Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1998 (15. évfolyam, 51-54. szám)
1998 / 51-52. szám
chairman of the American Hungarian Foundation, was honored at a special luncheon on February 9, 1998, in Lauderdale-by-the Sea, Florida. He was recognized as a distinguished humanitarian, philanthropist, industrialist and eminent leader in civic and community life. He was chairman of the Foundation’s board in 1959, when the Foundation began funding and helped establish the new Hungarian studies program at Rutgers-The State University in New Brunswick, N|. Dr. Albert Tezla, born in South Bend, Indiana, and professor emeritus of English at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, received the Abraham Lincoln Award at a dinner in the University's Tweed Museum on May 8, 1998. The Award recognized him as an eminent research scholar, teacher, author, bibliographer, translator of Hungarian literature, consultant in Hungarian studies and as one who charted new paths both in America and Hungary to expand and reintroduce the appreciation of Hungarian literature and culture worldwide in English. His Harvard University Press publications, An Introductory Bibliography to the Study of Hungarian Literature and Hungarian Authors: A Bibliographical Handbook along with other major works of translation, such as, Ocean at the Window: Hungarian Prose and Poetry Since 1945, published by the University of Minnesota Press have imprinted his name upon Hungarian studies in America. Dr. D. Emerick Szilagyi was honored at a dinner at the Bloomfield Hills Country Club, Michigan, on May 16, 1998, as Laureate of the Abraham Lincoln Award. He was born in Nagykároly, Hungary, and completed studies at the University of Michigan Medical School. He is known as the "conscience of vasculary surgery’’ and said to be "overall the most nationally eminent physician ever to have worked at the Henry Ford Hospital." His name has become synonymous with vascular surgery, and he was recognized by the American Hungarian Foundation as an eminent physician, distinguished surgeon, scholar, investigator, editor and one whose research and investigation charted new paths in general and vascular surgery. In name and symbolism the Abraham Lincoln Award is inspired by the life, works and words of the sixteenth president of the United States of America. Lincoln often spoke of the great role the immigrant and their descendants played in American life. The Foundation presented its first Abraham Lincoln Award in 1967 in Chicago to Albert Kner, Géza de Takats, M.D. and posthumously to Carl Sandburg. Other laureates include Lord Georg Solti, Edmund Vasvary, Miklós Rozsa, Zoltán Bay and William Fellner. The award citation is accompanied by the reproduction of the portrait head of Abraham Lincoln by sculptor Leonard Wells Volk. FOUNDATION NEWS & EVENTS FESTIVAL OF TREES For the past nine years the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation has been the scene of a multi-ethnic Festival of Trees during the December-|anuary holiday season. The Museum has provided the space and the sponsorship of an annual exhibit of Christmas trees reflecting different cultural traditions. This year the museum hosted Christmas trees representing the decorative art of Denmark, Greece, Germany, Belarus, Italy, Scotland, Ukraine, Ireland, Hungary and the Hispanic-Latino world. The Museum has also hosted a Victorian tree and an antique menorah ABRAHAM LINCOLN AWARDS (Continued) for the exhibit. The exhibit began with three trees in its first year of existence and has grown to its present number as more and more ethnic communities became involved in the seasonal spirit and the celebrations. Patricia Fazekas, Museum Curator of the American Hungarian Foundation, can be contacted about additional information or possible exhibition space for the next Festival of Trees. The tenth annual Festival of Trees will be on view from December 6, 1998, to lanuary 31, 1999. DÓMJÁN WOODCUTS AND TAPESTRIES In commemoration of the 90th birth year of Joseph Dómján, the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation presented an exhibition from May, 1997, to january, 1998, of the renowned artist's color woodcuts and tapestries. The retrospective exhibition featured a cross-section of his art, including his earliest works and his highly original color woodcut prints, including such splendid examples as his composition entitled "Fish Deer" as well as his “Eternal Peacock.” Of his tapestries his compositions "The Big Poppy" and "Peacock of Carnations” are both true to the artist's own description of his art: "I fill the wool with spirit, and the wood with the magic of color.” The exhibition also contained 22 black-and-white images of )ános Arany’s dramatic ballad "Toldi" as well as his earlier pastel portraits and early woodcuts like "Pouring Molten iron" were on loan from Hungary for the exhibition. The museum also exhibited the artist’s tools and several of Domjan’s "key" wood blocks on which the patterns were carved either by Dómján himself or his wife-collaborator Evelyn Dómján. This retrospective exhibition revived the magic of Dómján for all who viewed the magnificent artwork. VASARELY EXHIBITION RETROSPECTIVE AND OP ART On view in the Vasarely exhibition at the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation, the 1976 painting, oil on canvas titled "Caldor". From March 8, to September 27, 1998 the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation is presenting the visually exciting exhibit of the art of Victor Vasarely. This is the 30th exhibition in the Museum since it opened in 1989. It is titled a retrospective exhibition because it brings together various periods of the artist's career from the 1930’s through the 1980’s. The artist (Continued on page 5) 4 NO. 51-52, SPRING-SUMMER, 1998, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER
