Budapest Contemporary burst onto the scene three years ago and quickly became one of the capital’s most important art events. It proved there was a huge demand for a platform where galleries can showcase their latest works, and where professionals, collectors, and the general public can all come together.
40 galleries, thousands of artworks
The organisers of Art and Antique, with its seven-year history, and the two-year-old Füred Art Week are bringing the four-day Budapest Contemporary to Bálna. As chief organiser Ádám Tausz explained:
This year, the event will take up more space than ever before. Nearly 40 exhibitors will present thousands of works, with paintings joined by sculptures, design pieces, and other treasures on display. Interest in BCT has now grown well beyond Hungary, attracting attention from abroad too.
You can read more about the participating galleries here.
This year, the Ferenczy Museum Centre in Szentendre will be the sole museum exhibitor at the fair, offering a taste of its diverse activities and extraordinary treasures. Visitors can explore pieces from its collection of female portraits, award-winning publications, and highlights of Szentendre’s vibrant art scene – with screen prints from the Graphic Workshop even available to take home. MOME will also be present: media design students will showcase works that sensitively explore the complex relationships between time, identity, and community.
Contemporary stars: Agnes Denes, Selma Selman, Andreas Fogarasi
One of this year’s highlights is the international stand, showcasing around forty works by international artists represented by ten galleries from the Association of Hungarian Contemporary Galleries. Curator Lili Rebeka Tóth explained:
The stand takes as its starting point a 1982 conceptual graphic work by Géza Perneczky, which highlights the countless parallel, non-intersecting realities of the world’s artists. In contrast, the works on display here, by appearing side by side, aim to reveal the intersections of these parallel methods, mediums, and themes.
On the stand, visitors can also see works by Agnes Denes, the conceptual artist born in Hungary in 1931 but based in New York for decades. A pioneer of environmental art, she was among the first to introduce an ecological perspective into the art world. Today, Denes is a globally acclaimed and sought-after artist, whose works have reached cult status – and whose themes are more relevant than ever.
There is also great anticipation for the works of Selma Selman, one of today’s most sought-after artists. Of Bosnian Roma origin and now based mainly in Berlin, the young artist works across video, performance, photography, painting, and installation. Her recurring themes include poverty, segregation, and patriarchal society. Visitors will also encounter the work of Robert Gabris – a Slovak-born, Vienna-based artist known for his critical approach to institutions, who explores issues of identity and shines a light on marginalised groups.
Another highly acclaimed artist is Andreas Fogarasi, who won the Golden Lion at the 2007 Venice Biennale. His sculptures and installations enjoy great popularity among both critics and audiences, addressing timely themes such as power relations, identity, and collective memory. Visitors will also have the chance to see a work by Vera Molnar. Molnar, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 99, spent most of her life in France and is regarded worldwide as a true pioneer of digital art. She was the first fine artist to use a computer to generate images, as early as 1968.
Side programmes: conferences, guided tours, children’s activities
A key direction of development is the stronger presence of design, which is why this year the POV design conference joins the event as a partner. The 2025 BCT will also place special focus on Hungarian and international female artists, who are increasingly shaping the direction of the scene. Another highlight will be the Márton Szipál corner, paying tribute to Hollywood’s beloved Hungarian photographer with a selection of striking works. Throughout the fair – from 25–28 September – there will be daily guided tours and children’s activities, while luxury car brand Bentley will showcase its latest models to the public.
Entry is free for visitors under 18, while an adult day ticket costs HUF 4000 and can be purchased on site.
(Cover photo: BCT)
Legyetek ott első városi piknikünkön!
Gyertek, és töltsünk el egy vidám napsütéses tavaszi napot együtt a városligeti fák lombjai között május 1-jén, ahol day-time piknik, workshopok, sok szuper food truck és dizájnvásár is vár mindenkit.
Ünnepeljük együtt a tavaszt, a találkozásokat és azt a pezsgést, amiért annyira szeretjük Budapestet!
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