Milán
Rácmolnár

Budapest
1990

The dream-like, multi-colored photos that Milán Rácmolnár has taken with his old Nikon D3200, which he converted into an infrared camera, are like alternative postcards of Rome. One of the most characteristic features of infrared photography is the discoloration of vegetation from green to shades of magenta. This method is used to determine the condition of plants: healthy ones come up in red, while unhealthy ones appear in pink. Fading and washed out colors of the sky and Rome’s iconic buildings and monuments are paired with the radiant presence of the flora. It feels like walking in a pretty familiar landscape in rose-colored glasses. The aesthetics of vintage photography determines that the images follow the rules of classical cityscape composition, incorporating people and unconventional focal points. Illusion is a significant element of the series, Recurrence, that Rácmolnár shot in the Budapest zoo. This artificial environment appears as a case study for examining the impact of Photoshop on human vision. Fake mountains, painted backgrounds, and unorthodox presentations of the natural habitat of different animals create a false image of reality, similarly to the photos that were adjusted artificially. In his projects, Rácmolnár is dealing with the technical aspects of image making and the questions of processing information through photography. He holds a Master’s degree in Photography from MOME. His work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions in Budapest, London, and New York.