Vienna contemporary art fair to spotlight Hungary

For the third consecutive year, Viennacontemporary will take place at the Marx Halle; part of this year’s show is dedicated to the Hungarian neo-avant-garde of the 1960s and 1970s. In total, some 110 galleries and institutions from 27 countries will present their artists and programs in the Austrian capital.

“The exhibition ‘Focus: Hungary’ concentrates on the first half of the ’70s with artists who opened up new possibilities within the Hungarian neo-avant-garde at the time of the stiffening that followed the brief phase of relative approach towards the West,” says József Mélyi, the curator of the Hungarian collection, in a press statement sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

“Presenting a selection from approximately a decade of Hungarian art, the exhibition’s theme is, first of all, the dichotomy of ‘outside and inside,’ as well as the possibilities available to, and the paths sought by, the artists of the age,” Mélyi explains. “The devices they resorted to were usually ones that embodied a break with classical media: action, conceptual photography, mail art, etc.”

“The city of Vienna is not only an important venue for discussion and education on art and culture, but has in recent years also become a center for new development and progress in Central Europe,” according to Dmitry Yu. Aksenov, chairman of the board of Viennacontemporary. “With our multifaceted cooperation with partners from culture, business and the creative scene, we want to strengthen this tendency and extend it in the future,” he adds.

The Marx Halle is an old cattle market with roots dating back to the 19th century, now refurbished to serve as a spectacular venue for large-scale events, concerts, and fairs. The hall, with its impressive steel structure measuring 175 meters in length and covering an area of 20,000 square meters, provides an extensive exhibition space.