PRESS RELEASE
9th May 2013
United for Contemporary Art
We demand complete transparency in the running and adjudication of professional competitions in the art world!
The lack of transparency and culture of secrecy surrounding the current competition for the post of director of the Ludwig Museum – Museum of Contemporary Art Budapest is unacceptable!
The anti-democratic practices afflicting education and society in the last two years have now reached the art world, including: the merger of the Hungarian National Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts without proper consultation with art professionals, the appointment of the director of the Műcsarnok / Kunsthalle without a competition, the unjustified elevation of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA) to a position of institutional dominance holding sway over public funds, and most recently, the lack of transparency in the Ludwig Museum competition.
These developments are making it impossible for contemporary art to function and force us to come together and make a stand. It is for this reason that we are holding a Fact Finding Forum (9th May 5pm – midnight) where we aim to debate the problems of the institutional system of the art world and the reasons for its dysfunctionality, along with exclusionary practices in the distribution of public funding for the arts.
A week ago, on 2nd May 2013, the Free Artists group sent a letter to the Minister of Human Resources, Zoltán Balog, demanding the lifting of the secrecy regarding the decision making process and competition for the post of director of the Ludwig Museum, to which they have yet to receive a reply.
United for Contemporary Art demands transparency in decision-making processes and the immediate release of the minutes of the professional committee of the competition for director of the Ludwig Museum!
The action is not directed against particular persons and does not take sides for or against either candidate.
We invite the Minister of Human Resources, Zoltán Balog, to come to the Ludwig Museum at 12pm on 10 May 2013. Roll back the secrecy! Listen to the opinions of a professional forum of activists, contemporary artists and art professionals!
Our demands:
Professional agreement!
Institutional and professional autonomy!
Professionalism and transparency in decision making in the cultural field!
ludwiglepcso@gmail.com
MMA countdown – Free Artists welcomes the resigned MMA-members!
TRANSZPARENCIÁT!