At Albertfalva, we encountered the billionaire patron of Paris’s night butterflies - A Review of the “Interthinking” exhibition
Published on index.com by Ch. Gáll András on October 20, 2024, at 13:06 (Translated from Hungarian to English)
Márta Kucsora's Budapest Art Factory has rapidly earned a reputation not only in Hungary but also on the international contemporary art scene. The "Interthinking" exhibition, which recently opened at the creative and exhibition space in Albertfalva, offers a true delight for those intrigued by artists who increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence and explore innovative creative paths.
Kucsora’s transformed "bear den"—once a dilapidated factory in Albertfalva—has become a unique hub within Budapest’s art scene. This time, contemporary artists from Finland, Bulgaria, Spain (Andalusia), Germany, Ireland, and France gathered at Budapest Art Factory on Építész Street to open the "Interthinking" exhibition. The title can be loosely translated as "thinking together."
But before diving into the exhibition itself, which is closely tied to the 14th Art Market Budapest series that opened on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, let’s take a moment to reflect on this wild, rugged studio space—spacious enough to accommodate Kucsora’s gigantic canvases. (Although her works are not part of the "Interthinking" show, this is where Kucsora, whose style bears a distant connection to Jackson Pollock, creates her football field-sized pieces. These works, which understandably attract wealthy buyers with castle-like homes, were on full display during our visit on Thursday.)
Technology in Fine Art
Our last visit to the Budapest Art Factory was in December for the Distortions exhibition, where we delved into the venue’s rich history. In 1912, the Danubius factory opened the Hungarian Aircraft Corporation’s plant here. During World War I, UFAG-Albertfalva grew into a major aircraft manufacturer, employing 1,700 people at its peak and producing forty aircraft per month. Márta Kucsora stumbled upon this location by chance while bringing her daughter for a workout, and later, along with eight partners, co-founded the Budapest Art Factory. The Interthinking exhibition celebrates the influence of Hungarian cultural heritage and the role of Hungarian artists in shaping the international generative art scene, as highlighted in the exhibition’s press release. The term Interthinking originates from a concept developed by György Kepes, emphasizing the synergy between humans and technology, as well as the collaboration between artists and scientists.
Paying Tribute to Great Predecessors
Kate Vass, the Zurich-based curator with Hungarian and Russian roots, spoke about the concept behind the exhibition, highlighting that it honors Hungarian artists who pioneered the use of technology and paved the way for today’s international generative and AI-inspired art scene. The artists being celebrated include László Moholy-Nagy, Victor Vasarely, György Kepes, Nicolas Schöffer, Vera Molnár, Brassaï, and André Kertész, who was born 130 years ago. The group of contemporary artists paying tribute to these pioneers features an international lineup: Bulgarian Iskra Velitchkova, German Mario Klingemann, Spanish Marcelo Soria-Rodríguez, Irish Kevin Abosch, Finnish Laura Rautjoki, and French Julien Gachadoat, alongside Studio u2p050.
The Madame of Parisian Nightlife
Laura Rautjoki used artificial intelligence to reinterpret Brassaï’s (born Gyula Halász) iconic 1932 photo series of Bijou, the legendary madame of Parisian nightlife. The Helsinki-based visual artist shared captivating stories about Bijou, including how, upon her passing, she left behind an astounding fortune of 48 million dollars—equivalent to a billion in today’s value.
Bulgarian artist Iskra Velitchkova reflects on one of Vasarely's paintings, while Spanish artist Marcelo Soria-Rodríguez (from Almería, Andalusia) pays homage to László Moholy-Nagy, one of the Bauhaus's founding figures. His unique installation incorporates the photogram technique, a method invented by Moholy-Nagy himself. And what a coincidence life can be! Just after concluding my conversation with Marcelo, the world-renowned photographer Zoltán Tombor arrived at the exhibition opening. Only a day earlier, we had celebrated his works at the Budapest Art Market in the Millenáris B building, some of which also employed the photogram technique.