Will interest grow in contemporary exhibitions and galleries?
MúzeumCafé 8.
Gábor Einspach, art market specialist of Kieselbach Gallery and Auction House
It is no surprise that graffiti, for example, has already come under the hammer in leading auction houses. Interest will definitely rise. A distinct turn to post-war including contemporary art has recently been experienced not only in western Europe and North America, but also in Hungary. Leading auction houses have been laying increasing emphasis on contemporary art for years. The exhibitions of the best Hungarian commercial galleries are exciting, and they also provide a deeper insight into international art. However, culture is not going to be in an easy position in the coming period. With regard to the volume of exhibition space I don’t think the non-profit sector can maintain more in the near future. The for-profit sector comprising commercial galleries has experienced rapid development. However, several outlets which, taking advantage of the boom in contemporary art, have been set up primarily for gaining profit will not be able to survive. At the same time there are still many excellent artists who are not represented by any gallery. There would still be space in the market for galleries run by authentic specialists and representing those artists.
Zsolt Petrányi, director of the Kunsthalle
The increasing interest in contemporary art exhibiting it depends on acceptance. There can never be enough educational programmes, information leaflets and publicity, because while we don’t need to gain the visitors’ trust in the case of a prominent classical artist it is a must when it comes to a contemporary star. Although this persuasion promises to be a long process in Hungary, results are already showing. Galleries are opening and contemporary works of art are included in auctions. The composition of exhibition goers is also changing. Today it’s not only young people who are open to new things and professionals interested in art who go to exhibitions, but also those working in business and finance. Many have realised that a different kind of information about the world can be gained via art. I believe that these changes will lead to an increase in the number of those interested in contemporary exhibitions. To win over audiences for contemporary art requires different, more comprehensive and diverse strategies. But we are right in the middle of a process and the positive change can already be seen.