Zoltán Tóth

Jeweller and sculptor in one

• Zoltán uses traditional materials
• He is inspired by the art of the East – and the West
• Each element of his jewellery is formed by himself

Zoltán Tóth’s pieces of jewellery are detailed compositions, created with meticulous craftsmanship and a deep respect for the materials. Some of the pieces are made with repoussage and chasing, while others have a strong sculptural character. Nowadays, he applies the Japanese Shibayama zaiku technique in his jewellery – in a unique way. This type of pearl shell carving is a special mixture of relief and inlay. In addition to Japanese culture, he also draws inspiration from nature, contemporary architecture, and the wider world that surrounds him. According to the artist, the diversity of metalworking is what appeals to him: making each necklace, bracelet or ring is a challenge, but each in a different way. A winner of the Noémi Ferenczy Award, Zoltán graduated in metalwork from the Hungarian University of Applied Arts (now MOME) in 1998. In 2003, he received the Lajos Kozma Applied Arts Scholarship.

Interview

Benedek Regős©Museum of Applied Arts Budapest

Benedek Regős©Museum of Applied Arts Budapest

How did you start on your professional journey?

After graduating from university, a renowned Hungarian gallery, Erdész Gallery, organised a jewellery group exhibition, to which they also chose exhibitors based on recommendations from the university. That’s how I was selected as a young novice designer – in fact, it was my first strong impulse to take jewellery more seriously as a profession.

In what way is your craft inspired by the territory?

I am drawn towards classical European visual art. A well-formed object always catches my eye – be it from Greek Antiquity, Renaissance, Italy or the Low Countries, all the way to contemporary art. Classical European art – its traces and relics – surround me in Hungary and affect my art, but the art of the Far East inspires me hugely too.

What kind of materials do you like to work with?

I like to combine different materials instead of working with only metal. Exotic, expensive and special materials such as ivory, ostrich eggs, corals and exotic woods have always been used in the history of jewellery-making and goldsmithing. Over time, they have been excluded from certain areas, but I like to use them still.

Is there something that people usually don’t know about your work?

Sometimes they don’t know that the materials used in my jewellery are almost never ready-made, found objects, but I myself make every piece of them. I carve the stone, wood, bone and pearl-shell with my own hands, that way I make it exactly the way I want.

Zoltán Tóth is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2013

Works

©Gábor György Varga

©András Varján

©Gábor György Varga

©Zoltán Tóth

©Gábor György Varga

Where