OFF-Biennale Budapest presents: Gaudiopolis 2017
September 29 – November 5, 2017
Budapest, Dunaújváros, Eger, Nagyatád, Nagykanizsa, and Pécs, Hungary
OFF-Biennale Budapest, the largest civil, independent arts initiative in
Hungary, is proud to present its second edition entitled Gaudiopolis 2017.
Unique among contemporary art biennials, OFF-Biennale is a grassroots endeavor
that is based on the self-organization and a voluntary collaboration of
artists, curators, gallerists, and collectors, among others. It aims to rebuild
the base for a sustainable art scene in Hungary. OFF-Biennale’s goal is to take
an active part in the social discourse on public issues and to enhance the
culture of democracy by the means of contemporary art. Today, the allocation of
state funding in Hungary is not transparent: professional considerations are
frequently ignored and, in many cases, it serves to solidify political agendas.
The lack of alternative funding sources has put contemporary art in Hungary in
a very vulnerable position. OFF-Biennale strives to reduce the scene's
dependence on the state in order to allow for critical art to be produced and
seen, hence, it does not apply for Hungarian state funding, and stays away from
state-run art institutions.
In 2017, OFF present nearly 40 projects in Budapest and other cities in
Hungary. OFF-Biennale’s programs will be in art galleries as well in studios,
vacant store premises, private apartments, alternative theaters, and public
spaces.
Gaudiopolis 2017 - The City of Joy
OFF-Biennale’s thematic framework of Gaudiopolis also allows for addressing
crucial and intriguing issues having their bearing on both the present and the
future.
Gaudiopolis (1945–1950) was the name of a Children’s Republic founded in the
aftermath of World War II in Budapest by Lutheran pastor Gábor Sztehlo. His
orphanage provided shelter and home for hundreds of children regardless of
their religion, social background, or nationality, who lost their parents
and/or their homes to the war. Children dwellers of the “City of Joy” formed
their own government, elected their representatives, and adopted laws that
applied to everybody (including teachers). Gaudiopolis achieved a certain level
of self-sustainability through the residents’ common work. Although it did
receive some funds from the state, it functioned independently until its 1950
nationalization.
This mini-republic of trust, generosity, responsibility, and care serves as
inspiration to both the projects and the working method of OFF-Biennale. Even
though war tragedies today reach Europe primarily through the stories of
refugees or media reports, our micro- and macro-environment are infused with
social and political crisis once again; that of liberal democracy, which is
also manifest on the level of education. Thus, OFF-Biennale endeavors to
reassess the implications of personal commitment, education, community
development, and the sustainability of democracy, as well as rethink, in this
context, the potential role of children, playfulness, joy—and art.
Mariann Resimann: Children’s home, led by Sztehlo, 1946. Lutheran Museum,
Budapest
Participants
OFF-Biennale’s participants have come together through the invitation of the
curatorial team as well as through a selection of the projects that
OFF-Biennale received through an open call initiated in Spring 2016.
Participating artists include: Ádám Albert, Can Altay, Gábor Altorjay, Akademia
Ruchu, APART, Architecture Uncomfortable Workshop, Art Wall, Orsolya Bajusz,
Zbynĕk Baladrán, Anca Benera – Arnold Estefan, Jerzy Bereś, Johanna Billing,
Virág Bogyó, Eugen Brikcius, Giulia Bruno, Imre Bukta, Marvin Gaye Chetwynd,
András Cséfalvay, Anetta Mona Chişa – Lucia Tkáčová, Gabriella Csoszó/Freedoc,
Dávid Demeter, Róza El-Hassan, Sári Ember, Miklós Erhardt, Gábor Erlich,
Andrienn Fejes, Valér Fekete, Stano Filko & Alex Mlynárcik, Andreas Fogarasi,
Kitti Gosztola – Bence György Pálinkás – Fanni Hegedűs, Tomislav Gotovac, Ion
Grigorescu, Ferenc Gróf, Ábris Gryllus – Márton Emil Tóth – Zsófia Tamara
Vadas, Ane Hjort Guttu, Zsolt Hajdú, Nicoline van Harskamp, Csilla Hódi, Andy
Holden, Csaba Árpád Horváth, Danièle Huillet - Jean-Marie Straub, Adelita
Husni-Bey, Binelde Hyrca, Richard Ibghy – Marilou Lemmens, Sanja Iveković, Sven
Johne, David Karas, Tamás Kaszás – Anikó Loránt (ex-artists collective), Marcio
Kerber Canabarro, Szabolcs KissPál, Milan Knížák, Ádám Kokesch, Eva Koťátková,
Július Koller, Jiří Kovanda, Gábor Kristóf, Krisztián Kristóf, KwieKulik, Antal
Lakner, László Lakner, Gergely László – Katarina Šević, Armin Linke, Little
Warsaw, Dušan Makavejev, Alexander Manuiloff, Dóra Maurer, Dávid Mikulán, Karel
Miler, Ráhel Monory, Csilla Nagy, Csaba Nemes, Jüri Okas, The Order of
Crusaders for Pure Humor Without Banter, Neša Paripović, Ewa Partum, Manuel
Pelmuş, Pirrogó Duó, Csaba Molnár, Joanna Piotrowksa, Pneuma Szöv./Mókusok,
Michael Rakowitz, R.E.P., Bea Piros Rostás, Péter Sarkadi, Andi Schmied, School
of Free Printing, Kati Simon – Zsolt Vásárhelyi, Eszter Sipos, SLAVS AND
TATARS, Mladen Stilinović, János Sugár and students of the course How to Make a
Work of Art, Lilla Szász – Judit Hidas, Viktor Szeri, Endre Tót, Balázs Máté
Tóth, Zsuzsanna Tóth, Dominika Trapp, Jerzy Treliński, Hajnalka Tulisz,
Wedidin’tdoit Crew, Piotr Wysocki – Dominik Jałowiński, Akram Zaatari
The complete list of participating artists will soon be available on the
OFF-Biennale’s website
<http://offbiennale.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3c6853d72afb11db34c778c6d&id=9b1cb4e6e2&e=1e34947e4a>.
Team
Leader of OFF-Biennale: Hajnalka Somogyi
Curators: Nikolett Erőss, Róna Kopeczky, Lívia Páldi (2016), Hajnalka Somogyi,
Eszter Szakács, Borbála Szalai, Katalin Székely
Art mediation: Nóra Böhler
PR and Communication: Gabriella Rothman, Gergely Nagy
Archive: Zoltán Dragon
Financing and Administration: András Bognár
Main supporters
ERSTE Foundation
Goethe-Institut, Budapest
Horváth Art Foundation, Budapest
Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Warsaw
French Institute, Budapest
The main cooperation partner of this year's OFF-Biennale is GfZK – Museum of
Contemporary Art Leipzig. The cooperation project is funded by the German
Federal Cultural Foundation.
Visiting OFF-Biennale Budapest
If you would like to visit OFF-Biennale, please let us know, we would be happy
to meet you and provide you with more information.
Find out more about OFF-Biennale Budapest
<http://offbiennale.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3c6853d72afb11db34c778c6d&id=55aa8071fa&e=1e34947e4a>
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