To use, not to wonder at, open-mouthed
The Sándor Weöres exhibition at the Petőfi Museum of Literature
MúzeumCafé 38.
To mark the centenary of the birth of Sándor Weöres, the Petőfi Museum of Literature has organised an exhibition and a number of events. The primary aim when thinking about the memorial year was to present the entire poetry of Weöres, and for the events to be attractive for all age groups. The public is familiar with Sándor Weöres primarily because of his poetry for children, though these verses account for less than ten per cent of his oeuvre and he himself regarded them as studies in rhythm. To celebrate the centenary of such an eminent figure in a museum we thought that by all means we should stage an exhibition, which would generate interest in the poet. Moreover, the exhibition is being held over a long period, for a year, with a view that during 2013-2014 lots of school groups will visit the display. We were not in a particularly easy situation when we thought about organising a fitting exhibition to celebrate the poetry of Sándor Weöres. Objects formerly belonging to Weöres are in the permanent exhibition of the Sándor Weöres and Amy Károlyi Memorial House in Csönge. A wide-ranging exhibition – considering the entire oeuvre – about the couple opened in 2006 in the house where Weöres was born. Thus we were unable to organise a show using the traditional literary exhibition means, since the objects associated with the poet were not at our disposal. Hence we got together with the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design and asked Zsófia Ruttkay, head of its Creative Laboratory, to form a group to present the poetry of Sándor Weöres by means of language games which would attract visitors. We have also set up a reading corner, where the tired visitor can take the volumes of Weöres from the shelf, read whatever is pleasing.