FestivalSouth Commemorative Artwork

Inspired by Gustav Mahler’s renowned masterpiece, Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). The final poem of the work explores themes of solitude, longing, and the transient and brief nature of human existence. It reflects on the beauty and serenity of the natural world, while also contemplating the emotional and philosophical dimensions of our own life’s journey – we occupy this world only briefly, while the earth continues on…

The painting is a street scene of Graben Street of Vienna with the view of The Hofburg Palace. In this painting, beautiful architecture shows permanent man-made structures where nature overcomes human existence. The artist represents that through moss and vines that run up on the buildings.

A native of Hungary, Kostyal has been creating art since early childhood. Being a shy child, music, drawing, painting and crafts were important ways to express herself. After taking private art lessons for a year, she was accepted to Secondary School of Arts in Pecs, Hungary where she majored in textile. The four-year school also included drawing, figure drawing, painting, and weaving. In 2001, she moved to the United States.

This major change in her life impacted her art. Previously painting nonrepresentational, emotional, expressionistic works, her curiosity towards the new environment led her to find interest in different techniques. She had her first juried exhibition in Atlanta before moving to Connecticut where she started to exhibit in the surrounding areas, including Willimantic, Tolland, then Providence, Boston, and New York.

Since 2008, she has called Hattiesburg, Mississippi her home. She immediately became involved in the regional and local art scene through nonprofit art organizations like the South Mississippi Art Association, Hattiesburg Arts Council and the New Orleans Arts Council, joining the Mississippi Art Colony in 2012 and Women’s Art Collective in 2016. She has been invited to solo and group exhibitions at universities and her art has been accepted to juried art competitions in museums across the country.