ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Getty Research Institute and Wende Museum Explore Cold War Hungarian Art in 'Promote, Tolerate, Ban' Exhibition

publication · 2026-04-19

In Los Angeles, an exhibition titled 'Promote, Tolerate, Ban – Art and Culture in Cold War Hungary' was organized by The Wende Museum of the Cold War and the Getty Research Institute. This event coincided with a 2018 publication of the same name, edited by Cristina Cuevas-Wolf and Isotta Poggi, released by Getty Publications and spanning 160 pages. The initiative scrutinizes the artistic landscape during Hungary's Kádár regime, especially from the mid-1960s. Júliusz Huth's review on ARTMargins Online critiques the book's exploration of cultural policies, disputing the use of 'communist states' for Eastern European regimes pre-1989 and suggesting 'state capitalism' as a potential alternative, albeit not yet widely recognized. The exhibition and publication aim to shed light on the intricate historical context of Hungarian art during the Cold War.

Key facts

  • An exhibition titled 'Promote, Tolerate, Ban – Art and Culture in Cold War Hungary' was presented in Los Angeles.
  • The exhibition was organized by The Getty Research Institute and The Wende Museum of the Cold War.
  • A companion publication with the same title was published in 2018 by Getty Publications.
  • The book was edited by Cristina Cuevas-Wolf and Isotta Poggi and spans 160 pages.
  • The project examines art and culture in Hungary during the Cold War period.
  • Júliusz Huth reviewed the publication on ARTMargins Online.
  • Huth argues that pre-1989 Eastern European regimes should not be called 'communist states.'
  • The review questions whether 'state socialist' accurately describes the Kádár regime, especially from the mid-1960s.

Entities

Artists

  • Júliusz Huth
  • Cristina Cuevas-Wolf
  • Isotta Poggi

Institutions

  • Getty Research Institute
  • The Wende Museum of the Cold War
  • Getty Publications
  • ARTMargins Online

Locations

  • Los Angeles
  • United States
  • Hungary

Sources