“New year, new me,” you say, making a list of resolutions to eat better, exercise more and wake up on time. But mental stimulation is equally important, and there are eight fantastic exhibitions in Budapest running into February, featuring photography, fine arts, etchings and journeys through Hungarian history.

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Nobuyashi Araki: Emotional Travel

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Nobuyoshi Araki - Tokyo Comedy 1997 / Today's Elf House[/caption] 

Photographer Nobuyoshi Araki was born in Tokyo in 1940, and developed a taste for photography from his father. “Behind the shutter curtain of a camera,” says Araki, “lies the whole wide world. It was truly exciting!” After receiving his master’s degree in photography, Araki has gone on to create ever more influential works, and his photographs are on display at the Mai Manó Ház until 19 January. 

When:  Until 19 January – Tue-Sun noon-7pm
Admission:  700-1,500 HUF

2/8

The Garden of Art - Gross Arnold 90

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Imre Varga / Gross Arnold Gallery Cafe[/caption] 

Széphárom is a public space in downtown Budapest hosting periodic contemporary exhibitions. Until 31 January, the works of Arnold Gross will be on display, with free admission. Gross was an award-winning graphic designer, painter and innovator in the etching genre. He would have celebrated his 90th birthday in November. 

When: Until 31 January – Tue-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm
Admission: Free

3/8

Life/Photo – Éva Keleti retrospective

As we have already covered in depth, Éva Keleti, 88, remains a prominent figure in Hungarian photography, recording the portraits of the nation’s theatre and cinema stars. This exhibition at the Műcsarnok also presents the photographer’s personal background, family and ancestors, including poet and photographer Miklós Jutka, and fencing champion Endre Kabos. “The exhibition is a photographic engraving of an era that meant the world to me,” said Éva at the press opening for Life/Pics. 

When: Until 2 February – Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 10am-5.45pm, Thur noon-7.45pm
Admission:  900-1,800 HUF

4/8

Rubens, Van Dyck & the Heyday of Flemish Painting

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Ed. / WLB[/caption] 

The Museum of Fine Arts opened an exhibition at the end of October featuring paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck and other Flemish Masters. The show features nearly 120 works, some from the museum's own collection, but others are borrowed from the Hermitage in St Petersburg and the Prado in Madrid. Among the works of other masters, about 30 Rubens and more than ten Van Dyck masterpieces are featured. 

When: Until 16 Feb, daily 10am-6pm
Admission: 1,900-3,800 HUF

5/8

Knoll Gallery Budapest 30th anniversary

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Knoll Gallery Budapest[/caption] 

The Knoll Gallery celebrates its 30-year anniversary in Budapest by exhibiting as a so-called living archive. With photos, films, articles and artwork related to major past exhibitions, visitors step through key mile-markers of the museum’s history. 

Participating artists:
AES+F, Ákos Birkás, Blue Noses, Erika Baglyas, Alexander Brener & Barbara Schurz, Róza El-Hassan, András J Nagy, Luca Gőbölyös, Paul Horn, Johanna Kandl, Joseph Kosuth, Stanislav Kolibal, Bartosz Kokosinski, Kamil Kukla, Kundy Crew,  Lovas Ilona, Mara Mattuschka, Csaba Nemes,  Klára Rudas 

When: Until 22 Feb, Tue-Fri 2pm-6.30pm, Sat 11am-2pm 
Admission: Free

6/8

Euphoria? Transition stories from Hungary

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Csaba Almási J.: Parliamentary Hat, Tamás Király, 1989[/caption] 

“Euphoria – this is the word that seems to express most accurately the intense feelings the change of regime in Hungary provoked among those who welcomed it,” says the exhibition statement. The emblematic pictures, photo series, documents and video works document everything that happened then. Hosted at the Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Centre, the exhibition is open until 23 February.  


When: Until 23 February, daily 11am-7pm
Admission:  800-1,500 HUF

7/8

Capricorn 80

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Photo: Imre Bak: New Balance, 2019[/caption] 

Imre Bak is the respected artist involved in the creation and development of two leading Hungarian neo-avant-garde groups of the second half of the 20th century. A self-educated contemporary artist from the 1960s, his works will be on display at the ACB Gallery in Budapest until 28 February. Imre Bak celebrates his 80th birthday this year, and the Gallery is presenting his latest works from 2019. 

When:  Until 28 February, Tue-Fri 2pm-6pm
Admission:  Free

8/8

+1 The Miniversum closes 31 January

As already featured on the site, the endearing Miniversum will be closing for good at the end of January. The exhibition first opened in 2014 and features a whole world in miniature. Its ever-moving terrain of trains and signals represents specific locations and landscapes in Hungary, Austria and Germany. 

When:  Until 31 January, daily 10am-6pm
Admission:  2,600-3,600 HUF