Concrete

János Hübler and Nemere Kerezsi, two Ph. D. students at the Budapest Academy of Fine Arts (supervisor: György Jovánovics), have created this installation using two cubic meters of concrete and eighteen cubic meters of discarded books. Originally part of a large collection donated to the Central European University by Radio Free Europe’s research institute, the books, most of which had lost all relevance in the meantime, were offered to the public gratis. The eighteen cubic meters of books used for the installation are actually the leftovers, unwanted by the public. The two artists executed the project with the help of Márta Rácz. The books were built into a concrete foundation regardless of their content. Arranged with their spines pointing downwards, they constitute interesting shapes of various heights, due to their different sizes. The resulting structure set in concrete will not have a final shape as a floor surface, because, by walking on it, the visitors will continuously erode it. The installation constitutes at the same time a monument to eternal knowledge ”set in concrete” and to degenerating information, to the immortality of the past and its disintegration, while also offering an opportunity to reflect on the essence of books. During the exhibition period (June 4 – 7), the public is welcome to visit our further events. Anyone interested in poetry will be able to enjoy two Poetry Nights, when contemporary Hungarian poets will be presented, either in person or through the lens of the photographer Lenke Szilágyi. The other events include a book presentation, a public discussion and readings from a number of recently published books, in both Hungarian and English.

June 4, 2008, 8 p.m.

Poetry Night
Hosted by András Mink
Poets invited: Tibor Babiczky, Szilárd Borbély, Kristóf Csengery, Virág Erdős, László István G., Balázs Györe, Ákos Győrffy, Zoltán Halasi, András Imreh, Attila Jász, Tamás Jónás, Péter Kántor, Endre Kukorelly, Mónika Mesterházi, Ádám Mestyán, Zoltán Pallag, László Sajó, Anna T Szabó., Balázs Szálinger, János Térey, Mátyás Varga

June 5, 2008, 8 p.m.

Poetry Night
Hosted by András Mink
Poets invited: Mátyás Dunajcsik, Győző Ferencz, István Géher, András Gerevich, István Kemény, Levente Király, Dénes Krusovszky, János Lackfi, László Lator, Júlia Lázár, László András Magyar, Ádám Nádasdy, Péter Rácz, Bálint Solymosi, Ferenc Szijj, Ákos Szilágyi, Zsuzsa Takács, Gergely Balázs Vajda, Szabolcs Várady

June 5, 2008, 6 p.m.

Lajos Parti Nagy and Lídia Nádori will be talking to the writer György Magos, whose new novel, Gramofon, was published by Magvető Publishing House for the Budapest Book Week

June 6, 2008, 6 p.m.

The amateur historian, travel writer and journalist Bob Dent will read from his book Inside Hungary from the Outside (published by Európa Publishing House)The reading will be in English.

June 7, 2008, 3:30 p.m.

Gábor Tabajdi and Krisztián Ungváry will read from their new book entitled Elhallgatott múlt (The One-Party State and the Ministry of Interior. The Workings of the Security Police in Hungary 1956 - 1990). State Security and Luxury Brothel

Opening hours:

Official opening, June 4, 6 p.m.
June 5-6, from 10 a.m. through 10 p.m.
June 7, from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.