LAUNCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL IN THE ORADEA FORTRESS
In a special atmosphere, on Sunday, 11.01.2026, at 11:00 AM, the launching ceremony of the 14th edition of the “Carol Pop de Szathmári – Szathmári Pap Károly” (C.P.Sz-Sz.P.K) International Photography Festival took place at the EFA Exhibition Center, “Mezey Lajos” Gallery, within the Oradea City Museum section of the “Țării Crișurilor” Museum – Museum Complex. The event was organized by the “Euro Foto Art” International Association (AIEFA) in partnership with Summit Agro Romania. The event was closely linked to the Day of Photographic Art in Romania, which, according to Government Decision no. 458/ 25.05.2010, is celebrated on January 11, the birthday of the world’s first war photojournalist. Within the Festival, a series of exhibitions will be organized for a month in various cities across Romania.
The audience present at the event was greeted by the representative of the Oradea City Museum section, curator Dumitru Noane, who emphasized the importance of this event and noted that this year marks 10 years since AIEFA began its collaboration with the Museum. He thanked photographer Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP, president of AIEFA, for the exceptional partnership, as well as viola artist Thurzó Sándor József for a decade of collaboration, who performed the piece “Ballad” by Ciprian Porumbescu at the opening of the vernissage. Furthermore, the president of AIEFA announced that every year AIEFA awards the “Carol Pop de Szathmári – Szathmári Pap Károly” Lifetime Merit Medal to the most valuable photographers from around the world for their achievements. This year, the AIEFA board decided that the Lifetime Achievement Excellence Award be granted to the renowned photographer Nagy Lajos EFIAPd3, GMPSA, from Târgu Secuiesc, Covasna County, after which the director of the AIEFA patronage department, photographer Morvay Szabó Edina EFIAP, read the laudatio for the celebrated artist.
In continuation, the celebrated photographer thanked for the distinction and specified that the 44 large-scale photographs are grouped into three cycles: People, Landscapes, and the World of Birds. “I wanted to bring for this event an exhibition composed of images created in the last 5 years. These three genres are the closest to my soul,” the celebrated photographer emphasized. All exhibited images can also be admired on the Association’s website: https://eurofotoart.ro/expo-personala-a-artistului-fotograf-nagy-lajos-efiapd3-gmpsa-ro/
At the conclusion of the vernissage, artist Kocsis Csaba, an AIEFA creative member from Berettyóújfalu (HU), performed on guitar and vocals the pieces: “Eu pe-aici am mai trecut” by Miklós Jutka, “Sfârșitul nu-i aici” by Bob Dylan (translated by Florian Pittiş), “Óperencia” (fabulous distant land) by Markó Béla, as well as the piece “Two in One”: Andrii Popa – Rózsa Sándor.” It is noteworthy that the performer from Berettyóújfalu (Hungary) learned the pieces performed in Romanian out of personal ambition, as a sign of respect for the Romanian audience present at the event. The personal exhibition of photographer Nagy Lajos EFIAPd3, GMPSA will remain open to the public until March 6, 2026, from Monday to Sunday, between 09:00 and 17:00. Access to the event will be free. Due to the existing partnership between AIEFA and OTL SA, the photographs will also be projected on the screens of public transport vehicles in Oradea, thus bringing art closer to the traveling public.
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ART ON THE NATIONAL CULTURE DAY
The Day of Photographic Art in Romania (January 11) will provide the opportunity to organize this year’s first photographic art exhibition by the “Euro Foto Art” International Association (AIEFA), in partnership with Summit Agro Romania and the “Țara Crișurilor” Museum – Museum Complex, through the Oradea City Museum service. The exhibition, organized within the 14th edition of the “Carol Pop de Szathmári – Szathmári Pap Károly” International Photography Festival (C.P.Sz-Sz.P.K), will feature the works of the renowned photographic artist Nagy Lajos from Târgu Secuiesc, Covasna county, on the occasion of being awarded the CPSz–SzPK Lifetime Achievement Award. On this occasion, 44 large-scale photographs will be exhibited, grouped into three cycles: People, Landscapes, and The World of Birds. All images can also be admired on the Association’s website: https://eurofotoart.ro/expo-personala-a-artistului-fotograf-nagy-lajos-efiapd3-gmpsa-ro/
He received his first camera, a simple Hungarian-made 6/9 “Utitárs” model, in 1957. After mastering the basics of photographic technique and laboratory processing, photography became his constant hobby from 1961. Professionally, he is an economist engineer, but he studied photography and fine arts as electives. Initially working with classical image processing, he has dedicated himself to digital processing since 1993. He has participated in photographic salons since the late 1970s, and since 1980 his works have been exhibited and awarded in numerous salons in Romania. In 1986, his first work was exhibited in an international salon in Japan, and between 1986 and 1990 he participated with over 30 images exhibited in different countries around the world. Today he can boast over 22,000 accepted and exhibited images and over 2,200 awards obtained at international exhibitions.
For his outstanding international results, he was honored with the most important titles. The International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), recognized by UNESCO, awarded him the EFIAPd3 distinction, and the Photographic Society of America (PSA) conferred upon him its most valuable distinction: Grand Master (GMPSA). The photographic artist has also been honored with eight other international titles. AIEFA annually grants the “Carol Pop de Szathmári – Szathmári Pap Károly” Lifetime Merit Medal to the most valuable photographic artists worldwide for their achievements. This year, the AIEFA curatorship decided that the Lifetime Excellence Award be granted to the renowned photographic artist Nagy Lajos EFIAPd3, GMPSA.
The exhibition opening and the awarding of the Lifetime Merit Medal will take place on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 11:00 AM, in the presence of the exhibiting and awarded photographic artist. The event is open to all photography lovers. On this occasion, photographic artist Ștefan Tóth István AFIAP, ESFIAP, president of AIEFA, who played an important role in the officialization of this day, will give a short lecture about the Day of Photographic Art in Romania. The atmosphere of the opening will be completed by a musical program performed by violist Thurzó Sándor József, member of the Sola Fide Community and Cultural Association, and by artist Kocsis Csaba (guitar and voice), AIEFA creative member from Berettyóújfalu (HU), who will perform works from the Romanian and Hungarian repertoire. The personal exhibition of photographic artist Nagy Lajos EFIAPd3, GMPSA will remain open to the public until March 6, 2026, from Monday to Sunday, between 09:00 – 17:00. Access to the event will be free. Due to the existing partnership between AIEFA and OTL SA, the photographs will also be projected on the screens of public transport vehicles in Oradea, thus bringing art closer to the traveling public.
Exhibited photos
