Born in Zalaegerszeg, György Fekete was an interior architect and artist-craftsman, cultural politician, the deputy assistant secretary of state for cultural affairs under the Antall government (1990-1994), the founding member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, chairman between 2011 and 2017 and then honorary chairman, from 1997 he was a teacher, professor and then emeritus professor at the University of West Hungary.
His father, Károly Fekete, was the first clergyman of the city’s reformed congregation, organizer of church building, whose commitment to Christianity was followed by his son until his death. György Fekete, who graduated from the College of Applied Arts in 1957 in Budapest, had a highly productive career path, he made his mark as a designer interior architect, a designer, an independent artist, teacher, writer, and cultural politician. After the change of regime in 1990 he was one of the most significant influencers of the Hungarian cultural life. His hometown owes much to him, he actively participated in the lobbying to enhance cultural investments, he supported the reforming endeavours in Egerszeg, and museum development was high on his agenda. His permanent exhibition offers a representative selection of his designs, drafts and mosaics carrying rich symbolic narrative and made up with collage techniques, in the last decade of his life.
During his productive career he received numerous awards and accolades: Munkácsy Prize (1966), Meritorious Artist (1981), Gold Diploma of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (1998), Honorary Citizen of Zalaegerszeg (2000), the Order of Merit of the Hungarian President of Republic (2011), Prima Prize (2011), Kossuth Prize (2012), Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic (2017), Honorary Citizen of Zala County (2017), National Artist Prize (2018).