Layers of Contingency – János Pilinszky’s pictures

One of the outstanding events surrounding the Pilinszky 100 series, organised by the Imre Kertész Institute to celebrate this post-war poet, is the exhibition Layers of Contingency, presenting his photographs at the Műcsarnok. Pilinszky began photography in 1965. He believed the camera was great for forcing his user to be constantly open and present but he also took photos to capture his travels abroad, the main focus of these 66 images. Subjects include sacred buildings, monuments and, in 1967, Swinging London, which offered Pilinszky honesty and hope. His muse, Jutta Scherrer, was another inspiration. Pilinszky often referred to his poems as images – some are also exhibited at the Műcsarnok.