“I created this piece after the 2024 Budapest Pride, which served as a pivotal moment in my creative journey. The event reinforced my commitment to using my art as a form of self-expression, specifically focusing on issues of censorship and LGBTQ+ rights. This work marks the beginning of a new direction for me, where I combine personal identity with socio-political commentary. Sourcing materials like the aluminum plates and plastic foil was intentional, symbolizing both the vibrancy and suffocation experienced by marginalized communities. This piece is not just a brooch, but a statement on the necessity of visibility and resistance.
The brooch highlights censorship affecting LGBTQ+ artists and their works, increasingly prevalent in Hungary. A striking example is the firing of Palace of Art’s Directors because he did not give to the pressure of politicians who said to not allow underaged people to an photo exhibition where queer topics was also on the walls. Another example what was the inspiration for Máté’s work is that a new law requiring wrapping and segregating books of such topics in stores. The rainbow-colored book blooms inside suffocating plastic wrap, resisting oppression and control. The artist says the aluminum plates' vibrance is visible even through layers of wrap, showing that complete silencing is impossible but makes an artist's life harder, often forcing them to move abroad or self-censoring their own work."