LudwigInzert Presents: BUDAPEST HANGINGS - Solo Exhibition of Matthias Megyeri

BUDAPEST HANGINGS
From the series Public-Private – Private-Public

Solo exhibition of Matthias Megyeri

Curators: Rita Kálmán, Tijana Stepanović

Opening:
7 June 2010 at LudwigInzert (1085 Budapest, József krt. 70.)

LudwigInzert`s first public event, the solo exhibition of Matthias Megyeri entitled Budapest Hangings reflects on the inspiring situation of both the new gallery and the Ludwig Museum. The artist turns the gallery space inside out, reinterpreting the relationship between private and public space, downtown and suburb, centre and periphery. He covers the inside walls with the bleak blue backsides of giant posters as a restrained gesture of intervention into the Józsefváros locale, which has been a community centre for years. As an offset, he covers the front with a colourful mosaic from a selection of his private photo collection comprising thousands of items. Passers-by can freely pick from the snapshots showing scenes from their own city as well as from other places, through the eyes of an artist with Hungarian origins, living and working in Stuttgart, Germany and London, UK.

Megyeri prefers taking snapshots everywhere he rambles, mostly pressing the shutter while in motion, racing his scooter. He likes the authenticity and broadly understood medium expressing personal values and memories. However these photographs are more than just imprints of personal memories. By exposing them in public space, the project attempts to reinterpret the relationship of strongly controlled public space and private sphere.

Originally coming from a political poster design background, Megyeri established his company and brand called Sweet Dreams Security® in 2003, which produces and sells functional security equipment, while being an art project as well. They manufacture padlocks, grates, razor-wires and chains, but in an extraordinary way: each piece is complete with some lovely and gentle detail, such as bear cubs, hearts or butterflies.

The protection of our home and private sphere, physical and existential safety and the anxiety surrounding these are becoming ever more important issues around the globe. With the objects manufactured by Sweet Dreams Security®, five of which are present in the permanent collection of the MoMa, New York, Megyeri reflects on the conflicts of the tension-ridden 8th district and, in a wider sense, on the paranoia dominating our entire society.

Matthias Megyeri graduated at the Royal College of Art and at HfG/ZKM. He lives and works in London and Stuttgart, where he has been recently granted a studio fellowship at the Künstlerhaus. For detailed information about the artist, visit his website at www.matthiasmegyeri.net.