Németh, János (1934 - )

Ceramic artist, sculptor. He was born into a renowned family of potters in Zalaegerszeg in 1934. In 1958, he graduated from the Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts (today: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design) in ceramics as a student of Miklós Borsos and István Gádor. After finishing his studies, he returned home to Zalaegerszeg and since then has lived and worked in his hometown. In the 1960s, he worked as a designer and teacher at the Ceramics and Ceramic Stove Factory in Zalaegerszeg, and since 1969 he has been a freelance artist. Figural sculptures, reliefs, and architectural ceramics made in the spirit of Göcsej folk pottery are significant in his oeuvre. He has participated in numerous exhibitions in Hungary and abroad, and his works can be found in a variety of locations from Poland to Australia. His most important professional distinctions include awards at the National Ceramics Biennial, Pécs, Hungary (1968); the Mihály Munkácsy Prize (1970); the Meritorious Artist of the Hungarian People’s Republic (1978); the Prize of the Ministry of Culture (1980); the István Gádor Prize (1996); the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2008); the Kossuth Prize (2014); and Artist of the Nation (2014). He is a regular member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts.