Continuation
 Recent Acquisitions in the Municipal Gallery
1996-2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Municipal Picture Gallery / Museum Kiscell, Templespace
1037 Budapest, Kiscelli út 108.
August 30-September 30 2012

Curator of the exhibition: Magdolna Simon
Catalogues of the Municipal Gallery no. 150
Series editor: Péter Fitz
 

ISSN 1416-4922
ISBN 978-615-5341-00-7

Editor of the catalogue: Péter Fitz
 List of works was compiled by Magdolna Simon,Dorottya Gulyás, Péter Köblös
Translation by Csaba Kozák
Photos: Ágnes Bakos, Bence Tihanyi
 Lay-out and printing: GMN Repro Nyomdaipari Kft
Catalogue sponsored by NKA

CONTINUATION

Concerning the anniversaries of the Municipal Gallery the year 2012 was very rich: the first exhibition was on show exactly 125 years ago, which opened in 1907 in the building located in the City Park. It was in October 1933, nearly 80 years ago, when the first exhibition of the Municipal Gallery opened in the Károlyi Palace. The Templespace in the Kiscell Museum functions as an exhibition hall from 1992 on. The last catalogue, presenting recent acquisitions, was published in 1995, therefore it is high time to put on show to the public those works of art which have got into the collection during the period gone.

The institutional history of the Municipal Gallery was extraordinarily full of vicissitudes in the last 125 years, as several spots, altering collection, changing institutional connection were all characteristic of this museum. The conceptions about the collection of the initial stage primarily concentrated on the art connected with the city: portraits of characters, playing an important part in city

life, were in the centre of interest. In 1848, when the cityscape was dynamically transforming, a competition was tendered in order to record it. In the 1880’ies the Capital Committee of Arts supervised the use of 4.000.-HUF increasing sum,

awarded yearly by the city. In 1899 the once building of the Műcsarnok (Exhibition Hall), which is still located in the Olof Palme sétány in the City Park, gave place for the museum, where the first exhibition opened in 1907. The  collection concept was formed by Bálint Kuzsinszky as far back as the end of the 19th century, and its primary aim was to collect works of art relating to the city. The Committee of Arts of the capital founded in 1892 the “Ferencz József  coronation jubilee award”, which intended to support expressly the young artists with awards, scholarships and regular purchases. From 1909 on István Bárczy, mayor of the city, urged a definitely new and modern policy of collecting, according to which “clear aesthetic points of view must be normative, instead of the objects of the pictures, in case of purchases”. This approach basically changed the collection till then, in today’s term the role of the museum has become the support, purchase and presentation of contemporary art. The collection significantly increased till the end of the 1920ies, this way the new location became a very important task. The first plan, urging to establish a new

building in the Kálvin tér, was crossed by the 1st World War. In 1928 the city bought the Károlyi Palace, where the Municipal Gallery opened on 16th October 1933. The collection had three parts: the urban collection, the collection inherited from Jenő Zichy and from Károly Lotz’ legacy, which was purchased. It was Dénes Csánky who shaped the principles of collection, according to which to favor young art and artists must be continued, and the unified image of modern Hungarian art must be presented. Besides this he considered important to collect the Pest-Buda art of 19th century, too. In 1935 Jenő Knopp became the new director, and during his twelve years’ activity the Municipal Gallery became the biggest institution presenting Hungarian art. This golden age

suddenly ceased in the end of the 1940ies: between 1949 and 1953, commanded by the last director of the gallery, Ödön Gábor Pogány, firstly it fused with the New Hungarian Picture Gallery of the Museum of Fine Arts – which was the other significant collection of Hungarian Art, under the name of National Picture Gallery –, then the Hungarian National Gallery was established from its material in 1957. It meant the loss of 12.525 pieces of works of art from the collection of the capital. From these 1.059 pieces, relating to the history of the city, was got back to the descendant Metropolitan Museums, that is the Budapest Historical Museum. This part of the collection was placed in the building of the Kiscell Museum, as the department of fine arts of the BTM (Budapest Historical Museum).

Between 1950 and 1952 from the Municipal Gallery 12.252 pieces of works of art (paintings, sculptures and graphics) were transferred to the National Picture Gallery of that time (Hungarian art collection of the Museum of Fine Arts), then in 1957 the whole Hungarian art material was placed in the newly established Hungarian National Gallery, together with the inventory book. (Concerning the transfer, let me mention that the works of art were not nationalized, because already at that time only national property existed, that is why there was not any nationalizing verdict.) Legally this process can be interpreted as a “long-range permanent deposit”, in the Hungarian National Gallery the original inventory numbers, given by the Municipal Gallery, still exist. Between 1991 and 1994, when anyone could reclaim the nationalized goods, it was not possible to declare again the proprietary rights, while the change of ownership had nothing to do with nationalization.

To change the existing and well-functioning systems of collection, according to the generally accepted professional points of view, is very disadvantageous. Nationalizing practically happened in 2012 when the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hungarian National Gallery were combined, though even the power of the 50ies did not dare to do that.

Collecting fine arts started again in 1960 on the basis of the decision of the Municipal Council. The concept of the new collection was shaped by Vilmos Bertalan. He has tried to create a sort of reconstruction of the original collection.

Certainly, it was a difficult task, while the former major works were already in the Hungarian National Gallery. However, the sixties, from many points of view, was  a very peculiar period: still at low prices one could buy pictures of Nagybánya, or Rippl-Rónai’s works, art between the two world wars, lots of masterpieces, from which even the museum could buy. This conception about the collection, led by Mrs. Tőkey, Margit Egry, continued from 1973, but the situation has changed as a new approach appeared, and they could take into consideration contemporary art, too.  It was the period of the three T, but Kiscell, similarly to some museums in the countryside, had more independence.

The reason could also be, over the fact that the museum is located in the suburb and less attention is on the far spots, that the place belonged to the capital. And certainly there were the brave art historians, who dared to place the “walls” of cultural policy farther than it was general in that period. It was the time when the works by Tibor Vilt, Ignác Kokas, Béla Kondor, Pál Deim, László Lakner, Erzsébet Schaár, Tibor Csernus got to the collection, and artists of the European School and the Iparterv group have appeared. Contemporary Hungarian art could first appear here, presenting the whole 20th century in a permanent exhibition of the museum (1983).

It was Emília Földes who led the gallery for the next thirteen years. Besides the new permanent exhibition the most enduring part of her activity was

the renewal of the ruined templespace and its transformation for an exhibition hall, and also the collection of contemporary art on a large scale. Compared to the previous period, the temporary fine arts exhibitions grew in number. At first

those works of art were on show which were involved in the collection, but there were also contemporary exhibitions such as Béla Veszelszky’s oeuvre (1986), El

Kazovszkij (1988), Endre Tót (1989), György Jovánovics (1989), Miklós Melocco (1990).

The once Trinitarian cloister was reconstructed into barracks during the reign of József the 2nd in the 18th century, the Baroque templespace inside was also divided into floors. In the beginning of the 20th century Miksa Schmidt furniture manufacturer and collector bought the building, and used it as a storage, display room. The transformed part of the church was hit by a bomb, burnt out, remained in a ruined state till 1988, when it got a new roof. It was still semi-finished when the Temp-rom-tér (a pun for Temple-ruin-space in Hungarian) exhibition was on show in 1988, drawing our attention to the unique being of the spot. Acknowledging the constant professional work the collection has officially got back its name, the Municipal Gallery. The renewed Templespace opened in 1992, equipped with underfloor heating and up-to-date, mobile lighting system. The new, permanent exhibition, titled Selection from the 20th Century Collection of the Municipal Gallery was on show in the same year in the upstairs space. The exhibition presented Hungarian art from the turn of the 19th-20th century till today. Its contemporary part was extraordinary among the museum exhibitions of the age.

