A photo wall with 105 snapshots, a handwritten letter, audio recordings and books provide a sneak peek into the amazing oeuvre and personal life of the greatest war photographer of all time, Hungarian-born Robert Capa. As Capa would have been 105 years old this October, and this also coincides with the anniversary of the foundation of Budapest’s contemporary photo centre bearing his name, an outdoor container installation has been set up on central Erzsébet tér. The exhibition is open 24/7 until 21 October and free of charge.
“I am working under a new name. They call me Robert Capa. One could almost say that I’ve been born again (but this time it didn’t cause anyone any pain)” – says a handwritten letter by Robert Capa – born Endre Friedmann – hanging on the wall of this box-shaped display space on central Erzsébet tér. Altogether 105 photos present Capa’s amazing oeuvre, while his voice – speaking English with a slight Hungarian accent – constantly plays on a retro radio. The installation also invites visitors to use their photographic creativity playfully, providing a bathtub to reenact a famous photo of Capa – and one of his favourite pastimes – reading while taking a bubbly. A nice touch is that the same book is provided for your photos that Capa is reading in his snapshot.
Visitors are also welcome to browse several books on Capa, and can find out lesser-known facts and details about his life. Tear-off cards with a famous quote from Capa can be taken home, enabling you to visit one of the Capa Center’s exhibitions with a 10% discount. The installation is part of the CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival and can be viewed 24/7 free of charge until 21 October.
