Frequently asked questions
Short answers from the Peter Kozma Archive and the cited sources.
Who was Péter Kozma?
Péter Kozma (Kozma Péter, 16 May 1961 – 26 November 2023) was a Swiss-Hungarian alpine skier, Olympian, visual artist and light artist, a pioneering figure in Hungarian underground culture and modern light painting.[1]
When and where was he born, and where did he die?
He was born on 16 May 1961 in Solothurn, Switzerland, and died on 26 November 2023 in Basel, at the age of 62.[1][2]
What was his best result as a skier?
Competing for Hungary, he finished 18th in the slalom at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.[1]
What was Frankhegy?
A plot of land on Frankhegy, on the edge of Budapest, where Kozma realised a biotope project and land art. It hosted private gatherings from 1990 to 1994 and then the Frankhegy Festival of electronic music and contemporary art (1995–2002).[1]
What is Raypainting?
The collaborative technique of Péter Kozma and Dóra Berkes (Dorkandkozma): Berkes's hand-painted 18 × 18 cm glass plates projected with high-power Pani projectors onto buildings, hillsides or whole districts. Kozma handled the technical execution, the choice of site and the spatial organisation. Raypainting™ is a trademark held by Dóra Berkes.[1]
What is "Light Art Installation by Peter Kozma"?
The name of his own, independent and collective light art projects of 2006–2010, often made with other visual artists, in which he moved from the colour of Raypainting toward an analytical approach to urban space and the concept of Augmented Space.[1]
What is light art, in his work?
In his own projects: light projected at monumental scale onto buildings, squares and ground surfaces. In the words of the GLOW festival, he adds an extra layer of meaning to the location and encourages the audience to see a familiar environment with fresh eyes.[1]
What was his largest projection?
Leuchtwerke in Essen (2006): 40,000 m², eight days (29 October to 5 November 2006). For Raypainting, the EU accession celebration at Millenáris Park in 2004 covered 20,000 m².[1][3]
What was his last light art installation?
Rolling, at the GLOW Light Art Festival in Eindhoven, 2010, made with 21 projectors on the Markt.[1]
What did he do after light art?
His interest turned toward somatics, yoga and spiritual philosophy; he interpreted the body itself as a kind of 3D biotope.[1]
Did he write about his own life?
Yes: in 2008 he wrote an autobiographical "curriculum vitae in the form of a short story" in Hungarian. It is reproduced unchanged on this site.
Who looks after his legacy?
The Peter Kozma Archival Collective (Kozma Archive), which collects, digitises, organises and publishes his work.