About

Hungarian artist Foto Ada (Elemérné Marsovsky/Ada Ackermann) was known for her surreal and visually clever photomontages, which expressed both the rapid pace of industrialization and urban expansion, as well as the pervasive sense of anxiety during the late 1930s and World War II. Working in a turbulent period marked by the rise of Fascism, Nazi propaganda, and the onset of the Second World War, her work captured the psychological and social strains of the Industrialized West. These haunting and thought-provoking images, which blended personal and collective fears, were likely kept hidden from public view during Ada’s lifetime, likely due to the political climate and the dangers posed by her critical approach to these themes.

Research has identified her variously as Ada Ackerman (her maiden name) and Elemérné Marsovsky (her married name), and while her work as a studio photographer in Budapest was significant, little is known about her personal life. Her mysterious disappearance in 1944 remains one of the most tragic aspects of her story. It is believed that she was either killed during the Soviet invasion of Budapest or deported and sent to her death in a concentration camp. Her work, though largely forgotten for many years, has gradually garnered attention and is now recognized as an important part of Hungary’s artistic heritage.