Lilla Szász

Happy New Year

Lilla Szász

Happy New Year

Mrs Brown was born in 1925.

She passed away at the age of 86 – 2 years ago.

She spent her days washing, cooking and ironing.

She loved doing crosswords and reading newspapers.

At weekends she visited her children or went to the market.

Sometimes she did not do anything;

just spent days at home.

She lived all her life in the flat.

Lilla Szász was born in 1977.

She split with her boyfriend 6 months ago.

She bought this new flat in December, 2012.

She spends her days thinking and taking pictures.

She also loves reading and meeting friends.

At weekends she visits her parents.

Sometimes she is sad – in these days she does even more sports.

She wants to start a new life in the flat.

New Year’s Eve at home.

New Years Eve with him. We drank and spoke about the past.

I thought I will never stop crying.

Church from 5.15 to 9.30. Exhausting.

I found her diaries of 6 years;

it was very interesting to imagine her through her things and through her words.

Alexander’s name day. Alexander’s too! CEMETERY!

11.30: Sofia was born! 14: Hairdresser. DAUER!

The first book I found was ‘of course’ Tolstoy, the Kreutzer Sonate.

I have to read it again... Tolstoy is following me wherever I go.

Will I become 66? Lunch at Mary’s. 36 guests.

Style by Bukowski made me smile all day. Love him.

Romy Schneider would be 60 now but already dead for 15 years.

I love you.Thank you for being in my life.

Pasta. Fish. Soups. Special.

What if I love you and the dog too?

86 recipes typed. 18 fast food. 20 biscuits. Total: 38 pieces. Sent.

I got my bike back. It will be great to ride it in this beautiful weather.

We would be married for 48 years. CEMETERY. Xenia is working. Shopping is necessary.

My dear grandpa grabbed a broom on Sunday and told me

to go out with him to chase the winter away.

Pension day. Going shopping. Sandals needed.

I was coming home from work and all underpasses were full of old ladies

selling tulips, daffodils - it smelt like spring!

Mary says her arms are aching. Are mine aching too?!

Today is the first spring day and as it affected positively all of us

I think it affected positively him as well.

Akos won a holiday to Cyprus through raffle!!!

These elderly ladies invaded the city in the past years; they are selling home-made

cookies, flowers, vegetables - they look like a little countryside

in the midst of the city traffic.

Doctor!!?

My poor grandma was screaming! Sex can be dangerous!

Adri’s leg is broken. In a cast up to knee. Lunch at Alexander’s. He took me home.

My grandfather is feeling bad. It is terrible to see him like that.

Finally at home. Away between 2nd January and 25th November.

I will be back in Budapest tomorrow.

Ironed at Mary’s. Full day. Got six bras! Good looking!

I spent the whole day in my flat.

Alexander washed my hair.

Still no work (just some). I start to feel desperate.

Caught flu. Staying in bed. Magdi came. Full of complaints.

Got flu. Staying in bed.

4225 + 1124 = 5349 – Post!

Confused. Confused. Confused.

Confused. Confused. Confused.

51-year-wedding anniversary. CEMETERY!

Will I ever have children?

Bile operation. Two gallstones. Removed.

My sister’s little son - Adam - asks his mother every morning:

‘Mummy, is it a simple morning or a good morning?’

Will I be 70?!

The rain is pouring all day. The renovation starts tomorrow.

Mrs Brown passed away

and left her old life

in the flat to Lilla.

Lilla was moving in

to start a new life

in the same flat.

As a person spending most of my time photographing people I became very curious.

Who was Mrs Brown? What did she like doing? Who was the love of her life?

How did she live? – These were the questions I was seeking answers for…

I decided to get to know this woman more.

The project is our communication. I either try to ‘reproduce’ her life

as I imagine it based on her belongings.

Or it is me, Lilla, who tries to react on the changes.

Now as it ended I feel that I know her. Day by day I started to feel her better.

What’s more, now I feel that she knows me and accepts me, too.

I am not an invader anymore. She gave me her permission to occupy her place.

And I can move in and start my new life. And may the dead rest in peace.

Lilla Szász, 2014

Lilla Szász, 1977

Lives and works in Budapest.

“Happy New Year” is a story of two women.

One has already passed away. She has lived all her life in the flat where

she raised two children, had and lost a husband, had a dog, lived, loved and died.

The other is a young woman wishing to start a new life after a split.

She bought a flat where everything was left: clothes, books, furniture, even diaries…

It looked like somebody was still living there.

Her new life was interwoven with memories, hers, and Mrs Brown’s.

The project is their communication. Images of the objects and words of their diaries

are how they got to know each other better.

Each talks about her own life; whether with images or words.

Mrs Brown gave her permission to occupy her place.

Lilla could move in and start her new life.

Lilla Szász

Happy New Year

Texts by Lilla Szász (English)

Design by Francesco Mazzarella

2014, softcover, image wrap

21 x 14 cm, 109 pages

Edition: 300

Self-production by Lilla Szász