Photographs, photo paintings

Ernő Tillai (1927) Ybl-awarded architect, MFIAP photographer, honorary citizen of the city of Pécs. Originally designed as a painter, he later ran a successful career as an architect, designing significant public and residential buildings in Pécs and Transdanubia. In the meantime, he became an increasingly acclaimed artist of the Association of Hungarian Photographers: representing a fresh spirit towards the social realm. His book "Cityscape-City Photography", published in 1981, was awarded the Nívó Prize by the Technical Publishing House, and the Janus Pannonius Prize by the City of Pécs. The book was later included as a textbook in photography education. In preparation for his retirement, he wanted to do watercolor painting, but in the meantime his vision deteriorated, so he had no choice but to create picturesque works with photographic means. After 3 years of experimentation, he found glass plates to re-photograph his previous slides. This allowed him to transform the true-to-life and sharp details of his photographs into picturesque spots. These pictures came as a surprise and recognition to him: the FIAP Secretary General noticed them and Ernő Tillai received the MFIAP award as the only one in Hungary at that time. Today, it can be seen as a revival and recreator of the pictorialist photographic trend that emerged in the early 1900s.