ART-PRESENTATION: Keeping The Balance

Following the lift of the lockdown Ludwig Museum presents “Keeping The Balance / Egyensúlyban” exhibiting approximately 60 artworks from Deutsche Telekom’s collection (Art Collection Telekom). The selection mainly features works of art from artists with roots in Eastern Europe. The exhibition, originally planned to open at the beginning of June, is an indication of life cautiously getting back to business as usual.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Ludwig Museum Archive

How can one strike and preserve balance in a complex, controversial and often antagonistic reality? The question posed by the exhibition raises hope and posits the statement simultaneously that conducting disputes about art and facing reality may bring forth ideas and relate experiences that are especially helpful in our effort to find balance. “Telekom, as one of the largest telecom providers in Europe, has strong roots in Eastern Europe, demonstrated also by the fact that our mother company, Deutsche Telekom put works from Eastern European artists specifically into the focus of its collection. This special focus is based on the special historical, economics, political and cultural features of the region, which has been striving to prosper lying between and thus being exposed to the conflicts and gravitational forces of two major civilizational structures, the East and the West. The destiny of Eastern Europe is about experiencing, while striving to resolve that duality, seeking balance, i.e. building a bridge. The Keeping the balance exhibition provides a platform for dialogue, for sharing and aligning opinions, in the spirit of the Company’s philosophy: Life is for sharing,” said Magyar Telekom CFO, Darja Dodonova commenting upon the exhibition. The concept of the exhibition had been drawn up by the curators in 2019. Since then, the world has lost its previous balance, and the fragile nature of life has become tangibly obvious everywhere at the same time. We must find that balance once again, which also means that we must necessarily start over. We have now an opportunity to avoid making the same mistakes once more, to dare to seek and adopt new, innovative models in our interpersonal relationships, societal issues and coexistence with our environment. Eastern European artists have recently experienced the overwhelming transformation from former socialist-communist dictatorships and have been part of the transition into a market economy, as well as witnesses to revolutions and wars. That peculiar sensitivity and attention is detectable in their works, too. They reflect in the context of the above cultural environment upon the changes of society and the challenges all of us must embark upon. They respond sensitively to current problems and urgent issues. They do not provide ready-made answers but point out the necessity of striking a new balance in a world that has become even more controversial and complex, thus does not tolerate simple solutions anymore. The works of art address directly specific imbalances the resolution of which are even more urgent than a year ago. At the same time, they radiate hope and confidence, as well as a sense of humor and cheerful demeanor. They attest to the fact that human creativity is able to counterbalance any difficulties in life.

Exhibited Artists: Nevin ALADAĞ, Sasha AUERBAKH, CSEKE Szilárd, Danica DAKIĆ, Aleksandra DOMANOVIĆ, Petra FERIANCOVA, Igor GRUBIĆ, Aneta GRZESZYKOWSKA, Nilbar GÜREŞ, Petrit HALILAJ, Flaka HALITI, Vladimír HOUDEK, Hristina IVANOSKA, Pravdoliub IVANOV, Sanja IVEKOVIĆ, Hortensia Mi KAFCHIN, Šejla KAMERIĆ, Lito KATTOU, KERESZTES Zsófia, Little Warsaw, Eva KOT’ÁTKOVÁ, Maria KULIKOVSKA, EQUALS Collective, Nino KVRIVISHVILI, Piotr ŁAKOMY, Brilant MILAZIMI, Ciprian MUREŞAN, Vlad NANCĂ, Roman ONDAK, Paulina OŁOWSKA, Dan PERJOVSCHI, Agnieszka POLSKA, Stepan RYABCHENKO, Slavs and Tatars, Iza TARASEWICZ, Krassimir TERZIEV, Martina VACHEVA

Info: Curators: Nathalie Hoyos, Rainald Schumacher and Krisztina Szipőcs, Ludwig Museum, Komor Marcell utca 1, Budapest, Duration: 4/9-22/11/20, Days & Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, www.ludwigmuseum.hu