Martin Munkácsi exhibition in Ludwig Museum: Think While You Shoot
Martin Munkácsi: Think While You Shoot
October 07, 2010. - January 09, 2011.
October 2010
8 posts
Interview with Kata Oltai, curator of Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art
Art historian, magazine editor, and onetime coffee shop manager turned curator of Ludwig Museum, Kata Oltai is one of the contributors of Fashion Video Festival. After telling her story about how she became the cultural manager of Ludwig Museum – Museum of Contemporary Art, she gives us insight into her taste in fashion and the reason why she is on every important street fashion blogs. Kata Oltai shares her thoughts on art, fashion, and on our society.
FVF: Next to Your name, on the homepage of Ludwig Museum, I can read “curator, cultural manager of the museum”. What does it mean? How did You start working for Museum Ludwig?
KO: Well, the cultural manager term is just the museum’s a bit strange categorization. I don’t believe there is such a thing. But to answer your question simply, those become curators who want to express their opinions about visual art—mainly—, and are persistent enough for their thought to become reality. I studied art history and aesthetics at university and always knew that I wanted to work with the contemporary. With the world, the society, and systems that surround us. I think it is very important for us to think about what is around us: to examine that, to either support or oppose it, to rearrange or present it as such, to bring it on for discussion—to deal with all of it.
FVF: Through Your curator work, or in any other areas, who have You worked with so far? Are there maybe a few projects that You are particularly proud of?
KO: This is truly a very complex and productive challenge, I always loved working on projects because of all that you can reach, bring out, it all depends on you. One of the best times were when we brought for two years to life the progeny of MEO (under the name WAX), where it was possible to truly design on 2600 m². And the space was an extraordinary former leather factory! I became close friends with Kriszta Nagy Tereskova through this project, and we have worked together many times after that, too. But I think fondly of the magazine eras or the gallery marketing sidesteps, too. Nevertheless, there were always times when I wanted to do something totally different, so I went and managed a coffee shop, for example. This year, finally, in the Ludwig, a very large exhibition took place that we were working on for years, and then, last year, I had the chance to do the research for it. So, I prepared a book, too, and Paul Gerber’s lifework exhibition. Now, I am working with Rita Ackermann on another large exhibition for next year, it’s a real pet project!
FVF: I have seen You on more street fashion pages. It is obvious that clothing also has a large role in Your life. Where does this love for clothes come from?
KO: It is not so much about loving fashion, as appearance in the public medium, which, I rather like to believe, is essential in delivering a strong message. We are carriers, so no details are subsidiary. In this badly conservative country the things that are “allowed” for a woman are rather limited. I like to play with things that are not necessarily accepted, expected, predictable, or anything alike. Clothing, hair, tattoo, all of them have a coded message, and with their combination (or even changing it for its contradictory) can lead to interesting statements.
FVF: Do You relate personally to the Fashion Video Festival, or are You present “only” as Ludwig Museum’s representative?
KO: A few years ago we have talked about it with Zsófi Baksa, when we were working for the same magazine. Then, life lead us in different directions, and when I was told that the topic was hot again, I already knew that I would be doing the Martin Munkácsi exhibition. It was obvious for us that it would be highly appropriate to win the contest for holding the festival in the same time as the exhibition of an artist regarded mainly as a fashion photographer. I believe that there is another scaling in fashion, just like while Martin Munkácsi was working for Harper’s Bazaar in the 30s. And yes, lately we are more and more agreeing, refining, and thinking together.
FVF: Everybody I talk with is going crazy for this initiative. What makes the video, in Your opinion, so attractive as opposed to the simple fashion photography?
KO: Its newness most of all. On the other hand, we cannot deny that this has become a quickly spreading trend. And it has already become a cliché that information mediation has become very fast with the video distributing portals. This way this genre has also come “closer”, the motion picture is simply more natural than in previous times.
FVF: Finally, the latest bloggers’ indispensable question: what do you think about the way Hungarians dress, especially the youth? Is there any hope?
KO: It depends how you look at it: if you observe only locally, then yes, there is motion. But, as I previously explained, we are an extremely conservative, poorly tolerant community, and so is our youth. So, if we look at the big picture, it is very blighter, unimaginative, hardly experimental, their clothing uses constantly the same boring, and accustomed patterns. However, there are a few refreshing exceptions here and there!
Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art: www.ludwigmuseum.hu
Martin Munkácsi exhibition: http://www.ludwigmuseum.hu/site.php?inc=kiallitas&kiallitasId=732&menuId=43
Written by Zita Had
Translated by Bori Nagy-György
Featured rovat: Interjú Kiss Bence Ádámmal
Kiss Bence Ádám fémműves tervezőként végzett a MOME-n, mostanság azonban interaktív installációkkal foglalkozik és így került az FVF látókörébe, hiszen felkértük, hogy koordinálja az interaktív installációk fejlesztését a fesztiválhoz, ennek kapcsán faggattuk.
FVF: Először is mesélj magadról hogyan kerültél kapcsolatba az interaktív installációkkal?
KBA: A MOME-n tanultam, diplomáztam mint formatervező, sok media designer haverom volt. Nálluk láttam előszőr programozható digitális kütyüket. Innen az inspiráció.
FVF: Kik azok a személyek, barátok, ismerősök akikkel együtt dolgoztál és hogyan kezdtétek el a közös munkát?
KBA: Név szerint Nagy Ágoston és Samu Bence. Haverkodtunk, söröztünk aztán forrasztottunk drótokat kötözgettünk, bla, bla.
FVF: Ha pár mondatban össze kéne foglalni, hogy tudnád leírni mit jelent neked az interaktív installáció?
KBA: Egy interaktív installációban engem általában, az a digitális /bábeli/ nyelv fog meg, ami a körülöttünk lévő környezeti, fizikai vagy testi elemeket egy közös nevezőre, azaz egymással reakcióba és kommunikációra képes jellé tudja alakítani. A legtutibb, hogy fényből mozgást, vagy hőmérsékletből fényt stb. tudok csinálni vagy az ember gesztusai mozdulatai alapján alkalmazásokat elindítani vagy valami mást ami digitális vezérelni.
FVF: Melyik eddigi munkádra vagy a legbüszkébb?
KBA: Nem tudom, ha lenne gyerekem azt mondanám, a Samukára.
FVF: Mik a legfontosabb terveid, amiket a közeljövőben megszeretnél valósítani?( vagy célok, amikor 10-20 éven belül elszeretnél érni?)
KBA: Ki szeretném, fogom használni a demokratizálódott technológiai tartalmak nyújtotta új lehetőségeket és meg lovagolni azt a technológiai evolúciót, ami a fogyasztás színeiben már egyébként is szeretne a kultúránkba integrálódni. Az ilyen folyamatok mentén új, a design számára még műveletlen, területek piacok alakulnak ki amire én design birodalmat építek.
irta: Gilányi Diána
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