Vacant Void – Visiting Zoltán Tombor's Unflinchingly Honest Exhibition
A ladder, a voyeur, a shed snakeskin, a gun firing into a mirror, and the act of burying oneself — each is a frame from Zoltán Tombor's new exhibition, which tackles a painfully serious subject: addiction. Drawing from personal experience, the series doesn't seek to shock; instead, it gently confronts us with something we rarely talk about.
"This is a confession, not an exposé," begins Zoltán Tombor, who, after twenty years of struggle, managed to corner his addiction overnight. Addiction often feels like a lonely battle — especially when someone cannot let go of something that poisons not only themselves but also those they love. Yet the moment one dares to speak aloud what has long been hidden, clarity dawns: they are not alone.
"When I began to explore the spiritual aspect of this phenomenon, I also spoke with other addicts and realized that, deep down, everyone struggles with similar issues. Most people feel the same emptiness and try to fill the same void in one way or another. They suffer from a lack they can't control."
Although addiction affects many, social stigma keeps most sufferers silent — even though more and more platforms today engage with the topic. According to the photographer, a sensitive person eventually realizes through their own experience how rarely they hear truly meaningful words about addiction. That's why he believes that if even a single photo or thought lingers in someone's mind after the exhibition, it was worth sharing.
But how can a subject so heavy intertwine with aesthetics? Quite easily.
The exhibited works are unmistakably "Tombor-esque" — not designed to shock or provoke, but to evoke reflection through subtle means.
"Starting from my own addiction, I gathered the emotions that define this state — from guilt to ecstasy to grief. These are deep, extreme feelings, for which I created symbolic images."
Tombor worked actively on the series for a year, though some photographs date back more than a decade — images that have now found their meaning and place in this narrative. It tells a story about how, despite our wounds and the shadow of addiction, there is always a way out — even if it's sometimes hard to find.
Zoltán Tombor's exhibition Lost and Found, curated by Emese Mucsi, is on view at the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center from October 14 to January 18.
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