David Matecsa (b. 1992, Hungary) is a Fine Art Photography student pursuing a BA degree at the University of the Arts London. As a non-binary person, their artistic pursuits have been shaped by a journey of self-discovery, with a particular focus on capturing the multifaceted nature of identity. David's passion lies in exploring the ordinary — real people, real places, and everything real. However, in the midst of the digital era, they often find themselves in alternative realities while creating imagery. David's creative process involves an ongoing exploration of the past and its interconnectedness with the present, developing a visual language deeply rooted in personal history.

“The experience of leaving one's homeland is often a mix of joy and sorrow as we strive for new opportunities while carrying the weight of longing for the familiar. As a person of Hungarian descent who emigrated to a Western country, my work is inspired by the question of how to ground oneself again and maintain identity in a foreign country. The project articulates profound emotions and narratives from this ambivalent journey of a decade.

As an immigrant, there is a constant dialogue between presence and absence in my life. I try to navigate between the terrain of memory, displacement, and belonging whilst looking for symbolism and traditional motifs of personal history to define a hybrid identity. Based on this new emotional aspect, I started documenting my family in Hungary, while reinterpreting objects that remained in the former family home. I realised that these objects are not just tangible extensions of my Eastern European identity; but rather grotesque imprints of the present reality. This ongoing project is becoming an eclectic collection of photographic images, embracing "Hungarian melancholy" and the naive associations of Western welfare, creating continuity between my past, present, and future.”