OPENING: Hungarian artists hope to change perceptions with major exhibition

Agnes Kerteszfi, Dancer Cube, 2011. Colored, fused, bent glass. H 7, W 12 1/4, D 12 1/4 in.

Despite sharing a border with Austria, and practically being neighbors to the Czech Republic and Poland, Hungary has never been known as a force in the glass arts. It wasn’t even until the 1950s that Hungary had any kind of glass art education. Porcelain designer turned glass artist Julia de Bathory developed the first glass art classes at the Secondary School of Fine and Applied Arts in 1953. Since then, the country has made major strides to train and educate students in the material. The Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design hosts a glass program at the undergraduate and graduate level, and the Hungarian Glass Art Society, formed in 1996 , has helped promote glass artists countrywide. This week, the society will show work by 45 local artists at it’s “HuGlass” exhibition.

This is being billed as the largest exhibition of indigenous glass artwork the country has ever seen. Roughly 80 contemporary works, most of which were produced in the last two years, will be on display, covering a broad spectrum of glass making techniques. The selection is not limited to art pieces, but includes architectural and design objects as well.

The Hungarian Glass Art Society was founded by János Jegenyés, Géza ‘Sigmond, Ágnes Kertészfi, Zoltán Bohus and Márton Horváth. The society offers yearly symposiums and exhibitions. All society members were educated at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, known informally as MOME. The glass department is currently directed by György Gáspár and predominately focuses on cold-working and kiln techniques. Students have the opportunity to blow glass in the summer if they choose.

The opening reception for HuGlass will be on January 12th and will include a speech by Budapest mayor, István Tarlós as well as art historian, Tibor Wehner.

To learn more about the exhibition, watch the video below

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/34778028 w=400&h=225]

—Ruth Reader