Physical Comedy is a series of watercolour paintings on paper in which Balint Zsako depicts groupings of
figures that interact and intersect. Rendered in everything from bright hues to grey monochromes, the bodies
change colour or density in the areas where they overlap. Precisely aligned eyes, heads, hands and feet raise
the question of whether the figures agree in their action or are struggling for control. The areas that the
characters share is a new form that none of them truly owns.
Some of the works feature sections that were used as palettes in the making of subsequent paintings, focusing
on a connection between the elemental, abstract nature of paint and the sophistication and narrative
possibilities when the same raw materials are organized into representing bodies.
Zsako notes “While these paintings depict open-ended narratives, the colours of the bodies, their elaborate
spatial relationships and the spaces where they overlap refer to both the conflict and the unity inherent in
struggles for identity and agency”.
Balint Zsako was born in Budapest, Hungary to a textile artist mother and a sculptor father. The family
immigrated to Canada when he was 10 years old. Balint received his BFA from Toronto Metropolitan
University.
The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art organized a travelling exhibition of his works entitled Drawings
from the Bernardi Collection that was also accompanied by the artist’s first monograph. Balint’s works were
featured in Sarah Polley’s film Take This Waltz, and also appear in Phaidon’s Vitamin D2 drawing
anthology.
He was long listed for The Sobey Award, Canada's largest art prize & is featured in Jason Schmidt's Artists
2 photographic survey published by Steidl.
Most recently, Balint’s 2023 book Bunny & Tree, was named as one of The Best Picture Books of 2023 by
The New York Times and Mickalene Thomas selected him to participate in The Brooklyn Museum’s
Brooklyn Artist Exhibition.
Balint lives in Los Angeles.