Programs

NEWS MEDLEY: We are not made of sugar, we are from concrete

Alicja Rogalska with Katalin Erdődi, Réka Annus and the Women’s Choir of Kartal - Exhibition

Exhibition

23.04 - 30.05

1052 Budapest, Vitkovics Mihály Street 3

Participating curators: Katalin Erdődi

Záró hétvége, hosszabb nyitvatartással / Closing weekend with longer opening hours:

Csütörtök-Péntek / Thursday-Friday: 14.00-19.00

Szombat-Vasárnap / Saturday-Sunday: 12.00-19.00

Vasárnap 17 órától Erdődi Katalin kurátor és Annus Réka népdalénekes záró tárlatvezetést tartanak (szabadtéren, a kiállítótér előtt), regisztráció: hirdalcsokor@gmail.com! / On Sunday from 5pm finissage guided tour with curator Katalin Erdődi and folk singer Réka Annus. Open-air event, in front of the exhibition space, please register at hirdalcsokor@gmail.com!

With the kind support of: Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Austrian Cultural Forum, Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport

A co-production of OFF-Biennale Budapest and Art at Work Association, Vienna. 

In a former laundry shop in Budapest's city centre the artistic team of NEWS MEDLEY presents two new video works created in collaboration with the Women’s Choir of Kartal as part of their exhibition for the OFF-Biennale.

Inspired by the rich tradition of folk culture, in particular folk singing in Hungary, NEWS MEDLEY is a collaboration between London-based Polish visual artist Alicja Rogalska, curator Katalin Erdődi, folk singer Réka Annus and the Women’s Choir of Kartal, a village near Budapest in eastern Hungary. NEWS MEDLEY talks about life in the countryside, as experienced by different generations of women. It recounts changes in political systems and lifestyles, and the hard-working realities of everyday life, commented on with humour and sharp wit by the choir members. A medley of five songs was chosen from the choir’s repertoire and collectively re-written, bringing together personal stories with collective concerns about community life and the future of the village.

The exhibition features the music video NEWS MEDLEY shot on location in Kartal and the 30-minute documentary video KARTAL ROUNDTABLE, which gives insight into the rehearsals, discussions and social moments of togetherness during the collaborative process leading up to the video shoot. The project’s publication or “songbook” also forms part of the show, and includes the lyrics and score of NEWS MEDLEY as well as conversations, essays and images documenting the artistic collaboration.


The venue is wheelchair accessible, the width of the entrance door is 90 cm. 

We also recommend the exhibition to Hungarian-speaking visitors with sight impairment.


Unfortunately, due to the pandemic situation and the legal unclarity regarding the right to public assembly, we have decided to postpone the planned performances in public space with the Women’s Choir of Kartal and the feminist choir Varsányi Szirének (Sirens of Varsány). They are now scheduled for the beginning of September 2021, in collaboration with PLACCC Festival. More details soon!