Revival of the Jókai cult

Conversation with MúzeumCafé award-winner, Zsuzsa Kalla

MúzeumCafé 22.

Zsuzsa Kalla is curator of the highly successful exhibition at the Balatonfüred villa which used to belong to the writer Mór Jókai. We discussed the issue of how the traditional, somewhat dusty genre of the memorial-house can be reinvigorated. The Jókai Villa is one of those classicist summer retreats which fortunately survived the 20th century without serious alterations, thus making it possible to recreate the former life within its walls. Although no original photographs have survived, numerous records and the exemplary research undertaken at the Petőfi Museum of Literature enabled the furnishings to be reconstructed. “If local education is successful and memorial houses become centres of local culture, then they can be filled with life. The Hungarian Association of Literary Memorial Houses (MIRE) assists the heads of more or less isolated venues to create a community which is both real and virtual. We try to ensure specialist staff and permanent, reliable opening hours. In many locations museums are no longer regarded from the perspective of cost, but of job-creation, which could be significant for a disadvantaged village. “The Balatonfüred local authority established the Füredkult company to run three museums – the Vaszary Villa, the Jókai Memorial Museum and the Local History Museum. Today we organise exhibitions differently, focussing on the works themselves. My initial idea was that the display would be based on Man of Gold, since Jókai wrote that novel here and one of its key scenes takes place near Lake Balaton in winter. We devoted the study to the novel and with the help of authentic objects visitors can enter the fictional world. The installation playfully recalls the story – the main characters of the novel are standing around Jókai’s desk. We modelled the figures on actors of contemporary noted productions of the National Theatre. But it’s not necessary for someone to be familiar with the novel to understand the display. We aim to use texts and objects to create an image for everyone which they can happily take away with them. “Fortunately the Petőfi Museum of Literature’s Jókai collection is among the best researched and in relation to the period we’ve displayed the most characteristic items. “A different light is thrown on the manuscripts, personal documents, library, photos and works of a hidden personality – hence the title: A man we haven’t known so far. “Jókai bought a small vineyard on Budapest’s Sváb Hill, but the villa he had built there was demolished in the 1960s to make way for a glass and concrete structure for the then Institute of Ornithology. Today there is a tiny memorial room and although the plans of the villa still exist I can’t really imagine that it’s ever going to be rebuilt. On the other hand, the former press house is still standing and if we can get together with the Duna-Ipoly National Park Directorate, which operates exhibition centres similar to our memorial houses, and with related organisations such as the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Protection Association, we could establish a multi-faceted organisation and we could further develop the exhibition.”