Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 26. (Budapest, 2008)
Events 2007
On 6 February, at an exhibition by holders of Lajos Kozma scholarships in handicrafts and applied arts and of László Moholy-Nagy scholarships in design (a show organised for the third year running in co-operation with colleagues at the MoholyNagy University of Applied Arts), opening addresses by János Probstner and Ernő István Jahoda followed a speech of welcome given by Imre Takács, the Director-General of the Museum. The exhibition, which was organised by the Hungarian Design Council, was on display until 24 February. On 21 March, as one of the events of the Budapest Spring Festival, an exhibition entitled Tiffany and Gallé. Art Nouveau Glass Art was opened by Katalin Bogyay, State Secretary with Responsibility for International Relations at Hungary's Ministry of Education and Culture, in the presence of April H. Foley, Ambassador of the United States of America to Hungary, and Philippe Zeller, Ambassador of France to Hungary. Organised by Gabriella Balla and Eva Csenkey, this was on display until 18 November. For the exhibition, Eszter Dome designed an impressive album-like catalogue, the introduction and chapter-opening texts of which were written by Gabriella Balla. The technical descriptions were written by Eva Csenkey and the photographs were taken by Agnes Kolozs. The catalogue was published in Hungarian and in English. The one-month-long exhibition by prizewinners of the National Competition for Secondary Schools in Drawing and Visual Culture bore the title Variants of Change. On 24 March, at the opening of the exhibition, which was combined with the distribution of the prizes, László Trencsényi, General Secretary of the Hungarian Education Society, gave an address. Public and private collections in Hungary hold the largest and most valuable accumulation of Habaner art objects in the entire world. Even so, these exceptionally rich holdings have never been put on display together. Aiming to remedy this state of affairs, at the urging of the President of the Friends of the Museum of Applied Arts the Museum put together a selection of approximately 150 ceramic works in private hands. Entitled Haban Myth 1593-1738, this exhibition was prolonged until early January 2008 on account of the great interest shown. At the opening, on 21 May, Prof. Dr. László Trócsányi, a member of the Republic of Hungary's Constitutional Court, and Dr. Márta Schneider, State Secretary with Responsibility for Cultural Affairs at Hungary's Ministry of Education and Culture, both gave addresses. The occasion was made memorable by the singing of Márta Sebestyén. The organiser of the exhibition, Dr. László Réti, edited a catalogue of the artefacts displayed. From this the reader could obtain a short overview of the Habaners' history, their religious beliefs and their everyday life, as well as the characteristic features of their art and material culture, and also of the history of research into the Habaners and the collecting of Habaner artefacts. At an exhibition summing up the career of Sándor Mikó on the occasion of his eightieth birthday, the artist's work - which deserves attention on account of its quantity and quality alike - was recalled primarily by means of photographs and designs, while his similarly multifaceted and wide-ranging work as a designer of furniture and other artefacts was conveyed by the objects themselves. Additionally, visitors were able to acquire a taste of the artist's work as a writer and educator in the field. At the opening, on 29 May, one of his similarly successful colleagues, the interior designer and architect Dr. Imre Balázs Szily, gave an address of
