Exhibition Opening / PURE FORM – A Selection from the French Fine Art Collection of the Vass Collection

László Vass, master shoemaker—and founder of world-renowned Vass Shoes—can rightly be called one of Hungary’s most significant art collectors today. His collection, which focuses primarily on constructivist tendencies, encompasses works from the and the works of world-renowned artists.

He purchased the very first pieces of his collection—which currently consists of some 650 works of art—in the 1970s. In 1999, the collection was first exhibited at Csikász Gallery in Veszprém. It was then that the idea arose to permanently bring the exhibition, assembled from the collection, to Veszprém. The deposit agreement was signed 25 years ago, in 2001, by the city government and László Vass. The current Modern Art Gallery was created by connecting and merging three buildings. Architect Gábor Turányi and his colleagues, in the course of this complex design task involving many challenges, transformed buildings from different eras into the castle’s historic setting and into a gallery space .

The first permanent exhibition of the Vass Collection opened in June 2003 in the new building in Veszprém. Over the past 23 years, numerous exhibitions of international significance have been held at the Modern Art Gallery, including works by Max Bill, Bernar Venet, and Dóra Maurer. Continuing the presentation of international works by country, this time we focus on the oeuvre of artists associated with France. Moderation and elegance. Optical illusions and contemplative works. The simple visual expression of geometric systems. The square as the foundation of art. Modern Gallery – László Vass Collection’s latest selection, based on the concepts listed above, features the most significant works of constructive, concrete art and abstract, geometric tendencies.

The exhibition features works by Charles Bézie, Gaël Bourmaud, Geneviève Claisse, Daniel de Spirt, Jean Dewasne, Jean-Michel Gasquet, Jean Gorin, Julije Knifer, Henri Prosi, Yves Popet, Aurélie Nemours, François Morellet, Geneviève Claisse, Jean-François Dubreuil, Bernard Venet, and Jean Tinguely. The exhibition material was curated by the Paris-based artists of Hungarian descent, Vera Molnár, Katalin Hetey, Tamás Konok, Márta Pán, and Victor Vasarely, who was born 120 years ago.

The exhibition is presented by art collector László Vass and Bernadett Grásli, director of  House of Arts Veszprém.The exhibition will be on view from April 12 to August 2, 2026.