Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 25. (Budapest, 2007)
Events 2006
EVENTS, 2006 The change of leadership at the Museum of Applied Arts in 2006 brought about a radical change in the exhibition strategy of the institution. While in the preceding few years the Museum had hosted many exhibitions by contemporary artists, in 2006 (overlooking a few existing commitments) the declared objective was the presentation of individual collections in longer-lasting exhibitions. The Museum’s Archive, the department preserving the documentation relating to the history of the Museum’s collections, also possesses important art works, primarily prints and drawings. It was from among these that Dr. Piroska Ács and Zsolt Somogyi selected the material for the exhibition entitled ‘Fashion for the Working Woman - Fashion Designs from the 1950s and 1960s’, which was opened by the fashion designer Kati Zoób on 12 January 2006. The works exhibited came from the pens of Katalin Hajdú, Gabriella Kruppa, Anna Soltész Nagy, Margit Szilvitzky, and Lujza Záhonyi, designers at the Komplex fashion studio formed in 1958, at the time of the Kádár consolidation, within the Applied Arts Company. Maybe these designs painted a slightly idealised picture of the time, but nevertheless they evoked pleasant memories in those who used to wear such clothes, while at the same time arousing the interest of young people today. It was perhaps thanks to this that the exhibition, which was originally planned to last three months, remained open until 17 September 2006. The exhibition did not simply present the fashion of the age: it also recalled, albeit sketchily, the atmosphere and mood of the 1950s and 1960s. This was helped by reminiscences from the designers as well as by a few clothes, hats, bags, and fashion magazines that were displayed alongside the drawings. In the children’s comer, younger visitors could cut out and colour the doll pictures that were very popular at the time. For their part, adults could leaf through magazines from these years. On Saturdays there were additional programmes: film shows, children’s activities, lectures, and book launches. Every year an exhibition is staged to present work by holders of Lajos Kozma artistic crafts scholarships and another to present work by holders of László Moholy-Nagy design scholarships. In 2005, these shows were jointly opened by Károly Simon, director-general of the Museum of Applied Arts; Márta Simonffy, president of the Association of Hungarian Fine Artists and Applied Artists; and Dr. Miklós Bendzsel, president of the Hungarian Patent Office and Hungarian Design Council. The two exhibitions were on display from 10 February until 5 March. After the dismantling of its permanent exhibition entitled ‘Arts and Crafts’ in 2001, the Museum had no exhibition made up of its own material that was on show for more than a year. This deficiency was made good by the exhibition entitled ‘ Collectors and Treasures’, which, it is planned, will be on 169