The new Templespace, as the spot of temporary exhibitions, gave space to contemporary art: Viktor Lois (1992), Détente, an international group exhibition, László Fehér (1993), Hungary Then and Now exhibition, presenting the art of the last 40 years. The crypt under the Templespace also functions as an exhibition room from 1992. El Kazovszkij, Róbert Swierkiewicz, the Xertox, the Romanian Sorin Dimitrescu and the Anastasia Foundation were among the first

exhibitors.

It was in 1994 when Péter Fitz became the director. The program of exhibitions has increased, 8-10 contemporary exhibitions could be organized yearly. In the first period, between 1994 and 2000 printed documentation, catalogue was published to nearly all of the temporary exhibitions. The collection concept of the gallery has changed a bit. The era made possible the more conscious definition and the feedback to the historical traditions of the Municipal Gallery in the field of collection, too.

From the nineties the Municipal Gallery is engaged in the presentation of the

progressive trends of national art, and unambiguously managed the theories in the field of exhibitions and purchases alike. The fine arts collection of the capital, independently from the fact that fortunately for today more art collectors and exhibition institutions exist, plays a determining role in the home field.

This way the Municipal Gallery, though it collects from all around the country,

now –  as ever – is engaged in collecting the artworks of the capital, even if it is large beyond doubt, but it is not an art historical category. The sphere of interests can be narrowed by the “what not” term: the gallery does not collect the painting of the Great Hungarian Plain, the masters of the Hódmezővásáhely School, the works of the graphic artists of Miskolc, the art of the Szolnok School, and the list can be continued till the end of the ABC.

The major selective principle of the Municipal Gallery is to make an exhibition to such an artist or group, from whom they intend to buy something. In case of contemporary art it is always risky, while finally it takes not but time what becomes everlasting. Though, the collectors’ personal taste and value judgment

are very important approaches, other points of view must be taken into consideration, too. One of the principles of the Municipal Gallery is that the selected (or to be purchased) work of art must fit by all means into the characteristic processes in the already existing collection. It was unambiguous that the museum had the intention of supplementing the absences from the eighties, and tried to get works of art from the preceding three-four decades which formerly could not be bought from cultural political or other, similar reasons. The task is complex, because the exhibitions determines more or less how the collection increases. The Municipal Gallery puts on show artists, trends, tendencies at its exhibitions from whom and what the gallery intends to buy. Today it is particularly difficult because new talents and trends appear day by day, therefore the principle of openness is at least as important as the value proven.

The conception of a given exhibition is basically determined by the sizes and numbers of the temporary exhibiting rooms of the museum. The situation of the Municipal Gallery / Kiscell Museum is very particular from this point of view.

As part of the Budapest Historical Museum, it also organizes exhibitions in the

building located in the Buda Castle, but still the Kiscell Museum is the main spot. Here, besides the permanent exhibition rooms the possibilities were very

narrow till 1992. The Templespace opened in 1992, which has become the main spot of  temporary fine arts exhibitions. By this the possibilities increased, on the other hand the peculiar conditions of the church influenced to a great extent the character of the exhibition to be organized. The effect of the space is very imposing, though its sizes are illusory, because it looks much bigger as it practically is, its reason obviously is the twenty-five meters interior heights.

The space altogether is only five hundred-and-fifty square meters, divided into three parts – sanctuary, nave and entry coliseum – and the central space with three-three pillars by the sides, which determine the possibilities how to place the works of art. This compelling space does not stand the subsequently placed exhibition installation, the movable walls. At the same time it is a first-class spot

for large-size paintings, fine arts installations and sculptures, video projectors. The space is absolutely incomparable, seriously challenging for all the artists.

Its unique effect is inevitable, calling for works which can adapt to the space, and never compete with it. The space of the church is such a miracle for the sake of what it is worthy to keep the collection of the Municipal Gallery in this place, a bit far from the city centre. At the same time, the spot has got serious limits: it is less suitable for organizing group exhibitions, that is to put on show thematic and oeuvre exhibitions. The old raw brick walls are very determinative, which are far from the “white cube” effect, that ‘s why to exhibit works of this kind is not advantageous in this place. The sizes of the space – its heights – determine to a great extent what sort of works can predominate well. Concerning the connection between exhibition and collection, it has got a serious effect, as purchasing large-size, frequently monumental works is nearly impossible, not to talk about storing. It frequently happens that we cannot purchase from among the works on show, but we buy some smaller object, characteristic of the artist, for the collection.

