Agnes Herczeg: Thoroughly modern lace

Delicate, intricately crafted lace pictures – with a modern take and framed with carefully selected small knotty branches – have brought Hungarian artist Agnes Herczeg international recognition.

Her fine, detail-oriented artworks range from a petite 5cm up to 18 cm for the taller pieces. They often depict peaceful scenes of domestic chores and bucolic landscapes and portray women as introspective and resting, showing their connection with nature.

It was at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, where she studied textile restoration, that Agnes first discovered her love of the “almost forgotten” techniques of fine embroidery and, in particular, lace-making. Through her own diligent practice, learning from her array of specialist needlework books at home, Agnes developed her exquisite and meticulous skills.

The ethereal pieces often portray traditional women’s work in the garden or countryside. Threads of blue, green, orange and brown entwine to form fruit trees and figures. The pieces convey a striking visual juxtaposition between the looseness of the lace and the solidity of the wood and her determination to push the boundaries shows in each and every piece she makes.