“We must find our own way in consideration of our situation”
Enikő Róka, art historian Director of Research, Hungarian National Gallery
MúzeumCafé 32.
Her first significant, independent work as a curator was A Collector and his Collection in 2002 about Lajos Ernst’s life and activity marking the 90th anniversary of the Ernst Museum. Enikő Róka by then had already worked in the National Gallery’s Collection of Graphic Art for six years and the exhibition was a ‘side product’ of her history thesis. The thesis was followed by the exhibition then her PhD, which will be published next year as a book by L’Harmattan. Katalin Sinkó, who Róka regards as her ideal, was the supervisor of her dissertation. Recalling the beginnings, Enikő Róka mentions Éva Bajkay who she can thank for starting her career in the museum world. That was when the Miskolc series of exhibitions began, hallmarked by István Dobrik and Éva Bajkay on the history of prints. The related published volumes are still essential reading and cooperation in the project taught Róka the basics of how to edit a catalogue and curate an exhibition. She was appointed to head the Department of Graphic Art in 2000 and during her 10 years in the post she assisted at the birth of many exhibitions. In 2007 she curated her first large exhibition in the National Gallery, Mihály Zichy – a Prince of Graphic Art, which included the artist’s works held in Hungary as well as a selection of drawings loaned by the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. In 2009 Enikő Róka was appointed to the post of Director of Research at the National Gallery. Her tasks have been varied. She organises academic life and participates in developing concepts with regard to the museum (exhibition policy, publications). Part of her work involves looking after inter-institutional relations. Her plans include initiating a discourse about permanent exhibitions in the near future.