„Before I became a mother I did not know the feeling when your heart is outside your body. I didn’t know how wonderful it is to feed a child. I didn’t experience the tie between a mother and a child; I couldn’t imagine how important a child can be.
Before I became a mother I never woke up in the middle of the night every ten minute to check if everything is ok with my child. I have never felt such tenderness, pleasure, happiness, love, care and miracle until I became a mother. I have never thought I am capable of such feelings before I became a mother. „
(Moonflower shelter home for mothers and children, farewell speech on the occasion of its closing)
She and her boyfriend are orphans. She is pregnant; she will bear her child in a month. They would like to get married but the boy’s appointed guardians don’t allow them to do so. She is not allowed to take their child to the guardians’ flat; now she is staying in a home for homeless mothers.
She grew up as an orphan. She lived in a shelter house twice; each time she went back to her partner. She worked as a cleaning lady for a while, then she quit and she has been on the dole since then. She and her partner are planning to buy a flat in the countryside, it is doubtful though how they will be able to survive there.
She is a prostitute. Her partner pimped her. She escaped from her aggressive partner, and went to the capital. First she lived in the hospital of the Salvation Army. She was hiding in different places for nearly a year. She moved from one shelter home to another. Then she went back to her man.
She got married at the age of 17. She became legally to man’s estate with her marriage. Her friends advised her against the marriage, however, without success. She bore four children; two of them died after birth. Unfortunately her friends’ forebodings were realized. Her husband has sold the flat over their heads. She and her two children ended up on the street. Despite this fact, she is thinking about returning to her ex-husband again.
Main Exhibitions (selected):
2023: Vigyázat, Törékeny. Handle with care. Ludwig Museum, Budapest
2010: Campus PHE Edicion de Libros, Complejo El Aguila, PHE 2010, Madrid
2011: Contemporary Photography from Hungary, Berlin
2008: Contemporary Hungarian photography, Collegium Hungaricum, Vienna
2008: Present continuous – Mai Manó House of photography, Budapest
2008: Contemporary Hungarian photography , Neuer Berliner Kunstverein
2008: Contemporary Hungarian photography, Hallescher Kunstverein
2008: Descubrimientos PHE08, Complejo El Águila, Madrid
2007: Krakow Month of Photography
2007: Among people, Warsaw, Fabryka Trzciny
2007: Present Continuous, Budapest Gallery
Publications (selected):
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/it/lifestyle/arte/a46113241/weekend-budapest-cosa-fare-mostre-2024/
https://www.artmagazin.hu/articles/ajanljuk/gondoskodom_tehat_vagyok
https://www.kulter.hu/2024/01/2023-kultkiallitasai-top-10/
Folyamatos Jelen / Present Continuous III. – Együtt-Élés / Living together (2007) (Hossala Tamás • Kovalovszky
http://maimanohaz.blog.hu/2012/06/23/egyutt-eles_szasz_lilla
http://maimanohaz.blog.hu/2015/11/21/15_foto_szasz_lilla_negy_sorozatabol_1998