I n the heart of the Miami Design District, the Györy Art Studio beckons the passersby into its lavish garden. Sculptures rise out of the grass and guide you into the realm of Eszter Györy, a Hungarian-American artist whose work speaks to you in tongues. From sketches of smiling cats and dogs to allegorical pieces inspired in the dark recesses of the human heart, Eszter Györy is a true talent.

A typical Györy painting is full of mirage and illusion, yet maintains a sense of the material. As we search for our place in these unsettling worlds, we gain an awareness of bewildering and insiduous dangers. We confront the old dilema of Eros vs. Thanatos.

Györy exorcises her demons through the creative act of painting, but offers us no simple solaces with respect to the reconciliation of man's voice within the world of unreasoning silence, the 20th century malaise grappled by Albert Camus. She grapples with religious and mythological idealogy through sculpture, mixed media and painting. Against the walls, sculptures made of meshed metal and hard wood are intermixed with a series of connecting abstract squares made with oil on wood (Earth Segments).

A series of mixed media paintings depicting mythological and theological angels hang in a secluded area of the studio. Györy creates in array of bright and vibrant colors, the Angel of Love from Sirius, the Angel of Charon, Uranus embracing Venus, the mechanical Angel of Peace from Mars, and the sorrowful Utopian Angel. Through her angels, Györy interprets metaphorically the trials and tribulations of the human soul.

In the same room, three paintings are dominated with biblical references. The first of these paintings is called The Thirteen's , created on rag paper and chesecloth. The Thirteen's is Györy's interpretation of the Last Supper. The cheesecloth symbolizes the bolld stained tunic of a dead Jesus Christ. The second painting, title Devil's Passion , (shown on this page) depicts Lucifer masturbating before a headless female form. Above his head a snake wraps itself around an apple, alluding to Satan's erotic desire to corrupt man. The third painting us Urakabarameeel , made with oil on board.

Györy's ability to switch from relevant work to a more frivolous and commercial point of view makes her a genius. Her love of animals is evident in the various paintings of smiling square-faced cats and dogs. One of Györy's smiling cats adorns an ad campaign commisssioned by Absolut Vodka. Györy's commercial work includes a painting of a fiddler entertaining a woman dining a Mezzanotte, a French restaurant in Coconut Grove. Another painting, title The Connoisseur , shows a tuxedoed cat smiling at a canary sitting on the cat's tail.

Eszter Györy is an artist for our time. Her profuond ability to dig deep into the human soul and create elaborate works of art makes her a true contmporary. Györy adds a touch of sorrow and reality to her art. This gives Györy her artistic credibility which has led to exhibitions and selected works shown at the Smithso ian Institution, the Bass Museum, the Aldrich Museum, the Art Museum of Vassar College, The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, the King Stephan Museum and the Seo Hwa State Gallery.

I strongly urge fine art patrons to visit the Györy Art Studio in the Design District to witness first hand Eszter's remakable genius. You will not be disappointed. Gyory Art Studio is located at 40 NE 40 Streeet, Miami, FL.