Press Release – United for Contemporary Art (UCA) – May 13, 2013

PRESS RELEASE

13 May 2013
On Thursday, 9 May, the United for Contemporary Art group occupied the staircase of the Ludwig Museum, and then, formulating their demands, invited Minister Zoltán Balog for a public, professional discussion. In reaction to this, late in the afternoon of 10 May the Ministry of Human Resources (EMMI) invited representatives of the group for a briefing on Monday, 13 May at 11 am.

In accordance with the decision of the forum functioning on the principles of participatory democracy, the United for Contemporary Art group holds to its original standpoint. The group responded to the reply by EMMI in the form of an action and a letter.
The title of the action: Successful delivery, Unsuccessful information

In the framework of the action, activists placed two enormous objects (an arrow and an enormous letter) on the façade of the EMMI building, which was retrieved by a representative of the ministry afterwards. With this gesture, the group called attention to the contradictory nature of state communication. The government, not only in culture, but in every sector, communicates in an authoritarian and one-sided manner with the representatives of the professional and civilian spheres. The group demands not just information, but genuine professional discourse and reconciliation with the full inclusion of the public.

Budapest, 13 May 2013

United for Contemporary Art

_______________________

Response of United for Contemporary Art to the letter of 10 May from the State Secretariat for Culture of the Ministry of Human Resources:

The forum operating according to the principles of participatory democracy, joining the representatives of contemporary art: artists, art historians, curators, critics, art students, teachers, gallerists and art collectors, the group “United for Contemporary Art” maintains its invitation extended to Minister Zoltán Balog on 9 May 2013.

In accordance with the press release previously forwarded to the Ministry, the primary demand of the group is transparency, which is why we initiated a public dialogue with the inclusion of the press, for which we continue to respectfully await the Minister, during the course of the week commencing on 13 May at the Ludwig Museum, at a time to be agreed with the Ministry.

United for Contemporary Art

ludwiglepcso@gmail.com