Prime Minister’s Speech at the 60th Vásárhely Autumn Exhibition in Hódmezővásárhely

October 6, 2013 10:51 PM

Prime Minister's Speech at the Opening of the 60th Vásárhely Autumn Exhibition in Hódmezővásárhely.

Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen!

I know that there is a need for mercy here and I should show pity on those who are standing and say only that I hereby declare the exhibition open. But you know that my responsibilities cannot allow this, so please allow me to welcome you at greater length. First of all, please allow me to link to what we have heard from General-Director László Baán. We have heard an artistic ars poetica with reference to [the Hungarian painter] Rudnay, and if one does not listen to these words as an artist, then it could just as easily be the ars poetica or creed of national policy. It also reminds us that it is perhaps not an incorrect decision to invite the leaders of countries and politicians to the opening of an exhibition, because our profession, politics, is also an art. The only difference, although it is not an insignificant one, is that politics is the art of possibilities, of the possible, while it would seem that fine art is the art of the impossible: it endeavours to achieve such seemingly impossible things that cannot be expressed with anything other than the tools of fine art. Now that I have successfully explained what I am doing here and why I accepted this invitation, please allow me to respectfully welcome the artists whose works are represented at this exhibition.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

It wasn't too long ago when I was last here in Hódmezővásrhely, perhaps you remember; I borrowed someone from the Town Hall here [Mayor of Hódmezővásárhely, current leader of the Fidesz Parliamentary Group and Head of the Prime Minister's Office, János Lázár. Ed.] . Don't worry; I haven't come here to give him back. We are satisfied with each other for the moment, or at least I haven't heard of any complaints about myself so far.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

The truth is that I like coming to Vásárhely. It is a beautiful city. Visitors somehow get the feeling that there is a special depth to life here. The most painful illness of modern life, superficiality, somehow hasn't made its way here. Stately buildings, people with character and the signs of work that is taken seriously are everywhere. And here, in your city, something is always happening. Hódmezővásárhely's unique cultural performance could be the envy of any European city. Next year, it will be ten years since the opening of the Holocaust Museum, which was home to the first and only permanent exhibition of its kind in Hungary at the time. The "Memory Point" opened in 2006, which as a modern and expressly 21st century institution has become the centre of the collective historical memory of the community that lives here. And one year ago, the cultural quarter was also opened to the public. This is an impressive list; I congratulate both the citizens of Hódmezővásárhely and the city's leaders on it! I have also heard that a whole series of events have been organised around the first Sunday in October, the traditional opening day of the Autumn Exhibition, and this is also worthy and deserving of acknowledgement.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

It is good news to all lovers of art that despite the economic crisis, ever increasing efforts, attention and resources have been made available to culture in recent years. The upcoming year will be no exception. We have just put the 2014 budget before the House, and it includes an increase in funding of 17 billion forints compared to the previous year. Another piece of good news is that, as part of the reorganisation of the Hungarian state, the public collections' network has also been successfully placed on new foundations. 300 million forints are available for the renovation of museum exhibitions and the creation of new ones in 2013, and a piece of extraordinary news is that we finally have enough money to renovate some historical cultural institutions such as the Academy of Music, the Opera House or the Erkel Theatre.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am sure that it is a great joy to everyone that this is the 60th year that the Vásárhely Autumn Exhibition, this unique showcase of modern Hungarian art, is opening its doors. I am sure the special anniversary is also one of the reasons I was invited to attend. As far as I know, there are no examples in Hungary of any similar event of such standing having been organised for the past 59 years. And in fact there are very few examples of such events in Europe. The unique character of this yearly exhibition is provided not only by its unbroken tradition, continuous nature and level of professional quality, but also by the fact that all branches of art are represented here. I know from the Minister of State that the Jury has an increasingly difficult job from year to year, because the number of exhibitors and entries break records practically every year, and as we have heard from the Mayor some 770 works from almost 340 artists have been submitted this year.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Your Exhibition is an important piece of proof and a source of encouragement. The Vásárhely Autumn Exhibition is proof of the fact that an initiative on the part of local patriots can in fact rise to a level of national significance. Please allow me to list the names of the four founders of the Exhibition, to whom we owe a debt of thanks and gratitude: Museum Director Miklós Galyasi, the artists István D. Kurucz and Gyula Béla Almási, and the sculptor Iván Szabó.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

A success story of this kind requires a lucky coincidence of events. It requires that here, in Hódmezővásárhely, there always be students who take over the work of organising the exhibition from the founding fathers. It also requires that during the course of its history the Exhibition be always capable of renewal and remain open towards the younger generations of Hungarian fine art. And it also requires that the city's inhabitants and the city's leaders continue to view the event as their own, as they do today.

Dear People of Hódmezővásárhely!

Salons and salon life is painfully missing from Hungarian intellectual life. It is not the opportunities to meet, there are plenty of those, but the sure judgement of values that is truly missing. This Exhibition has become a true salon, the value judgements of which are a certain point of reference within Hungarian fine art, and the prizes awarded here afford true standing to those who receive them. Perhaps there are still many who think that in such difficult times when we are struggling with an economic crisis - and looking around in Europe it would seem that there are still many years of struggle ahead of us - it is not worth spending on art. They think that at such times supporting music or fine art, for instance, is a luxury. It is my firm belief that the truth is exactly the opposite: it is precisely in order to find our way out of the crisis that we must show people that life is more than just struggling to make a living. And for this reason, we will need the benefits afforded by the arts both today and tomorrow, and we have need of excellent artists. In times of crisis it is also important to keep in mind that art is not an expense, it is not a financial burden, but a resource; An irreplaceable resource that cannot be substituted by anything else. And so, before I open this by no means ordinary exhibition, please allow me to express my warmest congratulations to the city's leaders, to its citizens and especially to the artists exhibiting here today. We have good cause to hope that Hódmezővásárhely will remain a meeting point for contemporary Hungarian art for many years to come. I hereby declare the Exhibition open!