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KOVÁSZNAI:WRITING THE ART HISTORY FROM THE BEGINNING
Karolina GOLINOWSKA1
Contemporary Culture and Art
Publication language: Polish
Journal article
Transformations No. 1-4 (72-75) 2012, Publication date: 25 October 2012
Abstract The article refers to the situation that took place in the summer 2010 in Budapest. During that time, a spectacular art exhibition using the space of the Hungarian National Gallery has been organized. Its main purpose was to re-establish the position of forgotten Hungarian artist György Kovásznai in the confines of the an international art world. As a result, a fierce debate about this particular art event initiated by anonymous group of people took place. The critique pointed out the lack of expert knowledge and accused organisers of following commercial interests only. What is more, the total amount of money that has been spent on long-term research and the final exhibition has never been publicly announced. Consequently, art critics and professionals became the strongest defendants of art autonomy represented by museums despite its financial dependency as a public institution. The article re-examines some aspects and arguments that have been exposed during heated discussions. What is more, it aims to analyse the aforementioned conflict in the context of complex relations between the art market and art practise. The exhibition of György Kovásznai works becomes therefore an interesting empirical research that may easily be applied to the theory of the field of cultural production signified with the name of Pierre Bourdieu.
Instytut Edukacji Muzycznej Uniwersytetu Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy
E-mail: kgolinowska@gmail.com