(Free Artists Press Conference at the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest)
Location: Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest
Time: 10:30 a.m., 28 December 2012
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Documentation:
Photo: Lilla Szász
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We demand:
the immediate cessation of the exclusive influence the MMA exercises on culture!
We demand:
that the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest remain part of national assets!
We demand:
that a democratic, open tender is announced to fill the position of Műcsarnok director!
Free Artists believe in a multifaceted and receptive
Hungarian culture, and in the validity of critical art.
Art is Free,
but the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest is not!
Free Artists
(Protest MMA #3)
nemma.noblogs.org
Protest MMA#3 (director’ cut)
(with English subtitles)
(video documentation: Ágnes Böjte)
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What is the cultural coup?
The cultural coup is the state party’s institutional, full takeover of power in Hungarian culture.
What are the primary problems of current cultural politics?
1. The registration of the MMA in the Basic Law (replacing the former Constitution).
2. The appointment of institutional leaders without a tender, and in line with the interests of party politics.
3. The Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest as the MMA’s interplay of public assets.
4. The redirection of billions siphoned from culture to the MMA.
5. The impossibility of the support system.
Attention: Cultural coup!
Free Artists demonstrates not in opposition to particular persons, nor in support of them, but rather against the detrimental processes impinging on Hungarian culture.
Our actions are directed toward stopping the anti-democratic practices of Hungarian cultural politics.
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Press Conference:
The Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest is qualified as an element of holdings to be held among national assets, of high significance from the perspective of national economics, which is unambiguously ruled according to the CXCVI. Law on National Assets of the year 2011.
The government’s resolution effective 21 November 2012 proclaims that the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest, as real estate, is part of the holdings of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA) from 1 January 2013. The proprietary rights of the currently operating Műcsarnok Nonprofit Kft., however, will continue to be exercised by the Hungarian State in future. At the same time, the proprietary rights-holder of Műcsarnok Nonprofit Kft. undertakes a guarantee of right of compliance to the MMA in questions of art and content in the provision of function in 2013.
Free Artists demand that the government of Hungary does not use proprietary rights for the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest as a pawn – as real estate – for the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA), elevated from private association to public body, and that the government does not give the MMA exclusive rights of compliance in questions of art and content!
(photo: Dániel Kováts)
The Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest is not merely real estate of more than two thousand square metres, but an institution providing public functions, among whose priority functions are the presentation of the values of Hungarian and international contemporary art – including applied arts, photography, architecture, and intermedia, the organisation of exhibitions and art events in Hungary and abroad, the publication of scholarly publications, and the distribution of visual culture. In the interest of presenting international contemporary art in Hungary and Hungarian contemporary art abroad, it is a task of the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest to build and maintain professional relationships, to establish collaborative opportunities, and to promote and support international appearances and integration of Hungarian artists, and to insure the presence of Hungarian art at major international events – first and foremost at the Venice Biennale.
Free Artists does not view as insured the realisation of the governing principles laid out in the founding charter and professionally based, if the professional and financial maintainer of the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest will be the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA).
For this reason, Free Artists demand that the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest remain a priority element of assets of importance to remain within the national holdings, and that the Ministry forthwith announce an open tender to be judged by a professional jury, in order to fill the position of director, in the interest that the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest may once again be an internationally recognised and acknowledged institution! This is an indispensable condition for Hungarian contemporary art to remain a part of international contemporary art, and not to be isolationist, discriminatory and exclusionary.
Free Artistsdemonstrates not in opposition to particular persons, nor in support of them, but rather against the detrimental processes impinging on Hungarian culture. Our actions are directed toward stopping the anti-democratic practices of Hungarian cultural politics (see the appropriation of the Műcsarnok/Kunsthalle Budapest).
Free Artists,
Budapest, 27-12-2012
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Hungarian press coverage:
MMA countdown – Free Artists welcomes the resigned MMA-members!
TRANSZPARENCIÁT!