The Strength of Fragility. Interview with Artist Agnes Buronyi

Tell us what you do and your beginnings.

I am an artist based in Sydney, Australia, originally from Budapest, Hungary. My journey began in 2009 as a self-taught artist creating graphite and charcoal portraits. At that time, I was driven purely by curiosity and the desire to understand how emotion and identity can be expressed through the human face.

As my passion grew, I sought formal training and studied life drawing, watercolour, and oil painting at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney, later continuing with concept art studies at CG Master Academy and also completing a diploma in Graphic Design. Over the years, I explored many mediums — from traditional painting to digital art — always searching for the one that felt most aligned with my voice.

From 2010 to 2022, I built the first online drawing education platform in Hungary, sharing knowledge and inspiring a digital community of learners. This experience shaped my understanding of storytelling, communication, and connection.

Eventually, my path led me to glass — a medium that felt both unexpected and deeply personal. I became captivated by the beauty of fractured glass, especially the way it catches and reflects light, creating a subtle sparkle that constantly changes depending on the viewer’s perspective. It allowed me to move beyond representation and into something more expressive, physical, and symbolic.

What does your work aim to say?

My work explores the coexistence of strength and fragility. Qualities that exist within all of us. Glass, as a medium, embodies this contrast perfectly. It is delicate yet resilient, transparent yet powerful, and it mirrors the emotional complexity of the human experience.

Many of my pieces focus on women, identity, and the silent strength carried beneath the surface. I am interested in the stories told through a gaze, a posture, or a moment of stillness. Through the interplay of light, shadow, and texture on glass, I aim to create works that invite reflection and emotional connection.

Ultimately, my art is about resilience, about the beauty that can exist alongside vulnerability. I hope my pieces encourage viewers to pause, feel, and perhaps see parts of themselves within the work.

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