Lobby / Office Piece for Budapest

Adapting the lobby of the Kunstverein München for the Office of the Organisation for Young Artists in Budapest

Networks imply the circulation of ideas and capital, of giving and taking. Adapting the Iobby of the Kunstverein München for Budapest involves a circulation of energy, ideas, opportunities and resources.
During our residency in Budapest in 1999, which was also the start of an exchange program between Budapest and Rotterdam, we felt that while the basic requirements for identifying the office of the Organisation of Young Artists as the heart the organisation were there, it was needed to create a comfortable space where artists can meet, exchange knowledge and information. Where visitors will find an easy access into the local art world through collected publications and other information. Where presentations, documentation material on artists, meeting other artists, is effectively accommodated. Where local artists are supported to communicate with their colleges from abroad in order to intensify already existing links and to extend them.

The invitation of curator Maria Lind to participate in her first show at Kunsferein München 'Exchange and Transform' in early 2002, created the opportunity for us to enlighten the existence of networks and how they overlap, by focussing on the circulation of energy, ideas, possibilities and resources. Kunstverein München and the Office of the Organisation for Young Artists in Budapest share many ambitions, for example the wish to mediate an and to create a meeting place for people interested in art and artists. Also architecturally, lobby and central hall bare parallels.
Instead of creating new ideas and a new design 'Lobby Office Piece for Budapest' emphasises the principles of circulation and reciprocity as the basis of economic exchange. The involvement of all parties, physical or financial, is part of the project and therefore indispensable. The Kunstverein München invited the artists to participate in this exhibition. Apolonija Sustersiscs allowed us to copy her design for the lobby ot the Kunstferein München and to include these copied elements inside the exhibition space. This work has been done in collaborati0n with artists Of the Organisation for Young Artists in Budapest. The Centre of Visual Arts in Rotterdam, the Mondrriaan Foundation and the Dutch Embassy in Budapest supported parts of the research and production of the project. After the end of the exhibition in München, the Organization of Young Artists transported the piece to Budapest, where it is now installed, addopted to the space and taken into operation.

Liesbeth Bik and Jos van der Pol. 2002

The realisation ot Lobby / Office Piece for Budapest would have been impossible without the lull engagement, help and support of the following persons and organisations. Therefore we would like to thank with gratitude:
Apolonija Sustersiscs (Haarlem/Ljubljana), Tamas Kaszas (Budapest). Gabor Kerekes (Budapest). Gergo Kovacs (Budapest), Istvan Csakany (Budapest), Maria Lind (München), Soren Grammel (München), Barnabas Bencsik (Budapest), Edit Molnar (Budapest), Judit Pálfi (Budapest), Office of the Organisati0n for Yourng Artists (Budapest), Centre of Visual Art / CBK (Rotterdam), Kunsferein München (München), Mondriaan Foundation (Amsterdam), Dutch Embassy (Budapest)

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