The Night of Museums is the evening I wait every year. This is always around Midsummer or the first Saturday after that. One of my friend who is living in Krakow told me that there the museums are free to visit on every Sunday. Sadly in Hungary not yet. But I think this one-evening occasion has its own spirit too.
The price is the same as in every year, 1500 HUF/about 4,60 EUR. From 18 a.m to 2 a.m every public vehicle is free to use.
Exhibitions I visited this time: Picasso, Final exam works of restaurator students, Houdini House, Budapest and Krakow in the Medieval times, Hungarian gothic altarpieces from the XIV-XV. centuries and I finished the day with the Hungarian Modernists. It wasn't enough but my legs said no-no to visit one more near midnight…
What is a sad but understandable thing of course that I was forbidden to make photos or videos in every museum [not like last year…] So no photos this time! ｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡ Except about some new nice places I found!
But before anything else, I needed energy for the afternoon. I tried a new coffee shop, called Frei Cafe. There are some in the city here and there, but you can find this Cafe inside the Libri bookstore more often. This idea is nice, because you can "borrow" a book while you enjoy your drink [and not a require to buy the book at the end]. This coffee business has shops from France to Dubai, so is very popular now, but I tried out now for the first time and I can recommend!
I think I drink coffee only at Budapest. At home I more prefer chicory and in the office I drink green tea to wake up. But I couldn't resist this coffee shop. Tamás Frei, the chief of this coffee business - who also a writer and some tv documentary director as well [but I never watched or read his works] – traveled the world many times [that dirty lucky one...] and probably then he collected the various coffee making traditions, because the selection is very rich. Some are just creative ideas for me, like this one called, 'Javanese Iced Orange Mocha' what was only from fresh orange juice, ice and espresso
I don't know whether the Javanesian people like to drink their coffe this way or not, but it was delicious and somewhat new taste for me. I never heard of such mix, orange juice with coffee. Oh and this Cafe, although is very creative, much cheaper than Starbucks for example. I love Starbucks, but I'm glad I found a cheaper but also a good one.
The next day I tried the 'Guatemalan Hazel-nut Coffee'
So after the nice drink I went up into the Castle [from Deák square with the bus 16]. The Picasso exhibition was in the National Gallery. Sadly was, because it ended in June. BUT We have better!!! Modigliani, one of my love. I mean I like Picasso, but cubism not the top of my heart, but I will never skip any big name from now on. So I will watch Modigliani of course, but later.
I didn't care much about modernism or contemporary art before. What was not Ancient Greek, Gothic or Renaissance I didn't care [except Frida Kahlo]. Only about 5-6 years ago I started to rediscover the abstract, avantgarde art of the XX. century and the newest contemporary movements. Since then I deeply fell in love with the so called Lowbrow Pop Surrealism. What Ray Caesar, Mark Ryden, Lory Earley and Kristen Ferrell do is simply amazing!! I have really much to learn… but I don't think I will hold a brush in my hand ever again. I enjoy digital painting more, although it never will been acknowledge that much. I know the handmade painting always will be more appreciated, what is understandable of course. But I don't think digital painting/art can only be a cheap something, rather the opposite, look at Ray Caesar and Rafael Ochoas fantastic works! They use some kind of 3D program and I don't know what else, me and the 3D… Anyhow Ray Caesar is one of my favourite. He is a genius.
So I started the line with Mr. Picky [or Pikachu – as my friend just called him Haha] because I knew that this is this year's sensation so in the evening there will be big row.
I correct myself, there were not only big row but a huge row. Half of the square just waited to see his works. Look!
I visited the exhibition before everything else. I even paid off the whole price for the ticket, I didn't care. I wanted to see his works under normal condition, with only few people around. I probably wouldn't saw a thing among the mass of people what was in the evening.
Well, my opinion about his works:
He was big, that is obvious, but me and cubism are two different things, although I gave it a try. Except Guernica, what is perfect as it is, but sadly there wasn't on this exhibition, but there was a short documentary about his opinion and emotion about the terrible civil war what lead him to paint that work. I cried... not because of him, but I clearly heard the cries of those people, the terrified animals around... Hungary had many civil wars as well, beside the other wars and regimes... Cubism or not that painting is very much narrative... I very much miss the painting from the exhibition.
He was big, that is obvious, but me and cubism are two different things, although I gave it a try. Except Guernica, what is perfect as it is, but sadly there wasn't on this exhibition, but there was a short documentary about his opinion and emotion about the terrible civil war what lead him to paint that work. I cried... not because of him, but I clearly heard the cries of those people, the terrified animals around... Hungary had many civil wars as well, beside the other wars and regimes... Cubism or not that painting is very much narrative... I very much miss the painting from the exhibition.
There were only few from those works I know. What I really liked is his classicist works with those enormous female bodies and bright colors. Especially the portraits.
But as I watched his works my first thought was that he would be like a big child in his whole life... Haha I mean most of his works are about rough-and-ready lines with monochrome parts, like big colored coloring books. And I watched the Antony Hopkins movie, and as Mr Hopkins ingeniously portrayed him, I imagined the whole character. A bit of a self-centered shatter-brain that how he looks to me. But this problem was his family's not mine thankfully. Haha Poor Paloma Picasso. I watched an interview with her. She is one of my idol from my childhood. My first perfume I've got was a Paloma, that little round black one with a smell I never forget. I loved it. Although she has the money and fame, she is not a bitchy or bossy-like famous old lady as some others... She stands on the ground and well she told some stories about his beloved but scratchy father. It was interesting to hear those stories. But our job is to wonder an artists work, not judging his/her personality I know. Which artist was a good person and which wasn't? Who tells it? Most often his/her servant. Well Picasso once fired his long-term and loyal driver. So?
I don't care. And anyway, I liked his works, but I think I wait for Modigliani more. His works are much more deeper to me. But I already could see Pikachu as well, so I'm happy.
But we should be thankful to every XX. century misfit artists who shat down every bond and academism and created, painted, illustrated what they want and how they want. Yes thankful, because the art scene nowadays is very free. We can be as creative as we want and where we want...
Windows in Király street
After this I tried out a new place [for me], called Buddha Mini [Király street 24]. A tiny place of wok dishes. It works the same way as PadThai. You choose and mix the ingredients you want from the menu. I chose roasted duck, rice with vegetables, sesame seed and some hot sauce. But there was no air inside...
Drinking lemonade under a Gothic window piece…
Where is this heavenly place? In the National Museum at Múzeum Körút.
Although the program starts at 8:00 p.m, the bigger museums sells the ticket around 4.
Although the program starts at 8:00 p.m, the bigger museums sells the ticket around 4.
Once a year on this day the restaurator class of the University of Fine Arts is free to visit if someone wants a peep into their works and every year I miss it somehow, although I would love to see them. So I was happily surprised that the National Museum hold an exhibition this year. I couldn't wait to see it.
There were not only restaurated altar paintings [XV-XVI century] but beautiful renovated furnitures from the XVIII century and some historical dresses and others as well, such as a hundreds years old clock. Sorry if I'm boring. Restaurators' work is just that amazing to me as making a painting. Beside the works there were pictures and videos about the restaurating processes as well. I whip out a tear from my eye again… I tried only once to take the entrance exam to the restaurator course. But as they say I "cut the axe in the too big tree" for me. Nevermind. Graphic designer school was also good and memorable, but my heart always yearned for paintings… Now is the time, at last I can do what I always wanted, even if on another way then I planned.
Good Day!/Szép napot! ✌
