“We must also become acquainted with the symbolism and the spatial and temporal perspective of folk art, so that we can overcome the prejudices of our foreign artistic education and enjoy Hungarian forms without distraction.” (Gábor Lükő)
In our exhibition, we would like to present the unity of our folk tradition, together with the work of the masters who created the objects, the spiritual and intellectual world and the inspiration from which our objects are born. To show how the soul forms take shape and become objects. To see Hungarian art, which is growing from strong roots and still flourishing today, and the organic way of thinking that helps us to survive through the joy of creation. Starting from the sparing use of materials, measured movements and recycling of the past centuries, to set an example for the future. Or maybe: it is worth it.
The exhibition is based on the outstanding craftsmen and intellectual workshops in all branches of folk craftsmanship, which are decisive in their respective fields. The featured masters and workshops provided the foundation, which has and continues to change through families and apprentices, from authentic objects to art based on tradition.
Visitors can see the stories behind the objects created by the individuals and the intellectual workshops, and follow how objects of use from the ancient world have been transformed into part of our lives and art today.
The forms that have been honed over centuries – perhaps millennia – are the gold reserve that is worth using, preserving and perpetuating for generations. By their very nature, they are not disposable or throw-away, but are with us and will remain with us forever, our tools embodied in our souls, and we show them in the spirit of a usable, sustainable tradition, through ‘applied folk art’.
The exhibition also aims to showcase artists who have used folk tradition to create outstanding works in the associative arts.
The Hungarian folk way of thinking, reflected in the artifacts, is based on the principle of thrift and less is more, which is reflected not only in the exhibited works but also in the installation of the exhibition.
In addition to the folk handicraft objects, photographs and films are used to give the visitor an even better insight into the outstanding values of this genre of expressions of the Hungarian soul.
The new exhibition at the National Salon differs from the previous one in that the focus there was primarily on the thematic presentation of objects, whereas the current conceptual design is dominated by the formation of the individual, the intellectual workshops and the culture of objects.
The Hungarian soul as expressed in music is represented throughout the exhibition by continuous folk music recordings. Musicians committed to traditional performance have been invited to create a ‘background music’ of mosaics of a few minutes, demanding attention but not trying to dominate it.