http://krisztinaerdei.com/
Krisztina ERDEI: Provisional Shelter
opening speech: Viola FARKAS, 3 September
2015 19:00
exhibition: 4 September - 24 September 2015
in the Liget Gallery
Everybody has felt that he/she would like to
escape, at least for a short time. Independently from our timely
situation, instead of solving the problems, we would pretend,
they don't even exist at all. And we would occupy ourselves with
an alternative reality. Wrong side of the solution, that it is
only temporary. If we are faced with problems again, we would
escape again. This is the uneffective circle of
'escapism'. That the modern man moves away from social reality
can be explained by many reasons. The point is that we need to
divert our attention to ease the pressure of everyday life
either by entertainment or by rest.
Drinking alcohol is the part of the culture in
Hungary. Having a glance at consumption we are amongst the top
players of the world. There is no doubt that in the bigger
villages and market towns there were taverns and wine shops from
the Middle Ages. These became institutionalized. Their periodic
functioning became continuous. Religious holidays and traditions
connected to these places, which became shelters for people
during centuries.
The role of the pub is important today as well.
One of the main targets of the tourist arriving to Hungary is
the (ruin) pub. Pub is the institution of collective alcohol
consumption, scene of complex social behaviours. It excludes the
boredom of ordinary days or the troubles of civilization. This
is the temporary home of public and loose exchange of views.
'The pub is a shelter. The only place where we can still hide
from the world. The pub is the last recourse of human
civilization.' (András CSERNA-SZABÓ)
At present the politics is aboute the escape.
We have to give provisional shelter for the migrants who are
coming mainly from war zones. We are a transit country where the
peolple arrive but want to go forward. We are an inn where they
rest a bit, exchange information but the destination is
somewhere else.
The photoinstallation highlights the contrast
between the timely humanitarian catastrophy in Europe and a
centuries-old tradition.