In the world of contemporary art, the ability to survive—and even thrive—depends largely on freedom of expression and a certain level of permissiveness if not support from official channels. But in countries like Hungary, where state funding has been dwindling and governments are sometimes even taking hostile measures against art, rather than a cultural desert, you will find surprisingly fertile ground for home-grown talent.
But it’s not just artists transforming Budapest. Along with galleries like Ani Molnár and Trafo, both of which have long histories in the city, a new cohort of spaces is starting to sprout up, including Q Contemporary. a sprawling new contemporary art space opened in 2020 by Hong-Kong heiress and art collector Queenie Rosita Law. Her new gallery in Hong Kong, Double Q, will also be representing mostly central and Eastern European artists, such as Márton Nemes, József Csató and Gizella Rákóczy. “One of my goals is to provide a platform for both emerging and historically overlooked artist,” Law told Artnet News. “I would like to expand their careers beyond the region.”
December 21, 2021