photo: Andrea Tankó

Mátyás Szöllősi | writer & photojournalist (1984, Budapest)

Studied at Károli Gáspár Protestant University, faculty of Humanities between 2004 and 2010. Wrote his thesis of László Krasznahorkai’s works, titled „Search for identity as text organiser in László Krasznahorkai’s first three novels”.

His works were published in several Hungarian cultural and literary magazines such as Alföld, Élet és Irodalom, Jelenkor, Kortárs, Mozgó Világ, Látó, Tiszatáj, Vigilia. His first book was pubished in 2010 titled Aktív kórterem („Active Hospital Room”), that was followed by his second book of poetry titled Állapotok – negyvenöt töredék („States – fourtyfive fragments”) in 2011. He also published prose and dramas. A reading theater performance of the drama Lassan, visszatartva („Slowly, retaining”) was presented in the National Theater in 2014. His first short story book, Váltóáram was published in 2016 (Európa Publisher.), and the book won the Margó Prize, for the best first prose volume in 2017.

He received the István Örkény writer scholarship. In 2008 he was awarded the poetry Award for Excellence by László Lator. He won the Margó prize, for the best first fiction book in 2017. As an editor he worked at Ártér literary, fine arts and social journal, at Újnautilus social and cultural portal and at Parnasszus poetry magazine. As a photographer, he is the creator of several documentary series and he was the editor of Budapest Catalogue between 2013 and 2020.

Since the age of 12 he’s been playing basketball competitively at MAFC and other sports clubs. He also played in NB1. In 2002 he was chosen the most skilled player in his age group in Szombathely.

Awards

Mozgó világ award of excellence (2008)
Örkény István drama writer scholarship (2010)
NKA scholarship (2012, 2014, 2016)
Brassaï – 2015 Press Photo 2. prize (portrait)
Brassaï – 2016 Press Photo 1. prize (portrait)
Brassaï – 2016 Press Photo 3. díj (news category)
Brassaï – 2016 Press Photo Szathmári Pap Károly Golden Medal.
Margó prize (2017), for the best first prose volume
Látó prize (2017)
Hungarian Art Academy Creative Scholarship (2019)
János Térey Creative Scholarship (2020)
41. Hungarian Press Photo Contest – Portrait category (series) 1. prize
41. Hungarian Press Photo Contest – Everyday life category (unique image) 2. prize
Brassaï – 2022 Press Photo Contest, (Brassaï Prize)