From dazzling wedding gowns spanning centuries to fashion shots capturing Eastern European beauty and the mysterious world of Banksy, we have rounded up our favourite exhibitions for the summer.

1. Hungarian Bride 

Step into the world of stunning wedding dresses and romantic – or even quirky – love stories at the Hungarian National Museum's temporary exhibition. Through cherished gowns, accessories, and heartfelt love letters, the tales of hundreds of women come to life from the past 500 years. Here, you can surely live out your Bridgerton dreams, but apart from presenting some serious wedding fashion (find gorgeous bridal gowns in the snow-white room), 'Hungarian Bride' is more than just a feast for the eyes. It offers an exploration of societal expectations, telling the stories of the changing roles of women and the shifting perspectives on marriage and weddings. (x)

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2. Divas & Icons

Get a close-up look at the magnificent stage costumes of Rihanna, Björk, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, and Billie Eilish at the Divas & Icons exhibition. Travelling all the way from London's Victoria and Albert Museum, the empowering collection is on view at the House of Music Hungary.

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3. The World of Banksy – The street is a canvas

Experience Banksy's art right here in the heart of Budapest, at a new exhibition! 'The World of Banksy – The street is a canvas' delves into the mysteries of the artist, exploring their location choices, artistic philosophy, and the captivating power that has the world listening. The collection on Király utca features graffiti, photos, video installations, imprints, and other unique pieces – all collected and reproduced for this exclusive exhibition, open until September. 

DETAILS

  • Venue: Komplex Event
  • Regular ticket price: HUF 6,000 - 7,000
  • On view until: September 22nd, 2024
  • More details here and get tickets here.

4. Wanda Martin & Gabor Martin: The Ballad of Eternal Youth

This swaggy photo exhibition at Budapest's renowned photographers' gallery, features documentary photos by Gábor Martin (b. 1953) and Wanda Martin (b. 1991) – a father-daughter duo. Gábor captured partying youth in 1970s Békéscsaba, Hungary, while Wanda does the same in present-day London. Despite being separated by over forty years and two thousand kilometres, their respective images portray similar social phenomena: they capture timeless themes of rebellion and group dynamics among young generations.

DETAILS

  • Venue: Mai Manó House
  • Regular ticket price: HUF 2,000
  • On view until: August 19th, 2024
  • More details here.

5. Eastern European Beauty – Contemporary Fashion Photography & the Eastern European Aesthetic

If you are into fashion photography, this one is for you! You can explore a very cool photo exhibition at Robert Capa Center in the heart of Budapest! Through seventeen photographic projects, 'Eastern European Beauty' offers possible explanations of what the 'Eastern European aesthetic' consists of, and what its main characteristics are. And yes, Barbara Palvin is included too.

DETAILS

  • Venue: Robert Capa Center
  • Regular ticket price: HUF 4,000
  • On view until: October 6th, 2024
  • More details here.

6. The Hungarian Cube. Modernity and Dwelling in the Kádár Era

If you are eager to delve deeper into Hungarian culture and society, this exhibition is a must-see. Let us introduce you to the 'Kádár cube', an architectural phenomenon from the 1960s and 70s. These family homes, known for their distinctive hip roofs, were a hallmark of the post-war Hungarian socialist era (late 20th century). Named after the Communist leader János Kádár, these 'cube houses', alongside panel blocks, they became a significant part of Hungary's cultural heritage.

DETAILS

  • Venue: Ludwig Museum
  • Regular ticket price: HUF 3,000
  • On view until: August 18th, 2024
  • More details here.

7. Kertész, Moholy-Nagy, Capa... / Hungarian Photographers in America (1914–1989)

For the first time in Hungary, an exhibition presents the works of renowned Hungarian photographers who immigrated to the United States. In collaboration with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the exhibit features artists like André Kertész, László Moholy-Nagy, Martin Munkácsi, and Robert Capa. More than 170 works are displayed by 32 photographers who made significant contributions to photographic genres in their new homeland. While not all achieved global fame, they played pivotal roles in modernism, surrealism, and abstraction, shaping both aesthetic and technical approaches.

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8. Kertész / Copies

And speaking of André Kertész, there's another captivating exhibition in town dedicated solely to him. At the Hungarian National Museum, you can trace the footsteps of the young artist through a selection of his vintage shots taken before 1925. Even before emigrating to the US in 1936, the Hungarian-born photographer had already been prolific, as proved by the 1,163 photographs Budapest received from New York dating back to that era. These early images provide glimpses into Kertész's family relationships and his experiences as a young man in a rapidly changing world. (x)

DETAILS

(Cover photo: Tombor Zoltán)

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