Anatomy of an exhibition appearing a century ago
The first solo exhibition of Tibor Boromisza in the Könyves Kálmán Salon
MúzeumCafé 29.
A researcher can truly feel fortunate if the documents relating to an event which took place a century ago have not only survived but have also remained together. After several years of research, I came across such a find among the Boromisza papers held in Szentendre. In addition to extensive private papers, manuscripts and notes amassed over a lifetime, Tibor Boromisza organised and carefully preserved the documents connected to his career, life and family. Many kinds of documents can be found relating to his first solo exhibition in Budapest, which took place in 1914. The name of Tibor Boromisza was already well known not only in Nagybánya but also in the capital when, at the age of 34, he organised his first exhibition in January 1914 at the Könyves Kálmán Association’s salon in Nagymező Street, the location of his appearance in the city seven years earlier. Following an agreement about the exhibition, Boromisza spent the rest of the year engaging in serious work. According to the catalogue notes, among the 55 exhibited works 20 were painted in 1913. With the exception of one picture (Nude, 1909), there was nothing in the entire exhibition older than three years, thus everything dated from the period 1911-1913. Among the journalists attending the opening more than 20 declared the exhibition a success. Thus it was extended by a week and an accompanying literary evening was organised when artists from theatres performed in front of nearly 400 people who had packed the salon. Although it wasn’t the intention, Tibor Boromisza’s January 1914 one-man show came to be seen as the end of a period. The First World War put an end to the era of Nagybánya.