I Am Not Me, The Horse Is Not Mine!

Kentridge-weeks in Budapesten

Between 20 September and 16 October the exhibition of one of the most influential artists can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts.

Cikk küldése

e-mail:

Between 20 September and 16 October the exhibition of one of the most influential artists can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts.

If the deconstructivist music of Shostakovich and the undescribable experince evoked by Kentridge’s videos don’t tear down the hundred-year-old walls of the Museum of Fine Arts museum goers will have the chance to take part in a multidisciplinary installation, unheard of so far in Hungary.

By The Way: Kovásznai

The exhibition named „Five Themes was arranged by the most appreciated artist of our time, after several American and European cities, the exposition could be seen at the Albertina Museum in Vienna. The fame of the artist was increased by the fact that his show had been introduced in San Francisco, in Philadelphia, at the MET in New York. What!s more, Kentridge was awarded the Kyoto Prize in 2010.

The list is now completed with the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. The video installation will be seen in the chamber hall. The question seems relevant: why this museum gives space to the work of Kentridge? The answer is to be found in the chamber hall and in László Lakner’s exhibition: a special communication process has started between the museum of old fine arts and contemporary arts of which the museum’s photo and video section is an active part. According to section manager Márton Orosz the incorporating of the latest media into the profile of the museum is inevitable. This intention is distinctly apparent in the current exhibition and int he cooperation with the Trafo House of Contemporary Arts.

To the question, why Hungary, curator of the exhibition Iványi-Bitter gave the answer. As leader of the research group examining the oeuvre of György Kovásznai and curator of his retrospective exposition arranged at the Hungarian National Gallery last year, on several occasions questions were revealed related to Kovásznai through the works by Kentridge.

The Nose

Although the style of Kentridge is unmistakable,  his locution and way of expression are completly unique, he is very hard to categorized by the media he uses. He works with all kinds of different media: film, animation of coal sketces, prints, sculptures. The constant character of his videos is a highly talented actor. Several stage productions are linked with his name. His latest important work has been the directing of the Shostakovich-opera based on Gogol’s novel, The Nose int he New York MET Opera House. Using the film fragments made during the designing process an 8 chanelled video installation was made, named I am not me, the horse is not mine címmel. The surprising title is actually a Russian proverb – Я не я, и лошадь не моя – which is used when denying guilt. It is obvious that Kentridge, playing the role of the horse, is abstracted into a nose when galloping in one of his videos. He is present but on the other hand the visitor is left alone.

Kentridge Weeks

The exhibition is completed with a program-series. Besides the show, open between September 20 and October 9, Kentridge will be coming to Budapest himself: on the 4th of October writer-scholar András Szántó (New York) is going to talk with the artist.

On the same day in a special installation the public can see the most outstanding pieces of the artist’s oeuvre: the Soho and Felix-series, which covers the world of post-apartheid South Africa; the Übü and the Justice Committee animation film. The experimental films by Kovásznai will also be on the show. On October 7 and 8 Woyzeck on the Highveld, the first mutual stage show of Kentridge and the famous Handspring Puppet Company will be introduced to the Hungarian public.

Connecting article: The exhibition is the message

Kapcsolódó cikk: A kiállítás az üzenet