In the nineties the pith of the program was unambiguously based on those artists who started their career in the sixties. It is mainly about the IPARTERV generation, though this term does not exactly covers that they participated in the group, but rather refers to the artists over fifty, who were out of the system, in the artistic sense of the word, till the eighties. Contrary to the general home practice, their exhibitions in the Municipal Gallery did not work as a sort of “compensation”, that is the gallery did not pay off in the sense of the word that the artists got chances to put on show those works, in the frame of an oeuvre exhibition, which were previously forbidden for the public, but the Kiscell Templespace inspired them to make new works. The list of names is imposing, even though we certainly cannot speak about the whole older generation of contemporary Hungarian art.

Imre Bak: New Pictures (1994), Ákos Birkás (1994), Róbert Swierkiewicz: East Begins, West Finishes (1994), István Nádler (1995), György Jovánovics: Ut manifestius atque apertius dicam (1996), Gyula Konkoly (1995), István Lisztes: Sculptures 1986-92 (1994), Attila Kovács: Sequences 1974-1994 (1994), Dóra Mauer: In the Stomach of the Whale (1996), Péter Türk: Sitting in the Shade of my Hot Desire (1996), Sándor Pinczehelyi (1999), Happy Birthday Tamás Lossonczy (1999), Károly Halász: Trampled Pictures (2000), Tibor Helényi: Khimaira (2000), István Haász: Yellow Pictures (2000), Simon Csorba: Muses (2001), Anrás Mengyán: Magic Transparency (2003), Hommage ŕ Tihamér Gyarmathy (2005), Attila Csáji: Return (2005), Károly Klimó (2005), János Major: Graphics (2006), Tamás Vígh: After Forty Years and On (2007), Tamás Hencze 70 Years Old (2008), Orshi Drozdik: Un chandelier Marie Theresa (2009), Tamás Konok: The Structure of Chain of Ideas (2009).

Simultaneously with it the presentation of younger contemporary generation – between forty and fifty years – is continuous, irrespectively of the fact that the age, neither from aesthetical nor from art historical points of view, did not play a part in their selection, though all in the cases we speak about artists who already had a significant accomplishment. Neither we speak about exhibitions, presenting the whole oeuvre, but rather about actual works which can be joined

with the artists’ activity or with the specific possibilities of the place. Péter Forgács: Inventarium (1995), B. István Gellér: Findings (1998),  Zsigmond Károlyi (1994), Mária Lugossy (1995), Tamás Soós: Melancholia (1996), János Szirtes: Lying Tree – Lying Crystal (1997), Tamás Trombitás (1996), Erzsébet Vojnich (1997), Imre Bukta: Walking in a Space Without Blessing (1998), Gábor Záborszky (1998), Balázs Kicsiny: Twenty-three Sailors (1999), Géza Samu Commemorative Exhibition (1999), László Szotyory: Parks, Women, Cars (1999), Áron Gábor (2000), András Koncz (2002), Attila Szűts: A Clean Room (2002), László Mulasics Commemorative Exhibition (2002),  András Mohácsi (2003), Miklós Szűts (2003), József Gaál: Existing in a Dream (2004), Ferenc Friedrich (2005), Gyula Várnai: One of the Unique Moments (2006), Levente Baranyay: We are Fresh, Young, We Look at the Desert (2006), Balázs Kicsiny:

Interview in the Fountain Hall (2006), Kis Varsó: Two Pieces (2009), László László Révész: My Skies, My Sixties (2009), Ferenc Ficzek: Last Exit (2010), János Sugár: Fire in the Museum (2011), György Jovián: LX (2011).

