Pecsenke József

József Pecsenke (known as Joe A. Pecsenke in the United States) was a prominent painter, graphic artist, actor.

He graduated in 1967 from the Academy of Fine Arts. His supervisor was György Konecsni. He practiced his profession as a book illustrator, designed album covers as well as posters and calendars. In 1969 he was a member of the famous group of artists called Quintett which was founded by the former students of Konecsni. The group included Emoke Simonyi, Istvan Bakos, Kalman Molnar, Jozsef Pecsenke, Karoly Schmal. 

Two years later he left Hungary and emigrated to the United States where he stayed active and created numerous graphic designs, paintings, etchings, mosaics and mural paintings. In the following years he widened his ouvre by directing opera performances in several countries. 

Preceeding his emigration he played important roles as an actor in prominent Hungarian movies of the most significant Hungarian directors like Péter Bacsó and Miklós Jancsó. As a poster artist he didn't go far from films, as he mostly designed movie posters, however he also created a few propaganda works. Some of his posters present colourful pop art style, for instance the dynamic composition of Bacsó's Fejlövés or the outstanding piece for Az oroszlán ugrani készül. At the end of the 1960s he started to incorporate the style of comic books in his works. These compositions are very decorative, colourful and well-drawn. Many designs of him reflect the modernist style typical of the 1960s. 

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