Between Spheres. Art and Science

The link between art and science can be described as the desire to understand the world, which is the ambition that motivates the artists in the exhibition entitled Between Spheres. The interdisciplinary approach does not imply focusing on all disciplines, but rather on the specific fields of science that are typical of the contemporary collection managed by the Central Bank of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Bank, MNB). Thus, the main nodes are engineering, language, computer science, natural sciences, nature conservation and the protection of heritage. The exhibition picks up where our world-renowned Hungarians — László Moholy-Nagy, György Kepes or Marcell Breuer — earned praise for the close relationship between art and science, and it focuses on the achievements of the post-1960s. The exhibition deliberately provides equal space for Hungarian artists of different generations, including members of the internationally successful postmodern generation, the neo-avant-garde, the current middle generation and young talents. The exhibition broadly represents contemporary art in a technical sense as well, including paintings, sculptures, glass images, installations and other media.

The selection displays pieces of nearly two dozen artists who — instead of just depicting one discipline — incorporate specific disciplines in their creative method, focus or way of thinking. These artists analyse the relationship between art and science, and their work is also often guided by a scientific approach.

The engineering, constructive and designing attitude is represented by works of Andreas Fogarasi, György Gáspár, Judit Horváth Lóczi, Tamás Jovanovics, Tamás Konok and Márton Nemes, while an algorithmic concept and computer culture appear with objects by Imre Bak, Judit Horváth Lóczi and Zsuzsanna Kóródi. The exhibition also pays tribute to Vera Molnar. Language as a science is explored by Attila Csáji, Krisztián Frey, Kamill Major and Judit Reigl. Natural sciences, such as creative methods involving nature and nature-based philosophies are unravelled through the works of Simon Hantaï, Ferenc Lantos, Tamás Melkovics and Judit Reigl. Some branches of physics, including optics or gravitation as an influence on art, can also be analysed separately through the objects of József Bullás, Zsuzsanna Kóródi, Judit Reigl and Anthony Vasquez. Climatology and the preser-vation of scientific and cultural heritage are the issues raised in the glasshouse-like space that closes the exhibition, presenting the works of Nikolett Balázs and Dia Pintér. In addition, with a special installation, the exhibition also high¬lights some artists — János Fajó, Ferenc Lantos, András Mengyán and Ádám Szentpétery — who have invited several disciplines into their art. Instead of a narrow interpretation of fine arts, the keywords of the exhibition are the ones characterising contemporary thinking: interdisciplinarity, interoperability and social activism.

The exhibiting artists:

Imre Bak, Nikolett Balázs, József Bullás, Attila Csáji, János Fajó, Andreas Fogarasi, Krisztián Frey, György Gáspár, Simon Hantai, Judit Horváth Lóczi, Tamás Jovanovics, Tamás Konok, Zsuzsanna Kóródi, Ferenc Lantos, Kamill Major, Tamás Melkovics, András Mengyán, Márton Nemes, Dia Pintér, Judit Reigl, Ádám Szentpétery, Anthony Vasquez