The younger generations, in the museum sense of the word, – under forty –  also get more important roles in the exhibition program. Though, it cannot be the task of any museum to discover new artists, while the most important aim of the exhibition is to increase the collection, but the artists of the newest trends have become more and more significant in contemporary art. In our period the Gallery could display a lot of younger artists: Mária Chilf and Gábor Szörtsey:

Below Tulps’ Sky (1998), Ágnes Deli (2000), Ágnes Szépfalvi: Prey (2009), Hajnal Németh: Collapse – A Passive Interview (2010), Csaba Nemes: Stand Here (2010), Eszter Csurka: Desire (2011), Zsuzsi Csiszér: Trespassing (2011), Tamás Komoróczky: An Attempted Escape (2011), Eike: Proclamation (2012),

Villő Turcsány: Tuning of the Pendulum (2012), Endre Koronczi: Plobuter Park (2013).

The number of group and thematic exhibitions, as the space is less suitable for it,

was a good deal less. It had exhibition-aesthetical reasons, as all in the cases the shows, including six-eight participants, were overcrowded. Myth, Memory, History. Austrian and Hungarian Contemporary Artists (1996), The Dream of Existence – Exhibition of Young Japanese Artists (1997), Plastic Age, An Exhibition of the Sculpture Department, Headed by Tamás Körösényi, of the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts (1999), Northern Dimensions, Contemporary Finnish Exhibition (2001), Reconciliation (2002), Block Group: Visible or Invisible (2004), Wired Banks in Transit, Dutch-Hungarian Contemporary Exhibition (2006), Utopia-Transfer, Dutch-Flemish Exhibition (2008), 444 Years (2008), Revolutionary Decadency, Artists from Abroad Living in Budapest from 1989 (2009), Leopold Bloom Fine Arts Award (2011).

Concerning the points of view of the collection the most problematic development is that in the art of our age installation has forged ahead to a great extent. This process is also strengthened by the conditions of the church, as the Templespace  is extraordinarily suitable for creating installations specific for the space. From the beginning of the function of the exhibition space – from 1992 –  till today there were thirty-six installation exhibitions. Perhaps, the most characteristic, unique exhibitions of the Templespace belong to this group. From the point of view of the collection, it makes the curators’ task more difficult, while in most cases it is impossible to place the assemblages in the collection. Most often documentation, video or one piece, characteristic of the whole work of art, can be purchased. It is very difficult to pick out separately some pieces from this 36 exhibition assemblages, it is the task of a later writing.  However, the most important ones were: György Jovánovics: Ut manifestus atque apertius dicam (1996), which was the interpretation of the master’s exhibition, displayed at the 46th Venice Biennial in 1995. Imre Bukta’s: Walking in a Space Without Blessing (1998) minimalist installation is one of the artist’s best works. The exhibition of Herman Nitsch: Six-day Game in Prinzendorf became the first and biggest cultural political scandal after the change of the system. The internationally-known Mexican artist’s, Laura Anderson Barbata’s exhibition: Mythical Journey (2003) was a work of art, which filled the whole space and had organic-historical-mystical connections. Balázs Kicsiny’s exhibition: Interview in the Fountain Hall (2006) was an improved version of his assemblage displayed at the 51th Venice Biennial. Péter Türk’s: Length, Width, Heights ,Depth (2006)  minimalist network of bricks can be interpreted as the summary of his activity, too. Hajnal Németh’s: Collapse – A Passive Interview (2010) is an assemblage, including objects and sound installation, became later successful, as after its presentations in Debrecen, then in the Budapest Kunsthalle, it represented Hungary at the 54th Venice Biennial in 2011.

Owing to the limited possibilities of the Municipal Gallery, it does not collect universal art, but there is not any museum around the world concentrating exclusively on national art. Home art and its public can fit in the context of universal contemporary art only if foreign exhibitions can also be regularly seen.

