collect meanings, and form connections with artists. A thoughtful contemporary art collection becomes a story over time.

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Our Latest News :)

Latest Updates from Start Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

The Random Skethclub returns on September 12 after the summer break! 🙂

On October 3, everyone is warmly invited to the opening of Ben Soir: Harmonia Confusionis — a contemporary art exhibition by an independent artist in Budapest, Hungary.

We’ve also updated our booking options — you can now simply drop by to pick up your purchased artworks! 🙂

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Opening Tomorrow at Start Gallery, Budapest, Hungary!!!

Ben Soir – Harmonia Confusionis
A contemporary art exhibition in Budapest, Hungary

Resident independent artist Ben Soir of Start Gallery presents a new body of contemporary artwork where portraits evolve into layered, textured memories. Through these paintings, the personal transforms into a universal experience: the slow interplay of remembering and forgetting, the delicate balance between order and chaos.

Muted tones, irregular regularity, and labyrinth-like networks resist instant interpretation. These works invite the viewer to pause, let the gaze wander, and encounter their own inner memories along the way.

Harmonia Confusionis is both a professional experiment and a personal statement—painting that offers no fixed answers, but leaves questions suspended: what does time preserve of us, and what does it ultimately conceal?

📍 Start Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
📅 October 3, 2025 – 6:00 PM (Opening)

The exhibition is on view until October 23, open on Fridays, during announced guided tours, and by appointment.
Book your visit.

👉 We look forward to welcoming you