Hungary's cultural landscape amid COVID: museum projects, artist adaptations, and heritage revival
The cultural landscape in Hungary has been significantly impacted by COVID-19, resulting in the closure of museums and galleries since March 2020. While private galleries have resumed operations under certain restrictions, state-run institutions have faced financial setbacks. During the lockdown, artist Márta Czene (b. 1982), who is the granddaughter of painter Béla Czene, shifted her focus to creating digital video montages. Notable museum developments include a museum quarter in Városliget park, spearheaded by László Baán, which will house the House of Hungarian Music, the New Hungarian National Gallery, the reconstructed Városliget Theatre, the Museum of Ethnography (set to open in spring 2022), the House of Hungarian Innovation, and the Hungarian Museum Restoration Centre. Upcoming exhibitions feature Gerhard Richter in August and Pál Szinyei Merse in December. Additionally, the National Hauszmann Program aims to restore buildings in the Buda Castle District, with a reopening planned for 2021.
Key facts
- Hungary closed museums and galleries from March 16, 2020 due to COVID-19.
- Private galleries reopened with restrictions; state institutions faced financial losses.
- Artist Márta Czene switched from painting to digital video montages during lockdown.
- Márta Czene's works explore family, childhood, and generational habits; exhibited in a private gallery.
- László Baán leads the development of a museum quarter in Városliget park, Budapest.
- The museum quarter includes buildings by Sou Fujimoto Architects and SANAA.
- Museum of Ethnography opens spring 2022; House of Hungarian Music opens in 2021.
- Hungarian National Gallery will host Gerhard Richter retrospective in August and Pál Szinyei Merse show in December.
- Museum of Fine Arts Budapest plans Pre-Raphaelite (May) and Cézanne (October) exhibitions.
- National Hauszmann Program restores historic buildings in Buda Castle District; Royal Riding Hall and St. Stephen's Hall reopen in 2021.
- National Castle and Fortress Program revitalizes noble castles with interactive displays.
- Both heritage projects are funded by Hungarian state and EU.
- COVID has led to a renewed focus on physical presence in art.
Entities
Artists
- Márta Czene
- Béla Czene
- Gerhard Richter
- Pál Szinyei Merse
- Paul Cézanne
Institutions
- Hungarian National Gallery
- Museum of Fine Arts Budapest
- House of Hungarian Music
- New Hungarian National Gallery
- Városliget Theatre
- Museum of Ethnography
- House of Hungarian Innovation
- House of the Hungarian Millennium
- Hungarian Museum Restoration and Storage Centre
- Budapest Zoo
- Sou Fujimoto Architects
- SANAA
- Nemzeti Örökségvédelmi Fejlesztési Nonprofit Kft
- Artribune
Locations
- Hungary
- Budapest
- Városliget
- Buda Castle District
- Rome
- Bologna
- Potenza
- Ferrara
- Lucera
- Italy
- Berlin