It is also important not only for the public, but for the artists as well, its indirect, further purpose is to display Hungarian art abroad in return, too. There were relatively not too many, altogether twenty-seven, foreign artists’ exhibitions on show between 1996 and 2012. Some of them are Hungarian of origin, living abroad – Alexandre Hollan (Sándor Hollán), Anna Mark (Anna Márkus), Kamill Major, János Bér from France; George Peck from New York, Klára Kuchta from Switzerland, Magda Csutak from Vienna. Certainly, very famous artists of universal art were also exhibited in the Templespace, like Hermann Nitsch, Peter Sandbichler, Franz West from Austria, Vance Kirkland, Carol Ross from the USA, Rimer Cardillo from Uruguay, Laura Anderson Barbata from Mexico.

The presentation and collection of photo art is also included among the programs of the Municipal Gallery, primarily in our documentation series which refer to fine arts, entitled Viewers View.The exhibitions of Attila Pácser, István Halas, Zsolt Szamódy, Endre Kovács, Gábor Dobos belong to this group. Concerning the collection the situation is the worth in the field of historical art, I mean, the art of the first part of the 20th century. While in the previous periods there were possibilities to purchase former works, also from art trade, in our time there are only some examples for this practice. The last purchase of this sort happened in 1997, the museum could buy one of the early canvases of József Egry from art trade. The majority of historical exhibitions originates from the collection material of the Gallery. There is also less chance to put on show bigger oeuvre exhibitions, the most important ones were: István Farkas Oeuvre

Exhibition (2005), Hommage ŕ Tihamér Gyarmathy (2005), Jenő Goebel Paizs Retrospective Exhibition (2009). The yearly presentation of the Levendel Collection, deposited in the Municipal Gallery, is continuous, and also the thematic selections of the Graphical Collection: Fancy to the Ship (2009), Gee up my Horse! (2011).                                                                                          Perhaps, the base of collection is the own purchase. The background of the budget is allowed by the own financial frame of the museum. From 1962 it started from four-hundred thousand fts, and still in the beginning of the 1990ies it was only five-hundred thousand fts. In 1993 the City General Assembly voted 2.000.000.-HUF for the purchase of György Jovánivics’ sculpture, titled Detail from the Great Gilles. This sum, from the next year on, from 1994 it was fixed as a regular frame for purchase. Unfortunately, in the meantime the financial background of the museum, that was 500.000.-HUF, disappeared. This sum was quite a good frame in the 90ies, perhaps only the Hungarian National Gallery could manage more money. For today this own item decreased to 1.800.000.-HUF, while in the meantime the prices of the works of art rose ever so much expensive. However, the collection frame of the institution is only a part of the sources of purchase. In the 1990ies, over this safe base, the National Cultural Fund, the competitions for purchasing works of art of the Cultural Ministry (with changing names all the time), and the competitions of banks could provide much more money for enriching the collection than the basic sum was. However, for 2012 these possibilities decreased only to the National Cultural Fund.

The other versions of expansion are gifts, donations and deposits. Each version had examples between 1996 and 2012.  The sources of gifts are many-sided, the most frequent one is personal donation by the artist, which has, besides the artist’s generosity, personal reasons in connection with prestige, as it is quite

an honour to take part in such a serious museum collection. On the other hand, the most frequent case is when in return of the museum purchase the artist gives another work free of charge for the collection. During the period in case, 26 gifts from 89 works of art originate from the artist himself. Then comes the donation by the descendants, however in our period it frequently happened that different firms and enterprises also donated the collection. While in case of the Medal Cabinet the donations of societies, clubs, companies are characteristic. Donation means that action when the sponsor, donator buys a work of art from an artist, from a gallery, then he/she gives it to the collection. Deposit is the most particular form of enrichment, in this case works of art, sometimes whole collections got to the museum for shorter or longer periods. In this case the proprietary rights of the work remain at the original owner, but from all other points of view the museum is allowed to do whatever it wants with the object, the work of art can be displayed, published, loaned. It is quite frequent to deposit one or two works of art, but the really interesting deposits are the smaller or bigger collections. From among them the László Levendel Collection is outstanding, it enriches the museum collection with its European School material from 1998, which is yearly on show in the Municipal Gallery. Between 1996 and 2000 a part of a huge collection owned by László Károly, a collector of Hungarian origin, living in Switzerland, got to the museum as deposit. According to previous plans and contracts the whole collection would have deposited and later owned by the capital, if the city council could have placed it.

It did not happen, so today this collection can be seen in Veszprém. Besides the large, complex collections there are many works by Lajos Gulácsy and István Farkas as deposits in the museum, and several original works of Hungarian art from the 19th-20th century.

In the period in case one piece of art got to the collection nearly from all the exhibitors. However, the methods of purchases are very diverse. For example,

Mária Chilf built up a very spectacular installation assemblage, demanding large space, at her exhibition (Below Tulps’ Sky, 1998). This work of art cannot be taken apart, store, then rebuild it on occasion. That’s why the museum purchased from her a very delicate, refined graphical work from the same period. (Mária Chilf: Untitled 1-2, 57x70 cm, mixed media.) Péter Forgács displayed his exhibition, titled Inventarium,  as far back as 1995. At that time the museum could not buy his main work, which has become emblematic since then, a story about pig-killing played backward on video, with the objects belonging to it. From that time this work of art is in the Ludwig Museum. The possibility to purchase something from the same artist came many years later, in 2009 the museum could buy another main work of art, The Visit, 1999 (installation, videos, mixed media), which is the combination of two parts of a horse-body and two videos. Orsolya Drozdik’s exhibition (Un Chandelier Maria Theresa, 2009) is about event about a huge, inflatable chandelier. Simultaneously the gallery purchased her former main work from 1993, which has become internationally known. It was the Manufacturing the Self – Medical Venus, which was at that time in her studio in New York. The original intention was to put on show this work as part of the exhibition, but the financial, transportation problems could be solved only for 2012, therefore this work was displayed the first time at the Continuation, New Acquisitions in the Municipal Gallery exhibition. Also a particular case is that of Tamás Körösényi’s work, the

Fitting no. 11 (1993, mixed media, compressed, painted synthetic resin, paper, 145x216x70 cm). In 1994 he displayed simultaneously at twelve different spots, including also the Municipal Gallery, his action, titled Sculptures. His participation at that time is represented by this work of art, bought in 2012. Tamás Trombitás’ Caput Mundi (1992-96, mixed media, installation, copper, neon tube, 100x100x120 cm) was also a posterior purchase in 2008, as his exhibition took place in the Municipal Gallery in 1996. Certainly, there are normal, ideal cases, too. The works of art by Eszter Csurka, Magdolna Csutak,

Ágnes Deli, Gábor Dobos, Ferenc Ficzek, Ferenc Friedrich, Áron Gábor, Károly Halász, Tibor Helényi, György Jovánovics, András Koncz, Tamás Konok, Tamás Lossonczy,, Anna Márkus (Ana Mark), András Mengyán, ANdrás Mohácsi, László Mulasics, István Nádler, Csaba Nemes, Hajnal Németh, Sándor Pinczehelyi, Tamás Soós, Ágnes Szépfalvi, János Szirtes, Gábor Szörtsey, Attila Szűcs, Miklós Szűts, Péter Türk, Gyula Várnai, Erzsébet Vojnich, Gábor Záborszky were bought just after their exhibitions. In the field representing the purchase of the earlier periods of 20th century the situation is less positive. A more considerable purchase was the Makarius-Müller-Keithly Collection, which is a unique material of the European School. An outstanding purchase was that of Jenő Paizs Goebel’s painting (Self-portrait with Whiskers, 1925) after his retrospective exhibition in 2007. From museological point of view an important purchase was that Hans Gasser’s two accessory figures, the Vigilance and Justice of The Hentz Memorial (1851-52) could be bought.

The catalogue, presenting the new acquisitions, is the temporal continuation of the publication, which summarized the collection between 1985-1995. On the other hand, some works of art are also included, though former acquisitions, but they were inventoried in this period. There are some works of art as well, their purchase dated 1995, which got to the collection after the publication of the previous catalogue. While the photos show the works which were on display at the Continuation, New Acquisitions exhibition in September 2012.

 

Péter Fitz